Downloads: 5 | Views: 212 | Weekly Hits: ⮙4 | Monthly Hits: ⮙4
Research Paper | Pediatrics | India | Volume 12 Issue 1, January 2023 | Rating: 6.1 / 10
A Study on Febrile Seizures with Special Reference to Laboratory Evaluation
Tanveer Begum [2] | Ganivada Sirisha [2] | Rachabattuni Siva Tejaswini [2]
Abstract: Background: The most common cause of convulsions in children is febrile seizures. They are mostly benign in nature, but it is imperative for the physician to evaluate the child completely, so as to allay the associated parental anxiety, and to identify the focus of infection and any associated preventable risk factors. It is important to exclude meningitis either clinically or by CSF analysis. This study evaluated laboratory tests in children presenting with febrile seizures. Aims and objectives of the study: 1) Laboratory evaluation in patients with febrile seizures. 2) Significance of investigations in a child with febrile seizures. Methodology: 50 Neurologically normal children between 6 months to 5 years of age with febrile seizures occurring once or more in a 24 hour period with an axillary temperature of more than 38?C were included in this study. These children were evaluated for laboratory profile and to identify the aetiological aspects causing fever leading to the development of febrile seizures. Results: In this study, febrile seizures were more common in children less than 2 years of age (80%), it was more common in males (62%), On investigation (96%) of the cases had haemoglobin of less than 11gm/dl, and (44%) of the cases had microcytic hypochromic picture; CT scan and CSF analysis was done in all cases of complex febrile seizures and were found to be normal. Conclusion: Age less than 2 years and male gender are considered to be risk factors, for the development of febrile seizures. Many children with febrile seizures are found to have pallor with microcytic hypochromic picture in peripheral smear, which points towards iron deficiency anaemia, thus iron supplementation can be given to decrease the incidence as well as recurrence of febrile seizures. Laboratory investigations are to be directed in identifying the focus of fever and not for the evaluation of seizures.
Keywords: Febrile Seizures, Iron deficiency Anaemia
Edition: Volume 12 Issue 1, January 2023,
Pages: 1171 - 1174