Why do seizures occur during a fever?

Generally, the causes of convulsions during fever may include elevated body temperature, increased nervous system excitability, bronchitis, encephalitis, epilepsy, and other conditions. Prompt medical attention is necessary, and treatment should follow medical advice. Details are as follows:

1. Elevated Body Temperature: When body temperature rises rapidly, the brain may experience overheating-induced convulsions. This occurs because high temperatures affect the normal metabolism and electrical activity of brain nerve cells, leading to abnormal neuronal discharges, which can trigger convulsions. Patients with high fever tend to sweat excessively, causing fluid loss; therefore, timely rehydration is essential to prevent dehydration.

2. Increased Nervous System Excitability: During fever, the excitability of the nervous system increases, which may lead to heightened excitability of facial or whole-body muscles, resulting in convulsions. Sedative medications such as phenobarbital tablets, estazolam tablets, or diazepam tablets can be used according to medical instructions to alleviate convulsive symptoms. These medications have calming effects and can reduce nervous system excitability.

3. Bronchitis: Bronchitis is usually associated with infections, which can cause bronchial dilation and inflammatory reactions, subsequently leading to fever and convulsions. Toxins and pyrogens produced during inflammation can also affect the normal functioning of brain nerve cells and may be accompanied by coughing. Anti-inflammatory medications such as penicillin V potassium tablets, amoxicillin tablets, or ribavirin granules should be used under medical guidance.

4. Encephalitis: Encephalitis is a central nervous system disease caused by infection with pathogens such as viruses or bacteria. Pathogen infection may trigger inflammatory and immune responses, damaging brain nerve cells and causing symptoms such as convulsions and fever. Antiviral medications like acyclovir tablets, along with analgesics such as ibuprofen tablets or acetaminophen tablets, can be used under medical guidance to provide antiviral and calming effects.

5. Epilepsy: Prolonged high fever may trigger epilepsy, leading to abnormal brain discharges and resulting in convulsions. Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder caused by various factors, characterized by sudden, recurrent, brief episodes of central nervous system dysfunction due to excessive neuronal discharges, often accompanied by loss of consciousness. Medications such as sodium valproate sustained-release tablets, lamotrigine tablets, or oxcarbazepine tablets can be used under medical guidance for calming, anticonvulsant, and antiepileptic effects.

During treatment, appropriate therapeutic measures should be adopted according to the patient's specific etiology and symptoms to alleviate convulsions and promote recovery.

References:

[1] Wang Weiping, Sun Kun, Chang Liwen. Pediatrics [M]. 9th ed. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2018.

[2] Zuo Qihua. Pediatric Neurological Diseases [M]. 3rd ed. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2002.