A 9-month-old infant presents with a generalized tonic-clonic seizure lasting 2 minutes during an acute febrile illness (temperature 39.4 degrees C secondary to otitis media). The child returns to baseline alertness within 10 minutes. There is no prior seizure history and neurological examination is entirely normal. What is the classification of this seizure?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Simple febrile seizure
- Step 1: A simple febrile seizure is generalized, lasts less than 15 minutes, occurs once in a 24-hour period during a febrile episode, and is followed by full recovery without focal neurological deficits.
- Step 2: It carries an excellent prognosis and does not require routine EEG or neuroimaging.
Answer
Simple febrile seizure.
Why not the others: 'Complex febrile seizure' is focal in onset, lasts greater than 15 minutes, or recurs within a 24-hour period; 'Febrile status epilepticus' lasts continuously for 30 minutes or more; 'Atonic drop seizure' is an afebrile seizure disorder characterized by sudden loss of postural tone.
Practise more Pediatric Medicine and Neonatology.
Free questions with an explanation for every one, and full timed National Health Regulatory Authority Licensure Examination (NHRA Bahrain) mock tests.
More Pediatric Medicine and Neonatology questions
- A 3-week-old full-term infant presents with persistent non-bilious projectile vomiting immediately after every feeding. On physical examinat…
- A 4-year-old child presents with a 6-day history of high-spiking fever unresponsive to paracetamol. Physical examination reveals bilateral n…
- A 6-month-old infant is brought to the emergency department with sudden paroxysms of severe colicky abdominal pain during which he draws his…
- A 2-year-old boy presents with sudden barking cough, inspiratory stridor, hoarseness, and low-grade fever that worsens at night. Anteroposte…
- A newborn infant delivered at 38 weeks gestation is evaluated at 1 minute post-delivery: heart rate is 120 bpm (2 points), vigorous crying w…
- A 3-year-old unimmunized child presents with acute onset of high fever, toxic appearance, muffled 'hot potato' voice, drooling, and sitting…