Febrile seizures refers to convulsions (fits) that can occur in a child during a high fever. It usually occurs in children between the ages of 3 months to 6yrs. They can be frightening but most times are harmless and don’t point towards any serious health issue. Homeopathic Medicines for Febrile Seizures can be taken as a supportive help along with conventional mode of treatment.
An increase of body temperature (mostly higher than 38 °C or 100.4 °F) usually can trigger a febrile seizure. Sometimes a low – grade fever can also trigger a febrile seizure.
Most of the time the fever which lead to febrile seizures result from a viral infection and sometimes from bacterial infection. Virus which causes roseola ( also called as sixth disease is an infectious disease caused by human herpesvirus 6 and 7 and usually spreads through saliva. It occurs in children before age of three and causes fever and skin rash), chicken pox, influenza and upper respiratory tract infection that are accompanied with high fevers are mostly linked with febrile seizures. Other infections linked with febrile seizures are middle ear infections, shigellosis (an infection of intestines caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella) and salmonellosis (a bacterial disease caused by bacteria of the Salmonella type affecting the intestinal tract causing diarrhoea, fever and abdominal cramps).
Next, fever that follows immunizations mainly the MMR (measles, mumps rubella vaccine), DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus vaccine) can also cause febrile seizures. A child who has some family member having febrile seizure is at risk of it suggesting a link of genetics with this.
These seizures mainly occur in children between the age group of 3 months and 6 years and the children between 12 months and 18 months of age are at the highest risk of it.
In most cases febrile seizures don’t cause any complication. But some children get the complication of recurrent febrile seizures. Few children who had a febrile seizure have a chance of getting another seizure from some future infection usually within the year of first seizure. The chances of recurrence is more if the first febrile seizure occurred before age of 18 months, the first febrile seizure occurred from a low fever, the time span between the fever onset and seizure was short and there is a family history of febrile seizures and if the child goes to day care that increase the chances to contract infections common in childhood like influenza, chicken pox.
In febrile seizures fever is more than 38°C (or 100.4°F), twitching of limbs, jerking of limbs, stiffness of body, shaking of limbs / whole body, loss of consciousness occurs. Other than this rolling of eyes and foam at mouth can be there.
There are two types of febrile seizures – simple and complex.
These are most common and last from a few seconds to one or two minutes. But sometimes they can last for around 15 minutes. They are not specific to any one part of the body. Its symptoms include twitching of limbs, stiffening and shaking of limbs, shaking all over the body, eye rolling, loss of consciousness, loss of bladder / bowel control. After the seizure is over the child may feel confused, tired, sleepy, irritable but no weakness in the arm or leg is felt. Simple febrile seizures occur for only one time in a 24 hr period and do not repeat again in this time period.
These are less common and they last for more than 15 minutes. These seizures occur more than once during 24 hours time. These are confined to one side of the body. Its symptoms are twitching or shaking of one limb of the body, loss of consciousness and weakness in the arm or leg which is temporary.
Note
The child should be taken to doctor as soon as possible after the febrile seizure. One must urgently rush to hospital in case a child has a stiff neck, vomiting, extreme lethargy and breathing difficulty that may be indicative of brain infection.
Homeopathic medicines are helpful for managing cases of febrile seizures which are mild to moderate in intensity. These medicines mainly focus to boost the immunity of a child to fight with the infectious agent which is causing fever and to help regulate the temperature. Use of these medicines can be considered to treat the tendency of recurrent febrile seizures. The homeopathic medicines for these cases should be taken after consulting a homeopathic physician and never be self prescribed. This is because the medicine for this condition is not specific and which medicine is required for a given case of febrile seizures can only be selected after a thorough case analysis. It is to be noted that in severe cases with some warning signs like vomiting, stiff neck, breathing difficulty and extreme lethargy urgent help from conventional mode of treatment should be taken.
This medicine is prepared from plant deadly nightshade. This plant belongs to family solanaceae. It is a leading medicine for febrile seizures. The important features to use this medicine are twitching of limbs, jerking of arms and hands. There is twisting, turning of limbs along with jerking. Sometimes twitchings are present in muscles of face. Rolling of eyes may also present. With the above there is loss of consciousness. After the end of fit sound sleep occurs. There is fever with excessive heat in head and face, redness of face, great thirst.
This medicine is beneficial for cases in which there is twitching of single muscle or single limb. The child may also have frothing at mouth. Deep sleep can after the fit attack is over. There is fever with marked chills. A peculiar feature during fever is desire to be covered in all stages of fever – chill, heat or sweat.
This medicine is indicated when during fit the body becomes stiff, rigid; the eyes are staring and there is frothing at the mouth. Other than this there is jerking of arms, fingers and to and fro motion of head. Sometimes there is jerking of the left side of the face that appears distorted. There is profuse sweating during fit. Along with the above symptoms there is no loss of consciousness.
This medicine is prepared from plant Cina maritima also known as Artemisia maritima. This plant belongs to family compositae. Use of this medicine is considered when there is twitching or jerking of limbs. The child throws arms from side to side. Distortion of limbs may also appear with this. Its use is also done when the child becomes suddenly stiff during seizure attack. In cases needing it consciousness is preserved during the attack.
This medicine is prepared from the fresh roots of a plant called Cicuta Virosa commonly known as water hemlock. This plant belongs to the family umbelliferae. This medicine is helpful in cases presenting with fits with frightful distortion of limbs and sometimes the whole body. There are spasms with rigidity of muscles. There is loss of consciousness. With this there is high fever, pupils are dilated, head is retracted and there is frothing at mouth.
This medicine is prepared from plant Hyoscyamus niger commonly known as henbane. This plant belongs to family solanaceae. It is useful for cases where fit begins with twitchings of muscles of face. In children needing it there may be jerking in the body which is wandering. At one time there is jerking of feet and at other times, the arms. Staring eyes, clenching of teeth and foaming at the mouth are some accompanying symptoms.
This medicine is indicated for cases with violent movements of limbs. With this there is gnashing of teeth, screaming, crying. The eyes are half closed with a fixed look. Involuntary passage of urine can be there along with above symptoms. There is feverish heat in the body. Coldness of hands and feet is there.
This medicine is valuable to manage cases with jerking of limbs and trembling of tongue. Other accompanying symptoms are fixed eyes, frothing at mouth, clenched thumbs, loss of consciousness and redness of face. After consciousness is regained excessive thirst is felt. It is also well indicated for convulsions in children during the first period of dentition with increased body temperature and marked redness of one cheek.
This medicine is prominent for cases with spasmodic jerking of limbs. For using it there may be jerking of one or other arm to and fro. It is also one of the best medicine when a fit occurs during sleep.
The post Homeopathic Medicines for Febrile Seizures appeared first on Homeopathy at DrHomeo.com.
Causes
An increase of body temperature (mostly higher than 38 °C or 100.4 °F) usually can trigger a febrile seizure. Sometimes a low – grade fever can also trigger a febrile seizure.
Most of the time the fever which lead to febrile seizures result from a viral infection and sometimes from bacterial infection. Virus which causes roseola ( also called as sixth disease is an infectious disease caused by human herpesvirus 6 and 7 and usually spreads through saliva. It occurs in children before age of three and causes fever and skin rash), chicken pox, influenza and upper respiratory tract infection that are accompanied with high fevers are mostly linked with febrile seizures. Other infections linked with febrile seizures are middle ear infections, shigellosis (an infection of intestines caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella) and salmonellosis (a bacterial disease caused by bacteria of the Salmonella type affecting the intestinal tract causing diarrhoea, fever and abdominal cramps).
Next, fever that follows immunizations mainly the MMR (measles, mumps rubella vaccine), DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus vaccine) can also cause febrile seizures. A child who has some family member having febrile seizure is at risk of it suggesting a link of genetics with this.
These seizures mainly occur in children between the age group of 3 months and 6 years and the children between 12 months and 18 months of age are at the highest risk of it.
Complications
In most cases febrile seizures don’t cause any complication. But some children get the complication of recurrent febrile seizures. Few children who had a febrile seizure have a chance of getting another seizure from some future infection usually within the year of first seizure. The chances of recurrence is more if the first febrile seizure occurred before age of 18 months, the first febrile seizure occurred from a low fever, the time span between the fever onset and seizure was short and there is a family history of febrile seizures and if the child goes to day care that increase the chances to contract infections common in childhood like influenza, chicken pox.
Symptoms
In febrile seizures fever is more than 38°C (or 100.4°F), twitching of limbs, jerking of limbs, stiffness of body, shaking of limbs / whole body, loss of consciousness occurs. Other than this rolling of eyes and foam at mouth can be there.
There are two types of febrile seizures – simple and complex.
- Simple Febrile Seizures
These are most common and last from a few seconds to one or two minutes. But sometimes they can last for around 15 minutes. They are not specific to any one part of the body. Its symptoms include twitching of limbs, stiffening and shaking of limbs, shaking all over the body, eye rolling, loss of consciousness, loss of bladder / bowel control. After the seizure is over the child may feel confused, tired, sleepy, irritable but no weakness in the arm or leg is felt. Simple febrile seizures occur for only one time in a 24 hr period and do not repeat again in this time period.
- Complex Febrile Seizure
These are less common and they last for more than 15 minutes. These seizures occur more than once during 24 hours time. These are confined to one side of the body. Its symptoms are twitching or shaking of one limb of the body, loss of consciousness and weakness in the arm or leg which is temporary.
Note
The child should be taken to doctor as soon as possible after the febrile seizure. One must urgently rush to hospital in case a child has a stiff neck, vomiting, extreme lethargy and breathing difficulty that may be indicative of brain infection.
Homeopathic Medicines for Febrile Seizures
Homeopathic medicines are helpful for managing cases of febrile seizures which are mild to moderate in intensity. These medicines mainly focus to boost the immunity of a child to fight with the infectious agent which is causing fever and to help regulate the temperature. Use of these medicines can be considered to treat the tendency of recurrent febrile seizures. The homeopathic medicines for these cases should be taken after consulting a homeopathic physician and never be self prescribed. This is because the medicine for this condition is not specific and which medicine is required for a given case of febrile seizures can only be selected after a thorough case analysis. It is to be noted that in severe cases with some warning signs like vomiting, stiff neck, breathing difficulty and extreme lethargy urgent help from conventional mode of treatment should be taken.
Belladonna – Top Grade Medicine
This medicine is prepared from plant deadly nightshade. This plant belongs to family solanaceae. It is a leading medicine for febrile seizures. The important features to use this medicine are twitching of limbs, jerking of arms and hands. There is twisting, turning of limbs along with jerking. Sometimes twitchings are present in muscles of face. Rolling of eyes may also present. With the above there is loss of consciousness. After the end of fit sound sleep occurs. There is fever with excessive heat in head and face, redness of face, great thirst.
Nux Vomica – For Twitching of Single Muscle or Limb
This medicine is beneficial for cases in which there is twitching of single muscle or single limb. The child may also have frothing at mouth. Deep sleep can after the fit attack is over. There is fever with marked chills. A peculiar feature during fever is desire to be covered in all stages of fever – chill, heat or sweat.
Stramonium – With Stiffness and Rigidity of Body
This medicine is indicated when during fit the body becomes stiff, rigid; the eyes are staring and there is frothing at the mouth. Other than this there is jerking of arms, fingers and to and fro motion of head. Sometimes there is jerking of the left side of the face that appears distorted. There is profuse sweating during fit. Along with the above symptoms there is no loss of consciousness.
Cina – When There is Twitching or Jerking of Limbs
This medicine is prepared from plant Cina maritima also known as Artemisia maritima. This plant belongs to family compositae. Use of this medicine is considered when there is twitching or jerking of limbs. The child throws arms from side to side. Distortion of limbs may also appear with this. Its use is also done when the child becomes suddenly stiff during seizure attack. In cases needing it consciousness is preserved during the attack.
Cicuta – for seizures with frightful distortion of limbs
This medicine is prepared from the fresh roots of a plant called Cicuta Virosa commonly known as water hemlock. This plant belongs to the family umbelliferae. This medicine is helpful in cases presenting with fits with frightful distortion of limbs and sometimes the whole body. There are spasms with rigidity of muscles. There is loss of consciousness. With this there is high fever, pupils are dilated, head is retracted and there is frothing at mouth.
Hyoscyamus – When Fit Starts with Twitchings of Muscles of Face
This medicine is prepared from plant Hyoscyamus niger commonly known as henbane. This plant belongs to family solanaceae. It is useful for cases where fit begins with twitchings of muscles of face. In children needing it there may be jerking in the body which is wandering. At one time there is jerking of feet and at other times, the arms. Staring eyes, clenching of teeth and foaming at the mouth are some accompanying symptoms.
Causticum – With Violent Limb Movements
This medicine is indicated for cases with violent movements of limbs. With this there is gnashing of teeth, screaming, crying. The eyes are half closed with a fixed look. Involuntary passage of urine can be there along with above symptoms. There is feverish heat in the body. Coldness of hands and feet is there.
Ignatia – For Jerking of Limbs and Trembling of Tongue
This medicine is valuable to manage cases with jerking of limbs and trembling of tongue. Other accompanying symptoms are fixed eyes, frothing at mouth, clenched thumbs, loss of consciousness and redness of face. After consciousness is regained excessive thirst is felt. It is also well indicated for convulsions in children during the first period of dentition with increased body temperature and marked redness of one cheek.
Opium – For Spasmodic Jerking of Limbs
This medicine is prominent for cases with spasmodic jerking of limbs. For using it there may be jerking of one or other arm to and fro. It is also one of the best medicine when a fit occurs during sleep.
The post Homeopathic Medicines for Febrile Seizures appeared first on Homeopathy at DrHomeo.com.