Children's Health

Protect your child from injury during a seizure:

• Ease the child to the floor, or lay a very small child facedown on your lap. Do not restrain the child.
• Turn the child onto his or her side, which will help clear the mouth of any vomit or saliva. This will help keep the tongue from blocking the air passage so the child can breathe. Keeping the head and chin forward (in the same position as when you sniff a flower) also will help keep the air passage open.
• Loosen clothing.
• Do not put anything in the child's mouth to prevent tongue-biting. This could cause injury.
• Try to stay calm, which will help calm the child. Comfort the child with quiet, soothing talk.
• Time the length of the seizure and pay close attention to the child's behavior during the seizure so you can describe it to your child's doctor.

Check your child for injuries after the seizure:

• If the child is having trouble breathing, turn his or her head to the side and, using your finger, gently clear the mouth of any vomit or saliva to aid breathing.
• If the child does not need to see a doctor right away, put him or her in a cool room to sleep. Sleepiness is common following a seizure. Check on the child often. Normal behavior and activity level should return within 60 minutes of the seizure.

If your child has had a fever seizure in the past and you have talked with your child's doctor about how to care for your child after a seizure, be sure to follow the doctor's instructions.

For home treatment of a fever, see the topic Fever, Age 11 and Younger.

Symptoms to watch for during home treatment

Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home treatment:

• Another seizure occurs with the same fever illness.
• Other symptoms of illness develop, such as an infection.
• Symptoms become more severe or frequent.