Tuesday, October 14, 2014

How to Get Rid of Convulsions

How to Get Rid of Convulsions

How to Get Rid of Convulsions

How to Get Rid of Convulsions

Your son has been feverish for two days. You get a glass of milk for him and as soon as you return to his bed, you see his whole body shaking terribly. His body temperature has elevated, signaling only one thing --- a case of convulsion.

Convulsion usually occurs in children with ages ranging from under six months to six years. A child's body may shake incessantly because his or her temperature has risen tremendously over a short period of time.

The Culprit

The first seizure or moment of convulsion is considered the most frightening moment for any parent. Some parents worry about their kids developing brain damage or death. Don't panic. Convulsion does not cause learning difficulties, mental retardation, epilepsy, brain damage or death. Convulsion is also not a genetic disorder, although it is assumed by many.

In the past, convulsions occurred on the day children were given whole-cell pertussis, tetanus or diphtheria vaccination. Today, convulsions occur only eight to 14 days after a child is given MMR or measles-mumps-rubella vaccination, and only on very rare instances, because of advanced technology and medication.

A convulsion fit occurs when there is a problem with the brain's normal electrical activity. During convulsion, loss of consciousness and jerking movements or seizures are caused by waves of electrical activity in the brain. Children who are affected by this ailment are usually the sensitive ones. Other children do not experience convulsion at all during their childhood. Children who experience convulsion are those who have fever due to more serious health problems like kidney infections, pneumonia, virus infections, flue, colds, coughs and ear infections.

The Dreaded Symptoms

A doctor can diagnose your son with convulsion if he does not have a history of epilepsy and other seizure disorders. You should also rule out meningitis if it is your son's first time to have a seizure.

The first sign of convulsion is twitching or jerking of the face, legs or arms. Your son may pass out as the seizure starts. He may also not be aware of his twitching or jerking. He may throw up too. In some cases, children have a bowel movement or urinate without them knowing it. After the convulsion, your son may feel sleepy, confused and irritable. His face may also turn blue or red.

When Treatment is Needed

You don't need to do anything if the convulsion lasts only a few minutes, except when there is an infection involved. If the convulsion lasts longer, a certain medicine should be taken in to stop it. A physician may put a diazepam liquid inside the back passage or rectum so that the substance is absorbed immediately into the bloodstream. This way, the convulsion is easily stopped.

If your son is prone to recurrent convulsions, you have to learn how to put diazepam liquid into the rectum of your child. You may also be given additional supplies if the situation gets worse.

Convulsion Prevention – You may think that keeping your son's temperature down while he is suffering from a fever may help him stay away from convulsion but this assumption is barely supported by scientific evidence. While evidence is lacking, this technique is still encouraged to make your son feel comfortable. If the child feels better, convulsion is consequently prevented.

You can prevent convulsion by making sure your son is lightly dressed. If the room is warm, then take his clothes off. You can also give him medications like Disprol or Calprol, or anything that is under the generic name of ibuprofen or paracetamol. Cool drinks will also do him good.

First Aid – Remember what time the convulsion started. Allow your son to lie down on his side and put him to recovery position where his head is slightly lower than his body. Do not feed him or put anything into his mouth because this will affect his breathing. Do not shake him at all. Make him feel comfortable by lowering his temperature once the convulsion stops. If your son has recovered enough to eat, then let him take in ibuprofen or paracetamol. Take his clothes off too, to help him get rid of excess heat.

Treatment During Convulsion – If you want to stop seizure caused by convulsion, you don't need to lower the child's fever. Medications during a seizure are not necessary. For the same reason, you don't have to put your son in a tub of cool water. Just let your child lie on the bed because aside from this method being more comfortable and practical for you and your son, it is also safer for him. Seizures caused by convulsion usually stop in a few minutes. If the seizure is repetitive, it is time to call for medical attention.

Remember that when dealing with a child during convulsion, never panic and stay as calm as you can. Do not restrain him at all. Do not put your fingers or anything in his mouth. Watch what happens to him because you will need to describe everything to the doctor if you bring him for a check up. You need to record how long the convulsion lasts.

Call the ambulance if the convulsion does not stop in five minutes or if he doesn't wake up after the convulsion is over. If your son looks weak and sick after the convulsion stops, then it's also time to call for emergency medical attention.

Treatment After Convulsion –You need to keep a supply of ibuprofen or paracetamol inside the house all the time because chances are, your child may suffer from another fit next time he gets a fever. As soon as he gets a fever, treat him with ibuprofen or paracetamol. Take his clothes off immediately and do a tepid sponge bath to make him feel cooler and more comfortable. If your son is five or six years old and above, then he may have outgrown recurrent convulsions. Most children who went through convulsions do not suffer from long-term health problems.

While it is true that by the age of five or six, they grow as normally healthy individuals, you should still discuss issues with your local doctor to make sure that no convulsion fits will occur in the future. The important thing is that you don't panic, stay calm, and follow instructions carefully.

Click here for more information on how to get rid of convulsions.

No comments:

Post a Comment