Nursing Care for Children with Febrile Convulsion: A Comparison of 2 Case Studies

Abstract

       Febrile convulsion is commonly met in children aged 6 months to 5 years. The diagnosis of febrile convulsion requires the distinction of cause between central nervous system pathology and metabolic disorders. The comparative issues included diagnosis, etiology, risk factors for recurrent seizures, symptoms, treatment and nursing care. The results of data collection were summarized as follows.

            1^st  case study: a female child with high fever, cough, and yellow snot was found condition of respiratory infection and seizures. She was treated with antibiotics and anticonvulsants. After that, the fever subsided, no recurrent seizures and can go home.

           2^nd case study : a male child had convulsions, high fever, 3-4 times diarrhea, and was accompanied by dehydration, hypotension, and hypoxia during convulsions. He was investigated by lumbar puncture and CT brain, the result was normal. The physician suspected that there was a condition of epilepsy. After that, the patient was referred to the hospital for further treatment.

       The important role of nurse is to assess a child's condition once they were admitted, participate in finding the cause of fever, provide care for them during seizures, relief fever and prevent recurrent seizures as well as nurture caregivers to relief fever and provide first aid to the child in case of seizure due to high fever at home.