[Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of febrile convulsions].

In cases involving a febrile child having convulsions, the possibility of infections of the central nervous system should be considered and the necessary diagnostic investigations performed. If the febrile convulsion does not end by itself in five minutes, it will be treated as an epileptic seizure. Recurrences cannot be prevented by current treatments. Antiepileptic drugs should not be used, because their adverse effects are larger than the benefit. Antipyretics are not helpful in the prevention of seizures. An essential part of the treatment is informing and reassuring the parents.