Many parents think their child is dying when having a first febrile convulsion.

Fifty parents of 36 consecutive children admitted to hospital with their first febrile convulsion were interviewed shortly after the event. Very few parents voluntarily said that they had thought their child was dying, but when asked specifically the majority said they had thought the child was dying or likely to die. This common fear should be kept in mind when discussing febrile convulsions with parents, who are unlikely to volunteer the information.