Developmental and emotional behavioural outcomes after COVID-19 febrile seizures: A single-centre experience.

INTRODUCTION

Children with febrile seizures often experience favourable long-term outcomes. However, the outcomes of COVID-19 febrile seizures remain uncertain. The study investigated the developmental and emotional/behavioural outcomes of children with and without COVID-19, presenting with febrile seizures.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Participants were families of children with febrile seizures admitted from January to April 2022, during the peak of COVID-19 Omicron variant infection cases. The children were assessed 9-18 months after the seizure event, using the Schedule of Growing Skills II developmental screening tool and their parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, a measure of emotional/behavioural outcome. A child with positive COVID-19 is characterised by the presence of respiratory symptoms and a positive COVID-19 rapid antigen test. We compared the outcomes of children with and without COVID- 19 using Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS

Twenty-two families, with 15 (68.2%) COVID-19 and 7 (31.8%) non-COVID-19 febrile seizures participated in the study. A substantial proportion of children from both groups were delayed in various developmental domains (13.6- 27.3%), with 9 (40.9%) delayed in 2 or more domains and 2 (9.1%) experienced emotional behavioural difficulties. Children with COVID-19 febrile seizures were not more likely to have developmental delay and emotional/behavioural difficulties.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with COVID-19 febrile seizures were not at greater risk of developmental delay or emotional/behavioural difficulties. Further longitudinal studies with a larger sample size are warranted.