ABSTRACT

Febrile seizures are the most common seizure disorder in childhood, occurring in 2-5% of children aged six months to five years. The relationship between febrile seizures and epilepsy is still controversial. Prolonged febrile seizures may led to hippocampal sclerosis and temporal lobe epilepsy. Syndrome-specific genes have been demonstrated in some familial cases. Mutations of genes that control the synthesis of voltage-gated sodium channels have been documented in a clinical subset of genetically transmitted febrile seizures, which has recently been defined as generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+). Prevention of febrile seizures is indicated because prolonged febrile seizures may be aşociated with hippocampal damage. Rectal or intravenous diazepam is still the first choice in the control of febrile seizures; in addition, intranasal midazolam may prove to be an appropriate alternative due to ease and efficacy.