Prospective study of convulsions in childhood.

One hundred and five children admitted to hospital with convulsions were studied prospectively. A convulsion was designated febrile if an axillary temperature of 38 degrees C or more occurred after the fit. Twenty-two children had an initial non-febrile convulsion and five of them (22.7 percent) have developed recurrent nonfebrile seizures. In the febrile group of 83 only two children (2.4 percent) have so far had non-febrile convulsions. Both their initial convulsions were uncomplicated. There was no difference between the groups of convulsion or EEG result. Investigations in hospital, including lumbar puncture, rarely revealed a diagnosis not clinically suspected. In previously healthy children with convulsions that are not prolonged, pyrexia is the only factor of prognostic significance by 12 months follow up.