The effectiveness of phenobarbital in the prevention of recurrent febrile convulsions in children with and without a history of pre-, peri- and postnatal abnormalities.

Three hundred children who had an initial febrile convulsion were divided into two groups. In one group were children with a single brief generalized initial febrile seizure and no history of pre-, peri- or postnatal abnormalities which might suggest the possibility of brain damage and in the other group those with such abnormalities and/or a "severe" initial febrile convulsion. Daily phenobarbital produced a significant decrease in febrile seizure recurrences in both groups, as compared to children who received phenobarbital at the onset of fever and no phenobarbital prophylaxis. "Intermitten" phenobarbital given at the onset of fever did not produce a significant difference in recurrence rate as compared with no phenobarbital.