Prevalence of Febrile Seizures in Children Admitted to Ataturk Children’s Hospital in 2022

Abstract

Introduction: Febrile seizures are seizures that occur in the presence of fever and absence of central nervous system infection, metabolic disturbances. Febrile seizures are a major problem in pediatric emergency services and hospitals, and if not treated promptly and appropriately, they can cause a number of complications, disabilities, and even deaths. Having sufficient knowledge and information about this disease can greatly help in preventing and protecting against it.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of febrile seizures in children under five years of age admitted to Ataturk Children's Hospital in 2022.

Research Method: This is a Descriptive Cross-sectional study that was conducted in 2022 at Ataturk Children's Hospital.

Results: The prevalence of febrile seizures was 15%. In terms of gender, 420(68.9%) were boys and 190(31.1%) were girls. In terms of age, 155 (25.4%) were between 6-12 months, 233 (38.2%) were 13-24 months, 141 (23.1%) were 25-36 months, and 81 (13.3%) were over 36 months old. The highest number of cases occurred in the 13-24-months age group. In terms of clinical presentation, 374 (61.3%) were simple febrile seizures, and 236 (38.7%) were complex febrile seizures. In terms of underlying diseases, respiratory diseases accounted for the highest number of cases 276(45.2%), followed by gastrointestinal diseases 209(34.3%), urinary tract infections 122(20%), and other diseases 3 (0.5%).

Conclusion: The prevalence of febrile seizures was 15%, with the highest number of cases occurring in boys and in the 13-24-month age group. According to clinical descriptive respiratory diseases were the most common underlying cause of fever.