As a parent, we love to remember the days that our children take their first steps, say our name, and other milestones. I have those memories in the front of my mind, but some others still haunt me to this day. The days that my boys have had febrile seizures will always be something I remember. NHL only had one, but it was the first that I experienced as a parent. JSL has now had five of them since he was nine months old.
After each of the febrile seizures that the kids have had, we would get especially nervous when the boys would have another fever. We practice very strict fever lowering protocol thanks to our doctor. Every week and month that goes by after a febrile seizure is a wonderful accomplishment. It typically means we are less likely to have a repeat event. Of course, JSL is not the typical child. He has shown us that even after 20 months, they can happen again.
On June 3 of last year, my heart skipped a beat. It was the moment as a parent that you never forget. It was getting a call from school to meet your child with a full emergency response team out on the playground. At almost the one year mark, we are thrilled that we have made it this far without another episode, but my guard is not down.
The timing right now could not be worse. On Tuesday, JSL went for his five year well visit. I knew that we had to make up some vaccines that had not been done earlier since he was not feeling well. Since he was healthy, happy, and good to go the doctor, I agreed to allow JSL to have his DTaP and Polio vaccines. We are holding off on the MMR until later in the summer. With his fever tendency, everyone felt that combining the MMR and DTaP would not be good.
Before we left, the doctor and I talked about preventative fever measure. We were going to give JSL ibuprofen around the clock for at least 24 hours. Right before bed, JSL had a dose of medicine. He was sleeping so soundly we didn’t have the heart to wake him in the middle of the night for more medicine. At 6:45, we heard a scream from JSL. He was howling and burning up. All day Wednesday we battled the fever. At one point, it was 102 with medicine (his normal temperature is just about 97).
With any luck, this fever will come and go and his body will fight off the reaction to the DTaP vaccine. Of course, now I am bracing myself for the next shot in a month. I just hope we can get to that year mark and beyond. Each month that passes, JSL gets older and kids usually do outgrow febrile seizures by 6-7 years old. I just hold my breath and hope.
Do you have one of those parenting moments that you can not forget? Please feel free to share and vent below.
P.S. The other night I was in tears reading this post from Megan on Velveteen Mind. Her little girl also had a febrile seizure. So very close to home and brought back a flood of emotion. The truth is posts like ours help to raise awareness. Not only are they therapeutic to the parent after, but they let others know the signs, symptoms, tell-tale signs IF their children have a similar experience. We are not trying to scare people, but help people to be aware. A parent will forever remember that moment seeing their child’s blue or gray lifeless body.
Thank you for your story. Last night my son had a febrile seizure. Even though I knew what was happening (hubby had them as a child) it was horrific to watch. Reading your story has helped me emotionally calm down & mentally prepare.
Thanks again!
[…] my baby over to these amazing people each and every day. They saved my son last year when he had a febrile seizure on the playground. They knew what to do and did not panic. With these fantastic teachers over the […]
Thanks so much for sharing your story. Just two days ago my two year old girl had a febrile seizure. Being a caregiver I had been trained in cpr/first aid and knew what to do. I knew there was a possibility a child could have a seizure after the temp exceeding 102, I wasn’t aware that a rapidly rising temp could cause a seizure! Initially I saw my daughter jerking and she looked like she was choking (I’d just given her a small piece of meat) I prepared to perform the Heimlich maneuver only to realize the only thing that was coming out of her mouth was foam! I freaked out! By the time I layed her back down she was blue in the face and her eyes were rolled in the back of her head, then seconds later they closed and she stopped shaking and began to pant! This was when I began to panic. My neighbor,whose house we were visiting began to pray over her and put cool towels on her, we turned her on her side and waited for the ambulance. I could yell was “don’t die baby, help my baby” When the ems finally arrived they got her breathing, responsive, and to the er for a check up! The doc prescribed some fever reducers and let us go! While they told me it would all be fine as a mom I still worried and made her sleep very close to me in my bed that night out of fear that she might have another one while I was sleeping and I wouldn’t be there to help her. I haven’t really been able to express to others how I felt since it happened. I felt like my daughter was laying helpless and I couldn’t do anything about it. I’ve had mixed feelings of guilt for not just taking her to the er when the fever began to not recognizing she was having a seizure initially, to almost forgetting what to do to help her. Ever since the experience I look at my daughter and I have flashbacks of the little blue faced, cold, empty feeling girl. I am so happy she is in perfect condition, but the event has me over worried. It just helps to hear that another mom has made it through with repeat episodes, and your little one’s are fine, beside the fact! It REALLY eases the worry. Thanks for sharing!
The importance of sharing information regarding febrile seizures is crucial. This is a topic, never once in 4 years of parenting, I have ever heard of. Last night our son had one. I will share with others my experience to educate rather than scare… I wish I would have been aware, I was clueless performing CPR on our blue, limp, unresponsive toddler as we awaited the paramedics. We know he is ok now, but we will never just say, it’s just a fever!!!!!