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What should you do if a toddler has a febrile seizure?
Febrile seizures in toddlers: what one looks like, exactly what to do during it, when to call 911, why they rarely cause harm, and the chance it happens again.
The short answer
Stay calm, lay your child on their side on a safe surface, move hard objects away, loosen tight clothing and time the seizure. Don't put anything in their mouth or try to hold them still. Call 911 if it lasts longer than 5 minutes, or if breathing is a problem. Febrile seizures usually happen between 6 months and 5 years.
If your toddler has a febrile seizure, gently lay them on their side on the floor or a bed, clear away anything hard or sharp, loosen anything tight around the neck, and note the time it starts. Don't put anything in their mouth and don't hold them down. Call 911 if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, or if they have trouble breathing or turn blue. KidsHealth's guide explains that febrile seizures are triggered by fever in young children and usually don't cause other health problems, even though they are terrifying to watch (Febrile Seizures, accessed November 12, 2026).
What it looks like
A febrile seizure often happens on the first day of an illness, sometimes before you even know your child has a fever. Signs:
- stiffening of the body, then rhythmic jerking of the arms and legs;
- eyes rolling back or staring;
- not responding to your voice;
- drooling, clenched jaw, or lips that look dusky;
- loss of bladder control.
Most last less than a minute or two, though it feels much longer. Afterward, your child may be sleepy, confused or cranky for up to an hour.
Simple febrile seizures are under 15 minutes, involve the whole body, and don't repeat within 24 hours. Complex ones last longer, affect one side of the body, or happen more than once in a day. Doctors look at those more closely.
During the seizure: do and don't
Do:
- Stay with your child. Say their name in a calm voice.
- Place them on their side, so saliva or vomit drains out of the mouth.
- Move furniture and toys away.
- Loosen clothing at the neck.
- Time it. Start a stopwatch on your phone.
- If you can, take a short video for the doctor.
Don't:
- Put fingers, a spoon, or anything else in their mouth. Children can't swallow their tongue.
- Hold them down or try to stop the movements.
- Put them in a bath to cool them.
- Give medicine or drinks by mouth until they're fully awake.
When to call 911
- The seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes.
- Your child has trouble breathing, or lips stay blue after the jerking stops.
- Another seizure follows.
- Your child doesn't wake up normally, or seems very sick, with a stiff neck or repeated vomiting.
For a child with past febrile seizures who stops seizing quickly and wakes normally, call your doctor promptly so they can find the cause of the fever.
Do they cause harm?
This is the question every parent asks. Most febrile seizures stop without treatment and don't cause other health problems. Kids who have a febrile seizure have only a slightly increased risk for developing epilepsy, and that's something your doctor will talk through with you.
Will it happen again?
About a third of children who have one febrile seizure have another, usually within a year or two. The chance is higher if the first happened before 15 months, or if a parent or sibling had them. Most children outgrow them by the time they are 5 years old.
Can fever medicine prevent them?
It seems logical, but studies show that giving acetaminophen or ibuprofen doesn't prevent febrile seizures. Treat fever for comfort, as KidsHealth's fever guide advises, not to stop a seizure (Fever, accessed November 12, 2026). Our page on how to take a toddler's temperature walks through rectal, forehead, ear and armpit readings. Don't alternate medicines or wake a sleeping child just to dose them. For children with long or repeated seizures, a doctor may prescribe a rescue medicine to keep at home.
After a first seizure: what the doctor does
The doctor looks for the cause of the fever, often an ear infection, a cold virus, flu or roseola, and checks your child carefully. Most children with a simple febrile seizure don't need brain scans or an EEG. Blood tests or a spinal tap are done only if something else is suspected, like meningitis.
Taking care of yourself
Parents describe the first febrile seizure as the scariest moment of their life. It's normal to replay it for days. Write down what happened while it's fresh: time, length, what it looked like, temperature after. Share a plan with babysitters and grandparents. Many parents find a pediatric first aid class calming.
Talking to your child
Toddlers usually don't remember the seizure. Older kids in the family might. Keep it simple: "Her body shook because of the fever. The doctors checked her, and she's okay now."
If the night ended with an ambulance ride or an ER visit, a personalized getting-better book can help a preschooler make sense of it. See the hospital book.
Telling babysitters and grandparents
If your child has had a febrile seizure, make sure anyone who watches them knows what to do. Write a short note for the fridge or the diaper bag: lay the child on their side on the floor, move hard objects away, put nothing in the mouth, time the seizure, and call 911 if it lasts 5 minutes or more or if breathing looks hard. Add your phone number and the doctor's. Walk through it once out loud with each caregiver. It takes two minutes and helps everyone stay calm if it ever happens again.
Related reading
FAQ
Can a febrile seizure happen during sleep?
Yes. A child may have one in bed; place them on their side and time it.
Should my child stay home after a seizure?
Once the fever passes and they feel well, they can return to normal activities.
Do I need to buy a seizure monitor?
Not for simple febrile seizures. Ask your doctor if you're worried.
