Which child will have a febrile seizure?
OBJECTIVE
To identify risk factors predictive of a first febrile seizure.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Regional referral pediatric hospital emergency department.


METHODS
Seventy-five patients aged 6 months to 4 years presenting with a first febrile seizure were age-matched to two febrile and two afebrile noninfectious controls who had never had a seizure.


METHODS
Telephone interview of parents.


METHODS
Risk factors assessed included family history of febrile or afebrile seizures, neurodevelopmental abnormality, and child-care arrangement. Analysis was done by matched case-control and logistic regression.


RESULTS
Factors associated with a significant increase in risk of a first febrile seizure were febrile seizures in first-degree relative (odds ratio [OR], 4.5) or second-degree relative (OR, 3.5); neonatal discharge at 28 days or later (OR, 5.6); parental report of "slow" development (OR, 4.9); and day-care attendance (OR, 3.1). For children with two risk factors (an estimated 3% of the population), the risk of developing febrile seizures is approximately 28% (assuming a population incidence of febrile seizures of 4%).
Bethune
P
P
Izaak Walton Killam Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Gordon
K
K
Dooley
J
J
Camfield
C
C
Camfield
P
P
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002656:Child Day Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D009674:Nova Scotia / Q000453:epidemiology; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires