Prognostication and counseling families of children with Complex Febrile seziures

ICNC2024
The Tangled Web of Complex Febrile Seizures: A Common But Complex Conundrum

Prognostication and counseling families of children with Complex Febrile seziures
Suvasini Sharma

Families of children with complex febrile seizures are often worried about the risks of febrile seizure recurrence, development of epilepsy, intellectual disability and death. As per retrospective studies, 5-15% of children with complex febrile seizures develop epilepsy. The risk factors for the development of epilepsy in children with complex febrile seizures include the presence of underlying developmental delay/neurological abnormalities and a family history of epilepsy. In this talk, the evidence for the prediction of all these outcomes will be discussed, so that an informed counseling can be done. The role of clinical factors such as age at onset, presence of family history, co-morbid developmental delay, EEG and MRI abnormalities, and anti-seizure medications in the prediction of recurrence of febrile seizures, future development of epilepsy, and neurodevelopmental outcomes will be explored. The role of genetic testing in predicting the outcomes and the rare risk of SUDEP in this population will also be discussed. The aim is to summarize an evidence-based counseling framework for prognostication and counseling families of children with complex febrile seizures.

Other Lectures in this symposium:
Definitions and terminology of complex febrile seizures - is a subclassification required
Diagnostic testing (EEG, MRI, CSF studies) in Complex Febrile Seizures: when and why, and are they overdone?
Long term management : is there a right choice – no prophylaxis vs intermittent prophylaxis vs continuous prophylaxis with antiseizure medication