A paediatric neurologist discussing seizure care with a family
Parent guide · Brain & nerves

Seizures in Children

A seizure is a sudden episode caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. It may involve stiffening, jerking, staring, loss of awareness, unusual movements or a sudden change in behaviour. One seizure does not automatically mean epilepsy, but a first seizure should be medically assessed.

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Common signs

What parents may notice

  • Stiffening or rhythmic jerking
  • Staring and not responding
  • Sudden loss of awareness
  • Unusual repeated movements
  • Eyes turning to one side
  • Loss of bladder control
  • Confusion or sleepiness after the episode
Possible reasons

What can cause it?

Possible causes include fever, epilepsy, infection, metabolic disturbance, injury and other neurological conditions. The child's age, fever, recovery, medical history and type of episode help determine what evaluation is needed.

When to book

When should your child be assessed?

  • A first seizure has occurred
  • Episodes keep returning
  • There are staring or unresponsive spells
  • Current medicine is not controlling episodes
  • The diagnosis or EEG findings are unclear
Urgent warning signs

When to seek immediate care

  • A seizure lasts around five minutes or longer
  • Another seizure starts before recovery
  • The child has breathing difficulty or turns blue
  • The seizure follows a serious injury
  • The child does not regain usual awareness
At the specialist visit

How the concern may be evaluated

  • Detailed description of the event
  • Neurological and developmental assessment
  • Review of fever, medicines and possible triggers
  • EEG, imaging or blood tests when indicated
  • A seizure first-aid and follow-up plan
Prepare

What to do before the visit

  • Time the episode
  • Keep the child safe on their side when possible
  • Do not put anything in the mouth
  • Bring a safely recorded video if one exists
  • Bring EEG, scans and prescriptions
Clinical owner
Relevant Lavender Lane paediatric speciality
Location
Sector 90, Noida
Last updated
August 2026
Questions parents ask

The real questions, answered.

Not what we wish you'd ask. What you're actually thinking when you find this page.

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What should I do during a seizure?

Protect the child from injury, place them on their side when possible, time the seizure, loosen tight clothing and do not put anything in the mouth.

Does one seizure mean epilepsy?

No. Epilepsy usually involves a tendency to have unprovoked recurrent seizures, and diagnosis depends on the full clinical assessment.

What is a febrile seizure?

It is a seizure associated with fever in some young children. A first episode should be medically evaluated.

Should I record a seizure?

A video may help the specialist if it can be recorded safely, but first aid and emergency help take priority.

Will my child need long-term medicine?

That depends on the cause, recurrence risk, seizure type and investigation findings.

Persistent symptoms deserve a clear next step.

Speak with Paediatric Neurology and Epilepsy or contact our team to organise the right starting point.

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