Febrile Convulsions in Ilorin

Abstract

Summary: The Pattern of Febrile convulsion in the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital over a 12-month period was prospectively studied. Over the study period, febrile convulsion accounted for 11-5% of all admissions to the Emergency Paediatric Unit. The male: female ratio was 1.31 with 34% of cases presenting in the second year of life. *About two-thirds of convulsions occurred during the wet months of May to October. Plasmodium falciparum infection accounted for 71.7% of febrile seizures cow's urine concoction, a form of home remedy, was given to 60.2% of cases during the convulsive episode. Various complications associated with this therapy included, multiplicity of seizzures, oropharyngeal soft tissue injuries altered state of senssorium, aspiration pneumonitis and death. *It is suggested that adequate malaria control in this goegraphic area will reduce the incidence of febrile. convulsion and therefore reduce the need to treat children with the lethal cow's unrine concoction.