My Child Had a Fit — What to Do and Who to See in Hyderabad
A seizure in your child is frightening. Most childhood seizures are benign — but every first seizure needs expert evaluation to confirm this and start the right care.
"My child just had a fit" — this is one of the most alarming calls we receive from parents. At Sri Anand Child and Neuro Center, Chanda Nagar, Dr. Anand Karnam (DrNB Neurology) provides same-day evaluation for children who have had a first seizure — with in-house EEG on the same visit. Not all childhood seizures mean epilepsy: febrile convulsions, breath-holding spells, and one-off provoked seizures all have different prognoses and management. An accurate diagnosis prevents unnecessary long-term medication and identifies children who genuinely need treatment.
Seek Emergency Care Immediately If You Have:
- 1Seizure lasting more than 5 minutes — call emergency immediately
- 2Child not waking up or not responding after the seizure ends
- 3Seizure with fever and stiff neck, rash, or sensitivity to light
- 4Second seizure within 24 hours
- 5First-ever seizure in any child
- 6Seizure in a child under 6 months
Possible Causes of This Symptom
Febrile Seizure
The most common type — triggered by a rapid rise in fever in children aged 6 months to 5 years. Usually brief, generalised, and self-limiting. Does not cause brain damage. Most children never have another one. The fever itself needs treatment, not the seizure (in most cases).
Epilepsy (Unprovoked Seizure)
A seizure without any trigger (not fever, not low blood sugar, not a head injury) may represent epilepsy — defined as a tendency to have recurrent seizures. EEG and neurological assessment determine the epilepsy syndrome and guide medication choice.
Provoked Seizure
Seizures can be provoked by low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), very low sodium, high fever, head injury, or meningitis. These are treated by correcting the underlying cause — not necessarily with long-term anti-seizure medication.
Breath-Holding Spells
Young children (6 months to 5 years) sometimes hold their breath when upset or startled, turn blue or pale, and briefly go limp — mimicking a seizure. This is benign and outgrown by age 5. EEG is normal between attacks.
Absence Seizures
Brief episodes of staring and unresponsiveness lasting 5–30 seconds, often mistaken for daydreaming. Very common in school-age children. EEG shows a characteristic pattern. Highly responsive to specific anti-epileptic drugs.
How We Diagnose the Cause
Same-Day EEG
In-house EEG is available at Sri Anand — the most important test for epilepsy. We interpret the results on the same visit. A normal EEG does not rule out epilepsy, but an abnormal EEG significantly guides diagnosis and treatment choice.
Blood Tests
Blood glucose, electrolytes, calcium, and full blood count are checked after a first seizure to identify provoked causes (hypoglycaemia, low sodium, infection).
Seizure History
Detailed account of exactly what happened — before, during, and after the seizure. Duration, type of movements, eye position, loss of consciousness, and recovery time all provide crucial diagnostic information.
Your Treating Specialist
Sri Anand Child and Neuro Center, Chanda Nagar, Hyderabad
In-house EEG and NCS — same-visit diagnosis, no referral delays
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
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Sri Anand Child & Neuro Hospital · Open 24/7 · Chanda Nagar, Hyderabad