FEBCON-ED Study: Does advice to give regular antipyretics for children presenting with a FEBrile CONvulsion to the Emergency Department reduce the rate of seizure reoccurrence within the same febrile illness?

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to help determine whether recommending the use of paracetamol or ibuprofen makes any difference to the risk of another febrile convulsion (fit) within the same illness in children aged 6 months- 6 years old who have presented to the ED with a febrile convulsion. The study will also help determine whether paracetamol or ibuprofen given regularly reduces hospital re-attendance with febrile convulsion, health care use and costs.

We are also interested in long-term outcomes of children who have had a febrile convulsion. Information will be collected for the study by parent/guardian surveys on enrolment, days 3,7 and at 12 months, and medical chart review (and optional data linkage) at 12 months post ED attendance.

Febrile convulsions are the most common paediatric neurological presentation to the emergency department. Depending on our study findings, we will either confirm current practice, or provide definitive evidence to change practice to update clinical guidelines in AUS & NZ to recommend this simple, low-cost intervention to improve management of febrile convulsions.