What is the most common cause of seizures in children?

• A. Fever
• B. Head injury
• C. Electrolyte imbalance
• D. Infection

Answer: (A)

Fever is the most common trigger for seizures in children, especially during viral illnesses in the age range roughly 6 months to 5 years. These febrile seizures occur when a fever is present and the immature nervous system is more prone to convulsing; they’re typically brief and generalized and do not imply epilepsy. That makes fever the leading cause among pediatric seizures. Other causes like head injury, electrolyte disturbances, or infections can provoke seizures, but they are far less common overall compared with febrile seizures in this population. In practice, a child with a fever who has a seizure is most often experiencing a febrile seizure, and management centers on protecting the airway and circulation, controlling the fever, and evaluating for serious conditions only if red flags appear.