A 2-year-old boy is brought to the emergency department by his mother 1 hour following a seizure which stopped spontaneously after 1 minute. He was sleepy initially but is now awake and alert. His mother reports that he has had a fever and runny nose for the past 3 days. His temperature is 40.1°C (104.2°F). Physical examination shows no abnormalities. Analysis of his cerebrospinal fluid shows 3 cells/mm3, a glucose concentration of 68 mg/dL, and a protein concentration of 35 mg/dL. Which of the following is the most likely underlying cause of this patient's seizure?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Febrile seizure is usually a benign neurologic disorder that occurs most commonly in children age 6 months to 5 years who have high fever due to a viral illness.  The pathophysiology involves hyperthermia-induced neuronal dysfunction triggering a short (<5 min) generalized seizure; treatment is generally supportive with antipyretics for fever reduction.

A 2-Year-Old Boy Is Brought to the Emergency Department by His