Retrospective study of late febrile seizures

This retrospective study documents the clinical features, electroencephalog raphic data, and outcome of 50 children with a history of seizures with fev er that occurred after 5 years of age. Children with afebrile seizures befo re the onset of febrile seizures were excluded. Outcome was based on a cros s-sectional survey and the follow-up period was 1-13 years. Of the 50 child ren, 40 had two or fewer febrile seizures after 5 years of age, and febrile seizures did not occur after 10 years of age. Twenty had complex febrile s eizures, and 16 had a first-degree relative with febrile seizures. Five dev eloped afebrile seizures, and 18 had educational difficulties. Epileptiform electroencephalographic abnormalities were observed in 22 but were not pre dictive of later afebrile seizures. Febrile seizures that occur after 5 yea rs of age recur infrequently and cease by 10 Sears of age. The risk of deve loping afebrile seizures in this group is small. (C) 1999 by Elsevier Scien ce Inc. All rights reserved.