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Clinical Pathways promote evidence based, safe, and high-value care for patients by providing clinical recommendations and standard processes. They are developed by multidisciplinary committees of subject matter experts, informed by methodical review of available evidence and consensus among committee members. 

Clinical Pathways: 

Inclusion and exclusion criteria for the simple febrile seizure

Inclusion criteria for the simple febrile seizure:  

  • Children 6 months to 60 months.
  • Neurodevelopmentally normal.
  • Seizures are less than 5 minutes. 
  • Seizure occurs once within a 24-hour period.
  • Seizure is generalized, tonic-clonic.
  • The child is back to baseline with a non-focal neurologic examination.

Exclusion criteria for the simple febrile seizure; presence of: 

  • Intracranial infection.
  • Known underlying condition, such as an inborn error of metabolism.
  • History of nonfebrile seizures.
  • Recent history of head trauma.  

Inclusion and exclusion criteria for the complex febrile seizure

Inclusion criteria for the complex febrile seizure:  

  • Children 6 months to 60 months.
  • Neurodevelopmentally normal.
  • Seizures are complex febrile seizures.
  • Prolonged > 15 minutes.
  • Focal, or partial- only part of the body is affected.
  • Seizures occur more than once within a 24-hour period.
  • The child is back to baseline with a non-focal neurologic examination.

Exclusion criteria for the complex febrile seizure, presence of: 

  • Focal neurological examination.
  • Intracranial infection.
  • Known underlying condition, such as an inborn error of metabolism or genetic condition.
  • History of nonfebrile seizures.
  • Recent history of head trauma.

Committee members involved in the development of:

  • The simple febrile seizure in the ED/UCC CPG:  
    • B. Zuccarelli MD | Neurology Fellow | Committee chair 
    • C. Chadwick | Family-Centered Care | Committee member 
    • I. Siddiqi PharmD | Pharmacy | Committee member  
    • R. Fahlgren DO | ED and UCC | Committee member 
    • A. Fenton-Church MD, FAAP | Hospital Medicine | Committee member  
    • R. Lund MD | Pediatric Resident | Committee member 
    • Laura Diddle BS | IS Analyst | Committee member 
    • J. Michael DO | Evidence Based Practice & Emergency Medicine | Committee member 
    • J. Bartlett PhD, RN | Director, Evidence Based Practice | Committee member 
    • N. Allen MS, MLS, RD, LD | Evidence Based Practice | Committee member 
    • J. Dusin MS, RD, LD, CNSC | Evidence Based Practice | Committee member 
    • Keri Swaggart MLIS, AHIP |Medical Librarian | Committee member 

  • The complex febrile seizure in the ED/UCC CPG: 
    • B. Zuccarelli MD | Neurology Fellow | Committee chair 
    • C. Chadwick | Family-Centered Care | Committee member 
    • I. Siddiqi PharmD | Pharmacy | Committee member  
    • R. Fahlgren DO | ED and UCC | Committee member 
    • A. Fenton-Church MD, FAAP | Hospital Medicine | Committee member  
    • R. Lund MD | Pediatric Resident | Committee member 
    • Laura Diddle BS | IS Analyst | Committee member 
    • J. Michael DO | Evidence Based Practice & Emergency Medicine | Committee member 
    • J. Bartlett PhD, RN | Director, Evidence Based Practice | Committee member 
    • N. Allen MS, MLS, RD, LD | Evidence Based Practice | Committee member 
    • J. Dusin MS, RD, LD, CNSC | Evidence Based Practice | Committee member 
    • Keri Swaggart MLIS, AHIP |Medical Librarian| Committee member 

Publication dates: 

  • Finalized date:  
  • Simple Febrile Seizure Management: Jan. 20, 2016 
  • Complex Febrile Seizure Management: June 3, 2016 
  • Next expected revision date: Due for revision.

 

If you have any questions regarding this content, or identify a broken link, please email evidencebasedpractice@cmh.edu. 

These pathways do not establish a standard of care to be followed in every case. It is recognized that each case is different, and those individuals involved in providing health care are expected to use their judgment in determining what is in the best interests of the patient based on the circumstances existing at the time. It is impossible to anticipate all possible situations that may exist and to prepare a pathway for each. Accordingly, these pathways should guide care with the understanding that departures from them may be required at times.