Q: My 16 months old daughter got her first febrile seizure three months back. The doctor told us that it is due to double ear infection. She had two seizures in a day. Why is she suffering from seizures? What are the chances of recurrence of seizures?

A:Febrile seizures (febrile convulsions) are the most common convulsive events in human experience. Although they can be frightening to parents, the vast majority of febrile seizures are harmless. The earlier the age of onset, the more likely is a recurrence, particularly if the onset is under 12 months of age. Children with a first febrile seizure before 1 year of age have a 50% chance of recurrence, compared with a recurrence risk of only 20% if the first seizure is after age of 3 years.