Why does my son get fits with fever?

Q: My son got recurrent fever and got three fits with it. The last time he got fever and a fit he developed a lymph node in the neck. After giving antibiotics it was ok. The doctor said its due to infection. His WBC was also high. Please help.

A:Febrile convulsions or fits occur in young children and about three percent of children aged 6 months to 6 years have a convulsion when they have a fever or high temperature. The febrile convulsion happens when the normal brain activity is disturbed and usually occurs without warning. Any illness which causes a fever can cause a febrile convulsion and most occur with common illnesses such as ear infections, coughs, colds, flu and other virus infections. The cause of a febrile convulsion is related to the feverish illness and is not due to any brain abnormality. Full recovery is usual with no after-effects. The high WBC count suggests an infection.