Angela noticed that her son James (2) was a bit off form one Saturday evening. He became lethargic and when she took his temperature it was 38 degrees Celsius.
She wondered if he was teething and so gave him Calpol and stripped him down to his vest. He settled and drifted off to sleep on the couch in the livingroom.
Some hours later, he suddenly started jerking, with his arms and legs moving violently. James's eyes rolled in his head. The seizure lasted about 90 seconds.
Angela rushed upstairs and cold-sponged James who at that stage was bleeding from his mouth. (She learnt later the bleeding was due to him biting his tongue during the seizure.) She then bundled him into the car and headed for the nearest children's hospital.
He was drowsy during the journey, but came round in the hospital where all tests were normal.
Angela found the experience terrifying. In hindsight she would have cooled the room he was in, checked his temperature more frequently and perhaps even sponged James down.
He has been fine in the months since the febrile convulsion and has since safely weathered another episode of fever.