Convulsion is an abnormal uncontrollable jerky movement of the body. It may involve the whole body or just a part e.g., the eyes, hands, or lips. It is also called fit.

What may cause it?

1. Severe malaria
2. High fever
3. Severe dehydration
4. Brain infection
5. Sometimes a cause is not found especially in children with family history of epilepsy
6. Children who suffer injury at birth e.g., those who had jaundice at birth, those who had breathing problems or low oxygen/blood at birth.

What you can do

1. Convulsion is a medical emergency, so make effort to transfer the child to the hospital immediately
2. Note that most convulsions last few minutes and stop spontaneously, even if it stops you still need to take the child to hospital
3. Support a convulsing child so as not to fall
4. Help the child down, lay the child on his/her left side; this helps to prevent choking/aspiration
5. Do not put spoon inside the child’s mouth; this injures the tongue, and may dislodge a tooth which can block the child’s breathing passage
6. Do not force herbs, oils into the child’s mouth. The oil or herbs can enter the child’s lung and cause breathing difficulty.
7. Do not burn the child’s leg in fire