Academic and social success in adolescents with previous febrile seizures

To study academic achievement and social success in adolescents with febrile seizures (FS) before their 5th birthday.

A random birth cohort (n=900) was prospectively followed from early pregnancy and examined at ages 12 and 18 years to study the relationships between FS and school achievement (three most important school marks), behavior and social competence (Achenbach Childhood Behavior Checklist, Youth Self-Report), life management (Antonovsky Sense of Coherence Scale) and social participation.

No significant differences could be detected between children with vs. without FS or between boys vs. girls in academic achievement, behavior, social competence, life management, or social participation, either at age 12 or 18 years, except for more somatic complaints of girls at age 18. Of adolescents with previous FS, 29% had not participated in the maturity examination, 20% had participated but failed and 51% had passed, comparing 35%, 18% and 47%, respectively, of those without FS (p=0.6676).

Our study confirms the findings of the previous population studies reporting similar academic and social success between children with and without febrile seizures before the 5th birthday. Reassurance of the parents about a favorable future may ameliorate their worries at this frightening event in their child's life.