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Developmental outcomes following vaccine-proximate febrile seizures in children

Lucy Deng1, Nicholas Wood2, Kristine Macartney2

  • 1From the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (L.D., N.W., K.M.), Children's Hospital Education Research Institute (B.B.), and Kids Neuroscience Centre (B.B.), The Children's Hospital at Westmead; University of Sydney Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School (L.D., N.W., K.M., B.B.); Discipline of Paediatrics (M.G.), School of Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, University of Adelaide; Department of Paediatrics (N.C.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital; Murdoch Children's Research Institute (N.C., J.B.), Parkville; Infection and Immunity (J.B.), Monash Children's Hospital, Department of Paediatrics, Monash Centre for Health Care Research and Implementation, Monash University, Clayton; Wesfarmer's Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Disease (P.R.), Telethon Kids Institute, West Perth; and School of Paediatrics and Child Health (P.R.), University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. lucy.deng@health.nsw.gov.au.

Neurology
|July 3, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Children experiencing vaccine-proximate febrile seizures (VP-FS) show no increased risk of developmental or behavioral issues compared to those with non-VP-FS or no seizures. These findings reassure parents and providers about the safety of VP-FS.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Clinical Epidemiology

Background:

  • Febrile seizures (FS) are common in young children.
  • Distinguishing between vaccine-proximate (VP-FS) and non-VP-FS is crucial for understanding potential impacts.
  • Long-term developmental and behavioral outcomes following FS require thorough investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare developmental and behavioral outcomes in children with initial VP-FS versus non-VP-FS (NVP-FS) and controls.
  • To assess cognitive function, preacademic skills, behavior, and executive functioning.
  • To determine if VP-FS poses an increased risk for adverse outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective multicenter cohort study involving children aged <30 months with first FS.
  • Classification into VP-FS or NVP-FS groups; controls had no seizure history.
  • Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Bayley-III) and Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement administered; parent questionnaires used for behavior and executive function.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in cognitive function (Bayley-III scores) between VP-FS, NVP-FS, and control groups (p=0.07).
  • All other developmental and behavioral measures showed no significant differences between the groups.
  • No increased risk of borderline/significant impairment or clinical range behavior observed in children with VP-FS.

Conclusions:

  • Vaccine-proximate febrile seizures (VP-FS) are not associated with increased developmental or behavioral problems.
  • Findings suggest VP-FS does not adversely affect child development compared to NVP-FS or no seizures.
  • Reassurance for parents and healthcare providers regarding the developmental safety of VP-FS is warranted.
Abstract

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