A STUDY OF ASSOCIATION OF LOW IRON STATUS AND FEBRILE SEIZURES IN CHILDREN AGED 6 MONTHS TO 60 MONTHS

Abstract

Background: Febrile seizures are the most common type of childhood seizures. The peak incidence is at 18 months of age. Iron deciency alters the development of the hippocampus, neurons, delayed myelin maturation, slowing of auditory and visual evoked potentials, impairment of energy metabolism, alteration in synaptic neurotransmitter which lessens the seizure threshold. These effects are aggravated during febrile episodes thereby increasing the risk of occurrence of febrile seizures. To know the association Objective: between low iron status with or without anemia and febrile seizures. A tot Results: al of 111 children with febrile seizures were taken into study. Among them, 68 children (61.1%) had low serum iron levels and 43 (38.7%) children had normal serum iron levels. Iron deciency anemia was found in 46 (41.4%) of them. Low iron status even without the development of anemia increa Conclusion: ses the risk of febrile seizures through various nonhematological manifestations of iron deciency.