Table 1 Definition of phenotypes of acute seizures

Acute seizures

These are seizures that are associated with an acute event such as a febrile illness, acute haemorrhagic stroke, poisoning or electrolyte imbalance.

Acute symptomatic seizures

Acute seizures associated with neurological causes e.g. seizures due to malaria or bacterial meningitis.

Febrile seizures according to ILAE

Seizures associated with fever (temperature ≥38.5 °C) that occur in a sick child aged between a month to 6 years old, and the cause of fever does not involve the brain.

Febrile seizures according NIH

Seizures with fever usually occurring in child aged between 3 months to 6 years in absence of neurological involvement.

Overall definition of febrile seizures

Seizures with fever (temperature ≥38.5 °C) that occur in 2-8 % of children aged between 1 month to 6 years and exclude acute symptomatic seizures.

Definite prolonged seizures

Seizures that last up to ≥10 minutes, and timing is witnessed by a clinician or nurse.

Probable prolonged seizures

Seizures which did not stop after first dose of diazepam or continuing seizures that required second/third line antiepileptic drugs (phenobarbital/phenytoin).

Possible prolonged seizures

These are prolonged seizures based on parental history i.e. history of a seizures lasting ≥10 minutes, based on parents or caretakers reported.

A history of a child convulsing all the way to hospital for those living at least half a kilometre away.

Overall definition of status epilepticus

Seizures that last ≥30 minutes accompanied by loss of consciousness or intermitted seizures over a period of ≥30 minutes without regaining consciousness in between the seizures.

Definite status epilepticus

Seizures fulfilling the definition of status epilepticus as above, but were witnessed/ observed by a clinician or a nurse and the timing is well documented in the child’s clinical notes.

Probable status epilepticus

Prolonged or continuing seizures which required the administration of AEDs such as phenobarbital or phenytoin.

Possible status epilepticus

A parental/caretakers history of seizures lasting ≥30 min, when the child was not convulsing on admission.

A parental/caretakers’ history of child convulsing all the way to hospital for those living at least a kilometre away.

Focal/partial seizures

Seizures localised to or involving one body part e.g. twitching of one side of the facial structures, cycling movements of one limb, Todd’s paresis of one body side and motor deficits involving one side of the body post-ictally.

Generalised seizures

Seizures involving the entire body parts.

Repetitive seizures

Two or more seizures in the current illness or within 24 hours.

Complex seizures

Seizures that have focal, repetitive and/or prolonged (including status epilepticus) features.