Orofacial injuries associated with prehospital management of febrile convulsion in Nigerian children

The aim of this prospective study was to determine in a population of pediatric patients with febrile convulsions the prevalence and pattern of orofacial and dental injuries caused by traditional remedies used in a suburban Nigerian community. Over the study period of 28 months, 75 cases of febrile convulsion presented to the Children's Emergency unit of our hospital. Of these, 27 children (36%) sustained orofacial injuries caused by forceful insertion of a spoon into the mouth (96.3%) or a bite (3.7%) during convulsive episodes. The ages of the patients ranged from 12 to 84 months with a mean 39.8 +/- 18.3 months. There were 15 males and 11 females with a male to female ratio of 1.4:1. The orofacial and dental injuries sustained from prehospital treatment at home were lacerations and bruising of soft tissues including lips, tongue, mucosa and commissures and tooth subluxation, displacement or avulsion. Other injuries sustained outside the mouth include second-degree burns to the feet, a chin laceration and facial bruises resulting from a fall. Many oral injuries were overlooked by pediatricians. Prompt recognition and appropriate management of febrile convulsion would be of great benefit to the pediatric patients.