Vaccines, Illnesses, and Fever Management

Children with epilepsy get sick, run fevers, and receive vaccines just like other children. This section summarizes how to manage these everyday situations in the context of epilepsy.

Vaccines

Children with epilepsy can and should receive routine childhood vaccines; vaccines do not worsen epilepsy. The fact that vaccines protect the child from serious infections is also valuable when it comes to epilepsy, because some infections can affect the seizure threshold. A fever can occur after some vaccines, and in children prone to fever, this can temporarily affect the febrile-seizure threshold; in that case, your physician may recommend fever management after vaccination. If you have concerns, talk to your physician instead of skipping vaccines.

Periods of Illness and Fever

When your child is ill or has a fever, the seizure threshold can temporarily drop in some children. During these times, pay attention to the following: continue giving the medications without interruption (if the child is vomiting, ask your physician whether the medication should be given again), manage the fever with comforting measures, give plenty of fluids, and let the child rest. Because medication absorption can be impaired by vomiting or diarrhea, consult your physician during prolonged gastrointestinal illnesses.

Other Medications and Interactions

When your child needs to take a medication for another condition (for example, an infection), have it checked whether that medication interacts with the epilepsy medications. Some antibiotics, pain relievers, and other medications can change the effect of epilepsy medications or, rarely, affect the seizure threshold. That is why you should always tell every physician and pharmacist who prescribes a new medication for your child that the child has epilepsy and which medications they take.

A practical tip

Keep an up-to-date list of all the medications your child takes (name and dose) on your phone or in your wallet. This list makes things easier at any health visit and helps prevent interactions.

A Final Word

You have reached the end of this book. We hope these pages have turned some of the uncertainty you felt at the start into knowledge, and some of the worry into confidence.

Finally, we would like to remind you once more of what we said at the very beginning: Your child is so much more than their epilepsy. They are a child who laughs, plays, learns, dreams, loves you, and is deeply loved by you. Epilepsy is a part of their life, but it does not define them.

Medical science advances every day; new medications, new treatments, and new hopes are coming. And your love, your patience, and your knowledge-based approach are your child's greatest fortune. You are not alone on this journey: physicians, nurses, dietitians, teachers, organizations, and countless families who have walked the same road are with you.

We wish your child and your family health, patience, courage, and plenty of hope.

• Prof. Dr. Burak Tatlı
• References and Further Reading

The main current scientific and institutional sources used in preparing this book are listed below. These sources are intended for health professionals; however, they can also serve as a guide for families who wish to explore the topics in depth.

1. Beniczky S, et al. Updated classification of epileptic seizures: Position paper of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). Epilepsia, 2025.

2. Beniczky S, et al. A practical guide to the updated seizure classification 2025. Epileptic Disorders, 2025.

3. Fisher RS, et al. Operational classification of seizure types by the ILAE: Position Paper of the ILAE Commission for Classification and Terminology. Epilepsia, 2017.

4. Fisher RS, et al. ILAE 2017 Classification of Seizure Types / Instruction manual. Epilepsia, 2017.

5. Specchio N, et al. ILAE classification and definition of epilepsy syndromes with onset in childhood: Position paper by the ILAE Task Force on Nosology and Definitions. Epilepsia, 2022.

6. Zuberi SM, et al. ILAE classification and definition of epilepsy syndromes with onset in neonates and infants. Epilepsia, 2022.

7. Fisher RS, et al. ILAE Official Report: A practical clinical definition of epilepsy. Epilepsia, 2014.

8. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Epilepsies in children, young people and adults (NG217): Treating childhood-onset epilepsies. 2022 (with updates).

9. World Health Organization (WHO). Antiseizure medicines for the management of epilepsy in adults and children; Epilepsy fact sheets.

10. Whitney R, et al. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy in children. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 2023.

11. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Managing Pediatric Epilepsy; Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) resources.

12. Epilepsy Foundation. Seizure First Aid (Stay, Safe, Side) and Seizure First Aid for Children resources.

13. Kossoff EH, et al. Ketogenic diet therapies for the treatment of pediatric epilepsy (international consensus recommendations and current reviews).

14. Haridas B, et al. Ketogenic diet therapy for the treatment of pediatric epilepsy. Epileptic Disorders, 2025.

15. Vagus nerve stimulation therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy in children — current reviews (2024).

16. Family and patient information resources of the Turkish Epilepsy Society and the Turkish Society of Child Neurology.

A note about the sources

Medical guidelines and classifications are updated over time. The information in this book is based on the sources current at the time it was prepared.

For the most up-to-date recommendations specific to your child, always consult your own physician.