What to Know About Seizures in Babies

Seeing your baby do something sudden and strange—stiffen, jerk, stare, or turn blue around the lips—can make your heart stop. The good news: Many seizures are brief, treatable, and do not automatically mean a baby has epilepsy (a condition of recurrent, unprovoked seizures). Still, any suspected seizure in a baby deserves prompt medical attention, because some causes need urgent treatment.

Let’s walk through how common seizures are in babies, what they can look like, what to do in the moment, and how doctors diagnose and treat them—so you feel more prepared if the unexpected happens.

How common are seizures in babies?

Seizures can happen at any age, but the newborn period is one of the highest-risk windows because the brain is rapidly developing and newborns are more vulnerable to issues like birth-related brain injury, infection, and metabolic imbalances.

Neonatal seizures (seizures in the first weeks of life) are estimated to occur in about 1 to 3 per 1,000 live births in full-term infants, with higher rates in preterm babies.

Febrile seizures (seizures triggered by fever) are the most common seizure type in young children, typically striking between 6 months and 5 years and affecting about 2% to 5% of little ones.

Though keep in mind that a single seizure—especially if it’s clearly tied to fever or a temporary illness—doesn’t necessarily mean a child will have ongoing seizures!

What are signs and symptoms of seizures in babies?

Not all seizures look like the dramatic, full-body shaking many of us picture. In babies, seizures can be subtle, and some concerning behaviors (like startles or jitteriness) may not be seizures. When in doubt, trust your instincts and contact your pediatrician—especially if it’s new, repetitive, or hard to interrupt.

Common Seizure Signs in Babies

A seizure may involve any of the following:

• Rhythmic jerking of the arms, legs, or face
• Stiffening (tonic posturing) of the body or limbs
• Sudden “staring” with unresponsiveness (can look like a trance)
• Eye deviation (eyes pulled to one side), rapid blinking, or unusual eye movements
• Repeated mouth movements (lip smacking, chewing)
• Breathing changes (pauses, gagging) or skin color change (pale/blue)
• Sudden limpness or loss of muscle tone
• Clusters of brief, repeated spasms (this could be a sign of infantile spasms)

Common Signs of Infantile Spasms

Infantile spasms are a specific seizure type that often begins between 2 and 12 months (commonly around 4 to 8 months). They can look like a brief body crunch, head bob, or sudden stiffening and often show up in clusters every few seconds.

If you suspect infantile spasms, call your pediatrician right away! Early diagnosis and treatment matter.

What to Do If Your Baby Has a Seizure

In the moment, your job is simple: keep your baby safe, protect breathing, and get help when needed.

Seizure First Aid for Babies

1. Stay with your baby.
2. Gently place your baby on the floor/bed (a safe flat surface) and turn them onto their side to help prevent choking if they vomit.
3. Clear the area—move hard or sharp objects away.
4. Do not restrain your baby’s movements.
5. Do not put anything in your baby’s mouth. (This includes fingers, medicine, a bottle, or a “tongue guard.”)
6. Time it. Look at a clock and note how long it lasts.
7. If you can do so safely, record a short video—this can be incredibly helpful for your baby’s clinician.

When to Seek Emergency Help

Call 911 (or your local emergency number) if any of the following apply:

• This is your baby’s first seizure
• The seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes
• Seizures happen back-to-back without your baby returning to normal between them
• Your baby has trouble breathing, turns blue, or doesn’t wake up afterward
• Your baby is injured during the seizure or the seizure happens in water

Even if you don’t call 911, follow up with your pediatrician after any suspected seizure.

What causes baby seizures?

Seizures are actually a symptom of something else—not a diagnosis—and the cause matters because it guides treatment.

Common causes in babies include:

• Fever (febrile seizures): Usually seen in older infants (6+ months) and toddlers, these are often triggered by viral illness.
• Infection: Such as meningitis or encephalitis (brain infection)
• Birth-related brain injury (including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy—reduced oxygen/blood flow around birth).
• Metabolic issues: Low blood sugar, abnormal sodium/calcium/magnesium, or other metabolic disturbances.
• Stroke or brain bleeding (rare, but possible in newborns).
• Genetic epilepsy syndromes or structural brain differences.
• Infantile spasms: A specific epilepsy syndrome in infancy. This has many possible underlying causes and should be treated as quickly as possible.

Can vaccines cause febrile seizures?

Some vaccines can ever-so slightly increase the risk of febrile seizures, but the overall risk remains small—and public health agencies continue to strongly recommend vaccination on schedule.

How are seizures in babies diagnosed?

To get to the root cause of your baby’s seizures, clinicians typically look at a combination of your family’s health history, what the event looked like, an exam, and targeted testing to make a diagnosis.

Questions Doctors May Ask

• What did you see first?
• How long did it last?
• Was there fever? Illness? Recent vaccines?
• How was breathing and color?
• How did your baby act afterward?

Tests Doctors May Use to Diagnose Seizures

Depending on your baby’s age and the scenario, evaluation may include:

• EEG (electroencephalogram) to measure brain electrical activity and confirm seizures
• Blood and urine tests (to look for infection, low glucose, electrolyte issues, metabolic problems)
• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) if infection like meningitis is a concern
• Imaging, such as MRI (and sometimes ultrasound in newborns) to look for structural causes

For simple febrile seizures in otherwise well-appearing children, routine EEG and imaging are usually not needed.

How are seizures in babies treated?

Treatment depends on the cause, the baby’s age, and whether seizures are ongoing.

Treating the Underlying Trigger

Doctors may:

• Correct low blood sugar or electrolyte abnormalities
• Treat infections with appropriate medications
• Manage complications around birth (for example, neonatal encephalopathy protocols in a NICU setting)

Stopping the Seizure and Preventing Recurrence

If seizures are prolonged or recurring—especially in newborns—babies are often treated in the hospital with anti-seizure medications, like phenobarbital.

If Infantile Spasms Are Diagnosed

Infantile spasms have specific first-line therapies (often hormonal therapy such as ACTH and/or other anti-seizure medicines). Doctors try to diagnose and treat these early.

What Follow-Up May Look Like

Depending on what’s found, families may leave with:

• A follow-up plan with pediatrics and/or pediatric neurology
• A “seizure action plan” for what to do if it happens again

The Bottom Line on Baby Seizures

If you suspect your baby had a seizure, you’re not overreacting—you’re being appropriately cautious. Keep your baby safe, time the event, and get medical care. And remember: Many babies are just fine after a seizure, especially when the cause is identified and treated quickly.

More on Baby Health:

• What to Know About Diarrhea in Babies
• How to Take a Baby’s Temperature
• Your Cold, Flu, and RSV Toolkit for Babies
• Setting the Record Straight on Baby Vaccines

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Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.