Which age range is most commonly affected by febrile convulsions?

Febrile convulsions are most commonly observed in children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years. This age range is significant because during these early developmental years, children are particularly vulnerable to experiencing fevers due to common viral infections, such as respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses. The incidence peaks around the age of 18 months and decreases as children grow older and their nervous systems mature.

In this age group, the combination of an immature central nervous system and a heightened response to febrile episodes contributes to the likelihood of convulsions occurring in the presence of fever. While febrile convulsions can occur outside this range, they are much less common in infants under 6 months due to the relative stability of their neurological conditions and in older children as they become less reactive to fevers as they grow.

For example, the incidence is low in neonates (0-2 months) because they typically do not have the same kind of febrile responses as older children. In toddlers (1-3 years), although they are at risk, the broader age range of 6 months to 6 years captures the majority of cases. Similarly, in the older age group of 7-10 years, the risk of febr