CASE REPORT article
Front. Pediatr.
Sec. General Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Care
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fped.2025.1653744
This article is part of the Research TopicNew Insights into Pediatric Neurology: Neurological Disorders and Epileptic EncephalopathiesView all 10 articles
Recognizing Pediatric Febrile Myoclonus: A Video-Documented Case Report and Review of the Current Literature
Provisionally accepted
- Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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Febrile myoclonus (FM) is a benign condition characterized by the sudden onset of generalized, multifocal, or segmental jerks during fever, without signs of central nervous system infections, resolving as the temperature elevation subsides. This condition is poorly described in literature, and its incidence is not well identified. We present the case of a 1-year-old child who developed myoclonic jerks during a febrile episode, diagnosed with FM. The child exhibited a normal neurological examination and neuromotor development appropriate for age. The electroencephalogram (EEG) showed no epileptiform discharges during the events, and past medical or familiar history was negative for epilepsy or any other neurological condition. We conducted a narrative review of the current literature to improve understanding of this benign clinical manifestation. Additionally, we included audio and video material to aid physicians in recognizing the condition , avoiding unnecessary diagnostic procedures and overtreatment with antiseizure medications. Our goal is to increase awareness of this rare phenomenon and expand its phenotypical spectrum.
Keywords: Febrile myoclonus, movement disorder, EEG, Infant - age, Pediatric Neurology and Psychiatry
Received: 25 Jun 2025; Accepted: 05 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Minerva, Perilli, Francioni, Lotti, Curcio and Grosso. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Michele Minerva, Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Lorenzo Perilli, Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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