Lumbar puncture following febrile convulsion

Much of the medicine we practice is enshrined in dogma. The management of children following febrile seizures is no exception. Every 5–10 years, the value and need for various investigations or treatment has been revisited in the medical press. However, despite the commonness of this clinical problem, consensus over management remains elusive. In particular, the need for lumbar puncture following a febrile seizure in infancy continues to be debated despite many attempts to assess its value. This article examines current guidelines, practice, and the available evidence of the value (and potential risks) of lumbar puncture following a febrile convulsion.