Study Links Low Zinc Levels to Fever-Related Seizures in Kids

158 children aged 6 to 72 months were analysed between December 2022 & June 2024. Zinc levels were 61 µg/dl lower in children with seizures than those without

- RAHUL R @Kollam

A HOSPITAL-BASED study by doctors at Sree Gokulam Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, has found an association between zinc deficiency and febrile seizures in children.

The study, carried out between December 2022 and June 2024, analysed 158 children aged 6 to 72 months.

The findings revealed that nearly 50% of children who experienced seizures during fever had low zinc levels, compared to just 6% of children who had fever without seizures. The average zinc level in the blood of children with seizures was 81.1 micrograms per decilitre (µg/dl), significantly lower than the 142.4 µg/dl in children without seizures—a difference of 61.3 µg/dl, which is statistically significant (p<0.01).