A simple febrile seizure is distinguished from a complex febrile seizure by which characteristic?

• A. It lasts less than 15 minutes and occurs in children without underlying neurologic abnormalities
• B. It lasts longer than 60 minutes
• C. It is always associated with meningitis
• D. It requires anticonvulsants

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how simple febrile seizures differ from complex ones by duration and the child’s neurologic baseline. Simple febrile seizures are brief and occur in children who do not have underlying neurologic abnormalities. That combination—short duration and a normal neurologic status—defines a simple febrile seizure.

So the description that the seizure lasts less than 15 minutes and happens in a child without underlying neurologic abnormalities best captures a simple febrile seizure.

Other points don’t fit as well: lasting longer than 60 minutes would reflect a prolonged or complex event (the defining cutoff is longer than 15 minutes, not a fixed 60 minutes); meningitis is not required or always present with febrile seizures; and simple febrile seizures don’t routinely require anticonvulsants for long-term management.