stuip

Stuip is a Dutch medical term for a convulsive episode or seizure, used both in everyday language and clinical contexts. It describes sudden, involuntary muscle contractions with loss of consciousness or altered awareness. The term covers several conditions, most commonly febrile seizures in children and epileptic seizures in people with epilepsy. Less typical causes include head injury, metabolic disturbances, intoxication, or certain infections. In Dutch, febrile seizures are often called koortsstuip.

Symptoms typically begin abruptly and may include stiffening (tonic phase), rhythmic jerking (clonic phase), and loss of bladder or bowel control, often followed by confusion or sleep (the postictal state). Febrile seizures occur in young children during fever and are usually brief and benign; epileptic seizures reflect underlying epilepsy and may recur.

Diagnosis relies on clinical history and examination. Tests such as EEG or brain imaging may be used when seizures are uncertain or there are focal signs, prolonged seizures, or head injury.

Treatment depends on the cause. Simple febrile seizures are generally managed with fever control and caregiver education; epilepsy is treated with anti-seizure medications and lifestyle considerations. First aid during a stuip emphasizes safety: prevent injury, place the person on their side, loosen restrictive clothing, do not insert objects into the mouth, and time the event. Seek urgent care if the seizure lasts more than five minutes, the person does not regain consciousness after, or there are repeated seizures.

Prognosis varies: simple febrile seizures have a favorable outlook, while prognosis in epilepsy depends on seizure type and treatment response.