Knowledge, attitude and practices of parents of children with febrile convulsion

Abstract

Context: Parental anxiety and apprehension is related to inadequate knowledge of fever and febrile convulsion.

Aims: To study the knowledge, attitude, and practices of the parents of children with febrile convulsions.

Settings and design: Prospective questionnaire based study in a tertiary care centre carried over a period of one year.

Subjects and methods: 140 parents of consecutive children presenting with febrile convulsion were enrolled.

Statistical analysis used: Chi-square test.

Results: 83 parents (59.3%) could not recognise the convulsion; 90.7% (127) did not carry out any intervention prior to getting the child to the hospital. The commonest immediate effect of the convulsion on the parents was fear of death (n= 126, 90%) followed by insomnia (n= 48, 34.3%), anorexia (n= 46, 32.9%), crying (n= 28, 20%) and fear of epilepsy (n= 28, 20%). Fear of brain damage, fear of recurrence and dyspepsia were voiced by the fathers alone (n= 20, cumulative incidence 14.3%). 109 (77.9%) parents did not know the fact that the convulsion can occur due to fever. The long-term concerns included fear of epilepsy (n= 64, 45.7%) and future recurrence (n= 27, 19.3%) in the affected child. For 56 (40%) of the parents every subsequent episode of fever was like a nightmare. Only 21 parents (15%) had thermometer at home and 28 (20%) knew the normal range of body temperature. Correct preventive measures were known only to 41 (29.2%). Awareness of febrile convulsion and the preventive measures was higher in socio-economic grade (P< 0.05).

Conclusions: The parental fear of fever and febrile convulsion is a major problem with serious negative consequences affecting daily familial life.