Parental thoughts and actions regarding their child's first febrile seizure

Abstract

Background: Little is known about what parents think and how they act when their child experiences febrile seizure (FS). This study therefore surveyed parents of 78 children who had experienced a first FS regarding their thoughts and actions.

Methods: The questionnaire was divided into three parts: details of the child and their family; medical management of the child before reaching hospital; and parental thoughts and actions when the child experienced convulsions.

Results: Parents without prior knowledge of FS showed a higher rate of thinking that FS were harmful than parents with prior knowledge (P < 0.03). Parents with prior knowledge were aware that their child was having an FS at a higher rate than parents without prior knowledge (P < 0.001). Moreover, parents without prior knowledge managed the convulsions less appropriately than parents with prior knowledge (P < 0.03).

Conclusions: Parental fears that the death of their child was imminent and the misperception of FS as a serious, life-threatening condition indicate a lack of knowledge regarding FS. Organizing parental support groups and effective educational intervention programs for parents should be given priority in the care of children with FS.