BACKGROUND

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

OBJECTIVE

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

METHODS

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

METHODS

140 parents of consecutive children presenting with febrile convulsion were enrolled.

METHODS

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.