Parental perception of fever in children

Abstract EN

Back ground : Fever is a common medical problem in children.

parents have been shown unrealistic fears of harmful effects of fever in their children.

Resulting in inappropriate management of fever in their children.

Objective : the objective of this study was to survey parents about their knowledge andattitude concerning fever in their children.

Methods : The study involved random selection of parents who brought their febrile children to emergency department or out-patient clinics of five teaching and non teaching hospitals in Baghdad from first of October to end of December 2002.

Parents of 400 febrile children were interviewed using a standard questionnaire to obtain sociodemographic information and current knowledge of fever.

Results : Approximately 69 % of the respondents were female, 68 % their age was in the range of 21-35 years.

Seventy seven percent of parents had two or more children.

More than 70 % of parents demonstrated a poor understanding of definition of fever , maximum temperature of untreated fever and threshold temperature requiring antipyretics .

Twenty sevev percent of parents considered temperature less than 38.0 co to be fever, another 27 % did not know, the definition of fever, 61% felt that temperature of less than 40, 0 co could be dangerous to a child, and 27 % could not define high fever.

Another 28 % believed that if left untreated, temperature could rise to 42.

0 co or higher, but 39 % could not provide an answer, and about 60 % did not know the minimum temperature for administering antipyretics.

And 60 % did not know the minimum temperature for bathing , or sponging.

Approximately 93 % of parents demonstrated fear of consequent body damage from fever , including convulsion ,brain damage ,coma, blindness and even death.

Conclusion : parental misconception about fever reflects the lack of active health education.

Health professionals have apparently not done enough to educate parents on this common medical problem and it,s consequences.