Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Parents of Children with Fepile Convulsion

CONTEXT: Parental anxiety and apprehension is related to inadequate knowledge of fever and fepile convulsion. AIMS: To study the knowledge, attitude, and practices of the parents of children with fepile 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 fepile 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 pain 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 fepile convulsion and the preventive measures was higher in socio-economic grade (P< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The parental fear of fever and fepile convulsion is a major problem with serious negative consequences affecting daily familial life.