Background: Febrile seizures are the most common symptoms
observed in pediatric patients and often prompt parents to seek medical
attention. There are two types of febrile seizures: simple and Complex. While
simple febrile seizures are typically harmless, complex febrile seizures can
have long-term effects. These seizures occur due to fever without any intracranial
infection or acute electrolyte imbalance between the ages of 6 months and 6
years old.
Most children with febrile seizures experience normal growth
patterns and development after an episode. However, evidence suggests that both
parents and physicians hold misconceptions about managing fever effectively.
Objective: This study aims to determine physician opinions
regarding treatment preferences for children experiencing febrile seizure
episodes within the age group ranging from six months up to five years old.
Methods: In June-July 2021 we conducted a cross-sectional
study involving primary care physicians (n=100). A self-administered
questionnaire was used via a Google form survey to gather data. Descriptive
statistics were employed for analysis.
Results: Our study revealed that only 10% of physicians
correctly identified a body temperature above 37.2°C as fever when measured
axillary temperature is taken into account.
Furthermore, just 26.2% of the surveyed physicians
considered signs and symptoms other than fever before prescribing antipyretics.
Notably, 85% of respondents prescribed antipyretics with the
aim of controlling or preventing complications associated with fevers,
particularly febrile seizures.
Additionally, most participants (76.3%) indicated that high
fever could be an indicator of severe bacterial infection
Interestingly, the majority (91.3%) advised parents to
alternate between ibuprofen and paracetamol if the child's fever did not
subside.
Conclusion: Misconceptions regarding management and
potential complications related to febrile seizures were evident among
participating physicians in this study.
The findings indicate a need for improved recognition,
assessment, and management by primary care providers when it comes to managing
underlying illnesses in children presenting with a fever-related condition.
Author(s) Details
C. Tulasi Priya
Department of Pediatrics, Saveetha Medical College and
Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Chaudhary Devanand
Gulab
Department of Pediatrics, Saveetha Medical College and
Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mria/v9/311
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