Caregivers' knowledge and home management of fever in children

Abstract

Background: Fever is controlled increase in body temperature over the normal values. Many childhood illnesses are accompanied by fever, many of which are treated at home prior to presentation to hospital. Most febrile episodes are benign. Limited caregivers' knowledge regarding fever, has led to mismanagement of fever. The focus of this study wAS to determine the caregiver's knowledge and their management of fever in their children at home. Study Justification: Adequate caregivers' knowledge and proper home management of fever leads to better management of febrile illnesses and reduces complications. Study Objectives: To assess the caregivers' knowledge and their home based treatment practices of fever in children. Methodology: A cross-sectional study on 250 caregivers of children under 12 years presenting to the PEU (KNH) with fever. Data collection was done using a questionnaire. The information sourced from the questionnaire included the demography of the caregivers and their children, caregiver's knowledge of fever, and its management at home. Data was analyzed and summarized into propcrtions and means/medians. Results: Three quarters of the caregivers' defined fever correctly. The caregivers' knowledge on the normal body was at 47.6%, while their knowledge on the cut-off temperature forfever was at 30%. Infection was cited as the leading cause of fever (95.2%). Brain damage (77.6%) and dehydration (65.6%) were viewed as the commonest complication of untreated fever. Majority (91.2%) of caregivers touched the skin of the patient to detect fever, Fever was treated at home by 97.2% of caregivers, most of them used medication. Conclusion Fever was-defined correctly by 75.2% of caregivers. Majority of the caregivers used touch to detect fever. Their source of information on childhood fever was mainly family and healthcare workers. Fever was managed at home with medications. Recommendation Public Health Education should be implemented in order to enlighten caregivers on fever. A clinical thermometer should be used to monitor fever at home.