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Background: Fever is a common medical problem in children which often prompts parents to seek immediate
medical care. The objective of this study was to survey parents about their knowledge and attitude concerning
fever in their children.
Patients and Methods: The study involved the random selection of Saudi parents who brought their febrile
children to the emergency rooms or walk-in clinics of four hospitals in Riyadh. Parents of 560 febrile children
were interviewed using a standard questionnaire to obtain sociodemographic information and current knowledge
of fever. Approximately 70% of the respondents were female, and the ages of the most were in the range of 20-40
years. More than 80% of the parents had two or more children.
Results: More than 70% of parents demonstrated a poor understanding of the definition of fever, high fever,
maximum temperature of untreated fever, and threshold temperature warranting antipyresis. About 25% of
parents considered temperatures less than 38.0oC to be fever, another 25% did not know the definition of fever,
64% felt that temperatures of less than 40.0oC could be dangerous to a child, and 25% could not define high
fever. Another 23% believed that if left untreated, temperatures could rise to 42.0oC or higher, but 37% could not
provide an answer, and 62% did not know the minimum temperature for administering antipyretics.
Approximately 95% of parents demonstrated undue fear of consequent body damage from fever, including
convulsion, brain damage or stroke, coma, serious vague illness, blindness, and even death.
Conclusion: Parental misconceptions about fever reflect the lack of active health education in our community.
Health professionals have apparently not done enough to educate parents on the condition of fever and its
consequences, a common problem.
Ann Saudi Med 2000;20(3-4):202-205.
Key Words: Convulsion, fever, heat stroke, hyperpyrexia.
202
203
AL-EISSA ET AL
TABLE 2.
Variable
%
2.5
23.6
29.6
16.4
2.3
25.5
8.4
25.7
30
39
7
40.1-41.0C
20
3.6
>41.0C
Unknown
142
25.3
How high could temperature go without treatment (range, 37.0-100.0C)
22
3.9
<40.0C
134
23.9
40.0-40.9C
69
12.3
41.0-41.9C
96
17.1
42.0-43.9C
33
5.9
>44.0C
Unknown
Threshold temperature for giving an antipyretic
<38.0C
38.0-39.0C
39.0C
Unknown
Threshold temperature for bathing/sponging
<38.0C
38.0-38.9C
39.0-39.9C
40.0C
Unknown
206
36.8
26
141
47
346
4.6
25.2
8.4
61.8
17
72
71
56
344
3
12.9
12.7
10
61.4
204
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
205