Parental Knowledge and Coping Ability Regarding Childhood Febrile Seizures: Current Status and Influencing Factors

Abstract

Background: Febrile convulsion (FC) is a common neurological disorder in children aged 6 months to 5 years, with an incidence of 3-5% in China and a recurrence rate of 30-40%, often associated with infections. The sudden onset and dramatic nature of FC episodes can cause significant anxiety and stress for parents, highlighting the need for improved parental knowledge and emergency response capabilities. Objective: The study aims to investigate parents' cognition of febrile seizures, their knowledge of family first aid, and their response capacity. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 95 parents of children aged 0-6 years who sought medical attention for febrile seizures at the Pediatric Outpatient Department of Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, using a self-designed questionnaire through convenience sampling. The questionnaire included general information, the cognition level of febrile seizures, and hypothetical scenario-based response behaviours. A total of 87 valid questionnaires were collected. The average score of parents' overall cognition of febrile seizures was (4.21±2.05), and the average score of family first aid knowledge was (2.78±1.64), both at a medium-low level overall. Results: Multiple regression analysis shows that parents' educational level(β=1.123, P＜0.01), whether they have a medical background (β=1.058, P＜0.01), and whether they have previously experienced or are familiar with childhood febrile seizures(β=0.941, P＜0.01) are the main positive factors influencing their cognitive abilities. Conclusion: Parents generally lack sufficient cognition of febrile seizures and family first aid capabilities, and common misconceptions about first aid exist. It is recommended to implement diverse and targeted health education to enhance the scientific knowledge of family first aid and promote children's health.