Table 5.
Parental management of fever.
| Question | Multiple Choice Answers | Total n = 464 |
Age of Youngest or Only Child 0–5 Years n = 175 (37.7%) |
Age of Youngest or Only Child 6–10 Years n = 175 (37.7%) |
Age of Youngest or Only Child 11–14 Years n = 114 (24.6%) |
p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | |||
| How do you see fever? | A sign of disease that should always be eliminated | 36 (7.76) | 11 (6.29) | 13 (7.43) | 12 (10.53) | 0.514 |
| A sign of disease that should only be eliminated if high | 151 (32.54) | 55 (31.43) | 63 (36) | 33 (28.95) | ||
| A bodily defence mechanism | 277 (59.7) | 109 (62.29) | 99 (56.57) | 69 (60.53) | ||
| What type of thermometer do you use to measure your child’s temperature? | Mercury | 104 (22.41) | 14 (8) | 47 (26.86) | 43 (37.72) | <0.001 |
| Infrared | 33 (7.11) | 19 (10.86) | 13 (7.43) | 1 (0.88) | ||
| Liquid crystals liquid | 43 (9.27) | 6 (3.43) | 21 (12) | 16 (14.04) | ||
| Electronic | 284 (61.21) | 136 (77.71) | 94 (53.71) | 54 (47.37) | ||
| Where do your measure your child’s temperature? | Rectum | 97 (20.91) | 73 (41.71) | 19 (10.86) | 5 (4.39) | <0.001 |
| Armpit | 305 (65.73) | 72 (41.14) | 131 (74.86) | 102 (89.47) | ||
| Ear | 28 (6.03) | 14 (8) | 11 (6.29) | 3 (2.63) | ||
| Forehead | 32 (6.9) | 15 (8.57) | 13 (7.43) | 4 (3.51) | ||
| Other | 2 (0.43) | 1 (0.57) | 1 (0.57) | 0 (0) | ||
| In your opinion, the word “fever” describes what temperature? | It depends on the child’s age | 12 (2.59) | 6 (3.43) | 2 (1.14) | 4 (3.51) | 0.108 |
| Axillary ≥ 36.5° | 1 (0.22) | 1 (0.57) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | ||
| Axillary ≥ 37° | 94 (20.26) | 32 (18.29) | 37 (21.14) | 25 (21.93) | ||
| Axillary ≥ 37.5° | 163 (35.13) | 53 (30.29) | 59 (33.71) | 51 (44.74) | ||
| Axillary ≥ 37.9° | 139 (29.96) | 59 (33.71) | 54 (30.86) | 26 (22.81) | ||
| Axillary ≥ 38.5° | 55 (11.85) | 24 (13.71) | 23 (13.14) | 8 (7.02) | ||
| >39 | 10 (2.16) | 4 (2.29) | 2 (1.14) | 4 (3.51) | ||
| Why do you think it is necessary to treat fever? | Because it is associated with headache and ill-being, it is better to eliminate it | 221 (47.63) | 71 (40.57) | 79 (45.14) | 71 (62.28) | <0.001 |
| Fever can have serious consequences | 204 (43.97) | 81 (46.29) | 84 (48) | 39 (34.21) | ||
| By eliminating fever I am treating the disease that caused it | 39 (8.41) | 23 (13.14) | 12 (6.86) | 4 (3.51) | ||
| If you think that fever can have serious consequences, which do you fear the most? | Convulsions | 350 (75.43) | 134 (76.57) | 129 (73.71) | 87 (76.32) | 0.345 |
| Damage to the nervous system | 59 (12.72) | 21 (12) | 28 (16) | 10 (8.77) | ||
| Dehydration | 45 (9.7) | 15 (8.57) | 16 (9.14) | 14 (12.28) | ||
| Coma | 2 (0.43) | 1 (0.57) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.88) | ||
| Death | 5 (1.08) | 1 (0.57) | 2 (1.14) | 2 (1.75) | ||
| None of the above | 3 (0.65) | 3 (1.71) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | ||
| When treating a child with fever, what is the first thing to do? | Reduce the number of clothes | 199 (42.89) | 91 (52) | 64 (36.57) | 44 (38.6) | 0.059 |
| Put an ice pack on his/her head | 11 (2.37) | 2 (1.14) | 5 (2.86) | 4 (3.51) | ||
| Put a cloth soaked in cold water on his/her forehead | 63 (13.58) | 20 (11.43) | 27 (15.43) | 16 (14.04) | ||
| Put a cloth soaked in lukewarm water on his/her forehead | 3 (0.65) | 1 (0.57) | 0 (0) | 2 (1.75) | ||
| Sponge all of his/her body with alcohol | 2 (0.43) | 1 (0.57) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.88) | ||
| Administer an antipyretic | 186 (40.09) | 60 (34.29) | 79 (45.14) | 47 (41.23) | ||
| If you use an antipyretic, do you consult your pediatrician before administering it? | No | 270 (58.19) | 92 (52.57) | 100 (57.14) | 78 (68.42) | 0.027 |
| Yes | 194 (41.81) | 83 (47.43) | 75 (42.86) | 36 (31.58) | ||
| If you use an antipyretic, do you also use physical means to reduce your child’s temperature? | No | 208 (44.83) | 91 (52) | 76 (43.43) | 41 (35.96) | 0.025 |
| Yes | 256 (55.17) | 84 (48) | 99 (56.57) | 73 (64.04) | ||
| If so, what do you use? | Ice pack | 57 (22.27) | 9 (10.71) | 30 (30.3) | 18 (24.66) | 0.025 |
| Cloth soaked in cold water | 170 (66.41) | 66 (78.57) | 58 (58.59) | 46 (63.01) | ||
| Cloth soaked in lukewarm water | 23 (8.98) | 7 (8.33) | 10 (10.1) | 6 (8.22) | ||
| Sponging with alcohol | 6 (2.34) | 2 (2.38) | 1 (1.01) | 3 (4.11) | ||
| NA | 208 | 91 | 76 | 41 | ||
| Which antipyretic do you give your child most frequently? | Paracetamol | 409 (88.15) | 156 (89.14) | 148 (84.57) | 105 (92.11) | 0.066 |
| Ibuprofen | 54 (11.64) | 19 (10.86) | 27 (15.43) | 8 (7.02) | ||
| Aspirin | 1 (0.22) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.88) | ||
| If you use paracetamol more frequently than ibuprofen, why do you do so? | Better tolerability with equal efficacy | 254 (62.1) | 95 (60.9) | 91 (61.49) | 68 (64.76) | 0.079 |
| Better tolerability and greater efficacy | 46 (11.25) | 17 (10.9) | 19 (12.84) | 10 (9.52) | ||
| Recommended by paediatrician | 41 (10.02) | 23 (14.74) | 14 (9.46) | 4 (3.81) | ||
| Habit | 68 (16.63) | 21 (13.46) | 24 (16.22) | 23 (21.9) | ||
| NA | 54 | 19 | 27 | 8 | ||
| If you use ibuprofen more frequently than paracetamol, why do you do so? | Better tolerability with equal efficacy | 15 (27.78) | 6 (31.58) | 8 (29.63) | 1 (12.5) | 0.335 |
| Equal tolerability and greater efficacy | 37 (68.52) | 11 (57.89) | 19 (70.37) | 7 (87.5) | ||
| Recommended by pediatrician | 2 (3.7) | 2 (10.53) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | ||
| NA | 409 | 156 | 148 | 105 | ||
| Which way of administering paracetamol do you prefer? | Oral | 305 (65.73) | 88 (50.29) | 103 (58.86) | 114 (100) | <0.001 |
| Rectal | 158 (34.05) | 86 (49.14) | 72 (41.14) | 0 (0) | ||
| NA | 1 (0.22) | 1 (0.57) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | ||
| Which paracetamol formulation do you prefer? | Syrup | 195 (42.03) | 67 (38.29) | 82 (46.86) | 46 (40.35) | <0.001 |
| Drops | 30 (6.47) | 19 (10.86) | 8 (4.57) | 3 (2.63) | ||
| Suppositories | 158 (34.05) | 86 (49.14) | 72 (41.14) | 0 (0) | ||
| Orally dispersible granulate | 57 (12.28) | 3 (1.71) | 11 (6.29) | 43 (37.72) | ||
| Tablets | 22 (4.74) | 0 (0) | 2 (1.14) | 20 (17.54) | ||
| NA | 2 (0.43) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (1.75) | ||
| Do you alternate the administration of ibuprofen and paracetamol? | No | 405 (87.28) | 162 (92.57) | 146 (83.43) | 97 (85.09) | 0.021 |
| You | 59 (12.72) | 13 (7.43) | 29 (16.57) | 17 (14.91) | ||
| What do you think is the main side effect of paracetamol? | None | 296 (72.37) | 114 (73.08) | 112 (75.68) | 70 (66.67) | 0.332 |
| Gastritis | 23 (5.62) | 6 (3.85) | 9 (6.08) | 8 (7.62) | ||
| Hives | 10 (2.44) | 8 (5.13) | 2 (1.35) | 0 (0) | ||
| Liver toxicity | 60 (14.67) | 17 (10.9) | 20 (13.51) | 23 (21.9) | ||
| Diarrhea | 19 (4.65) | 11 (7.05) | 5 (3.38) | 3 (2.86) | ||
| NA | 1 (0.24) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.95) | ||
| What do you think is the main side effect of ibuprofen? | Gastritis or gastrointestinal bleeding | 23 (42.59) | 8 (42.11) | 13 (48.15) | 2 (25) | 0.022 |
| Renal insufficiency | 2 (3.7) | 2 (10.53) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | ||
| Bronchospasm | 1 (1.85) | 0 (0) | 1 (3.7) | 0 (0) | ||
| Skin rash | 2 (3.7) | 2 (10.53) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | ||
| None | 21 (38.89) | 7 (36.84) | 11 (40.74) | 3 (37.5) | ||
| NA | 5 (9.26) | 0 (0) | 2 (7.41) | 3 (37.5) |
NA: not available.