Exploring the Beliefs and Practices of Mothers Concerning the Care of Children with Febrile Seizures at Princess Marie Louise Hospital

Abstract

Febrile seizures are the most common causes of childhood seizures that occur in children under five globally. Mothers’ care based on knowledge, beliefs and practices may reduce the incidence and complication. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the beliefs and practices of mothers concerning the care of children with febrile seizures at the Princess Marie Louise Hospital. This was an exploratory descriptive qualitative study where a semi-structured interview guide based on the Household Decision Making Model was used. A total of 12 mothers who attended the Princess Marie Louise Hospital at the time of the study were purposefully sampled and interviewed. Each interview lasted between 35-60 minutes and was recorded with permission from the respondents. Verbatim transcription of the interviews was done and data analysis was done using thematic content analysis. The study revealed that, although mothers had an idea about febrile seizures, they lacked adequate knowledge about its management at home and hence use inappropriate methods to abort the seizure or stop its recurrence. The researcher therefore recommends that, educative programmes should be developed for mothers on febrile seizure that occur in children, its associated signs and symptoms and how to effectively manage it at home before seeking biomedical service.