Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding Febrile Convulsions among Iraqi under 5 children’s mothers attending pediatric department in a teaching hospital in Baghdad

Background: In terms of occurrence, about 4% of children in the age group of one to six years have at least one episode of febrile convulsion. Of these, up to 30% have recurrent seizures and many get admitted to the hospital. Aims: This study was conducted to assess the level of mother's knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding Febrile Convulsions Methodology: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at the department of Pediatrics in a teaching hospital in Baghdad during the period spanning 14th of December 2013 through the 17th of May 2014. Results: Out of the 800 women questioned, febrile convulsion was reported by 233 mothers. Of those 63.5% children were male, while 36.5% were female. The other 567 mothers reported having unaffected children. It was seen that although mothers can recognize a febrile seizure, a much lower percentage showed the ability to see the signs that precede the convulsions, 84.5% of the mothers knew that fever can cause convulsions, 89.1% knew higher fever increase the risk of febrile convulsion, and 77.2%o knew that febrile convulsion cannot progress to epilepsy; only 25.9% were able to differentiate between a febrile convulsion and epilepsy, and 12% knew febrile convulsion wasn't fatal, but 22.8% knew febrile convulsion cannot lead to brain damage and may have good prognosis. Conclusion: A higher level of understanding regarding practices was shown to have a significant relationship to the mother's higher educational statuses. Mothers' knowledge regarding FS was significantly associated with positive history of FS, urban residence, higher parental education , and working mother.