title: Prehospital use of paracetamol among children attending the accident and emergency department.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify patterns of prehospital administration of paracetamol to children who were perceived to be feverish by their carers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study of carers of children attending a paediatric accident and emergency (A&E) department. Carers of children completed a questionnaire to identify domestic patterns of paracetamol use. Data were collected on temperature of the child in the A&E department, administration of antipyretics in the A&E department, diagnosis, and disposal from the A&E department.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy five adults attending the A&E department consented to involvement. Sixty five of the children were feverish on arrival in the A&E department. Twenty one children (32.3%) had not received paracetamol before attending. There was a significant relation between knowledge of the antipyretic properties of paracetamol and administration (chi(2)=5.0, p<0.05). There was a significant correlation between fever and administration of paracetamol in the A&E department (chi(2)=23.7, p<0.01), however, 15 feverish patients (24.6%) were not treated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most carers administer paracetamol appropriately in the prehospital setting. Administration correlates significantly with knowledge of its benefits. There is scope for education of carers and A&E department staff in the in the appropriate use of antipyretics such as paracetamol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Accident and Emergency Medicine, Northern General Hospital Trust, Sheffield, UK. suzanne.mason@lineone.net
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thorp
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Burke
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000293:Adolescent; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000082:Acetaminophen