title: Using women advocacy groups to enhance knowledge and home management of febrile convulsion amongst mothers in a rural community of Sokoto State, Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Febrile convulsions (FC) are a common paediatric problem worldwide. Between 1 and 4% of children will have a febrile convulsion with about 4% of cases arising before the age of six months. Although FC is benign and does not cause death, brain damage or learning disorders, it is quite frightening to observers and parents who witness an episode of FC, would think the child is going to die.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a quasi-experimental study (a pre and post-test interventional, one group), aimed at assessing the impact of health education on knowledge and home management of febrile convulsion amongst mothers in a rural community in North Western Nigeria. A one in three samples of fifty mothers that met the eligibility criteria where selected using systematic random sampling. Structured interviewer administered questionnaire with close and open-ended questions was administered to obtain data at pre- and post intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ages of the mothers ranged from 18-47 with a mean age of 33 ± 7.14 years. The perceived causes of febrile convulsion included fever (28%), witch craft (80%) with majority (98%) of the mothers administering traditional medications. Proportion of study subjects with adequate knowledge of febrile convulsion at baseline and post intervention were 4% (mean knowledge score of 35.3 ± 9.48) and 96.0% (mean knowledge score of 77.69 ± 10.75) respectively (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although inadequate knowledge and inappropriate home practices about FC were rampant in the study community, using community members to teach and sensitize the mothers on FC improved their knowledge base significantly. The use of effective educational intervention programmes and parental support groups will go a long way in reducing the incidence of FC among children in our communities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Oche Mansur
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Oche
authors.forename: Oloche Ben
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Onankpa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006701:Home Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers; D009549:Nigeria; D012424:Rural Population; D003294:Seizures, Febrile / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Febrile convulsion; Intervention; Nigeria; home management; knowledge
references.citation: Epilepsia. 1994;35 Suppl 2:S1-6
references.pmid: 8275976
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1992 Oct 15;327(16):1122-7
references.pmid: 1528207
references.citation: Am J Dis Child. 1981 May;135(5):431-3
references.pmid: 7234769
references.citation: Epilepsia. 1981 Aug;22(4):489-501
references.pmid: 6790275
references.citation: Pediatr Neurol. 1998 Feb;18(2):150-5
references.pmid: 9535301
references.citation: Midwife Health Visit Community Nurse. 1984 Jun;20(6):205-8
references.pmid: 6564351
references.citation: J Postgrad Med. 2001 Jan-Mar;47(1):19-23
references.pmid: 11590285
references.citation: Pediatrics. 1985 Jun;75(6):1110-3
references.pmid: 4000786
references.citation: Pediatrics. 1980 Dec;66(6):1009
references.pmid: 7454463
references.citation: Am Fam Physician. 1995 Oct;52(5):1401-6, 1409-10
references.pmid: 7572563
references.citation: Dev Med Child Neurol. 1981 Aug;23(4):462-4
references.pmid: 7274593
references.citation: Postgrad Med. 1991 Apr;89(5):217-8, 221-2, 224
references.pmid: 2008400
references.citation: BMJ. 1991 Sep 14;303(6803):634-6
references.pmid: 1932910
references.citation: J Neurol Sci. 2002 Aug 15;200(1-2):49-52
references.pmid: 12127675
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1992 Oct 15;327(16):1161-3
references.pmid: 1528213
references.citation: Pediatrics. 1980 Dec;66(6):1009-12
references.pmid: 6779259
references.citation: Malar J. 2006 Jul 18;5:58
references.pmid: 16848889