Background: Febrile convulsion (FC) is a condition that can emotionally traumatize parents, especially if there is a shortage of information on how to deal with it. This study was conducted to determine parents' knowledge, attitude, and practices toward their children with FC.
Methodology: This is an observational cross-sectional study conducted in public areas in the Al Qassim region between February and May 2020. A self-administered questionnaire translated from English into Arabic was distributed among parents. The questionnaire was divided into four sections. The first gathered basic demographic data, and the three remaining sections were questions to measure knowledge, assess attitude, and
determine the respondents' practices concerning FC. All statistical analyses were carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 21.
Results: The total mean knowledge score was 3.86 (SD 1.63) out of nine points. Of the parents, 67.8% had poor and 32.2% good knowledge of FC. The total mean attitude score was 2.24 (SD 1.19) out of five points, where negative and positive attitudes were identified for 57% and 43% of the parents, respectively. For practice, the mean score was 3.89 (SD 1.44) out of six points, with poor and good practice accounting for 41.6% and 58.4%
of parents, respectively. Statistical tests showed the knowledge score was significantly influenced by the number of children in the family (t = −2.305; p = 0.022) and the fathers educational level (t = −3.105; p = 0.002).
Conclusion: Although FC's knowledge and attitude of parents of children with FC were suboptimal, their practices were found to be moderate. Having more than three children and an educated father significantly influenced the parents' knowledge of FC.
Key words: Febrile convulsion, knowledge, attitude, practice parents, children
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