Fever In Children Research Articles

Prevalence and Determinants of Diarrhea, Fever, and Coexistence of Diarrhea and Fever in Children Under-Five in Bangladesh.

Diarrhea and fever are prevalent childhood illnesses with potentially severe consequences, especially when they co-occur. This study investigates the prevalence and determinants of diarrhea, fever, and their coexistence among children under-five in Bangladesh. Data from the 2017-2018 Bangladesh Demography and Health Survey (BDHS) were analyzed using multivariable stepwise logistic regression with backward selection. This study found that 5.0% for diarrhea, 34.0% for fever, and 3.0% for the coexistence of both illnesses. Common factors associated with childhood diarrhea and fever included the child's age (12-23 months), and the mother's education. Diarrhea was associated with households with improved water sources and children in the Barisal division, while fever was linked to underweight children and those from more affluent backgrounds. The coexistence of both was significantly linked to underweight children, higher birth orders, and children from the Rajshahi division. Notably, child illnesses were associated with parental education, higher socio-economic status, and access to improved drinking water sources. Diarrhea affects one in 20 children, fever affects one in three, and the coexistence of both conditions affects one in 35 children in Bangladesh. The findings need further research and policy reviews to develop effective interventions and improve child health in Bangladesh.

Unveiling the Shadows: Exploring Factors Behind The Lack of Awareness of Rheumatic Heart Disease Among Diagnosed Patients

Objectives: To assess reasons for lack of awareness regarding rheumatic heart disease among patients diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease.
 Methodology: In this cross-sectional study was conducted at the outpatient department of a tertiary care cardiac centre. We included consecutive patients of either gender between 18 to 60 years of age with the established diagnosis of RHD. Their knowledge and awareness regarding the disease itself and regarding its primary and secondary prevention and treatment options was assessed with the help of a structured self-developed questionnaire. Collected data was entered and analyzed using IBM SPSS 19.
 Results: A total of 502 patients were enrolled with almost equal number of male and female patients. Mean ± SD for patient age was 37.3 ± 10.9 years. Majority had received primary school education or above. 40% of the patients were not aware of rheumatic valvular heart disease as their diagnosis. Less than half of patients knew childhood fever and sore throat as cause of their disease. 72.6% of the patients were not aware of prophylactic treatment for the disease. 77.2% were referred to a cardiologist after more than four weeks. 47.9% of patients were not properly counselled about their disease.
 Conclusion: There was a very high incidence of lack of awareness regarding RHD among affected patients. Moreover, there was high incidence of inadequate physician-patient counselling about the disease and late referral to cardiologist. Healthcare providers should educate their patients, fostering community-based interventions this ultimately will lead to decrease morbidity and mortality among patients diagnosed with RHD and will help in early detection and prevention of RHD.

Evaluation of knowledge on home management of malaria in under-fives among mothers and caregivers in Bende Local Government Area (LGA), Abia State, Nigeria

Background: In Nigeria, pregnant mothers and under-five children are the vulnerable who are most at risk of malarial infections. Despite the presence of numerous accessible health facilities, the community-based home management of childhood fevers remains a very common practice in the country. Objectives: To evaluate knowledge on home management of malaria in under-fives among mothers and caregivers in Bende LGA, Abia State, Nigeria. Methods and materials: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 375 heads of household Bende LGA. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from participants and was self-administered. Data were cleaned and coded into SPSS version 26 for analysis. Numerical variables were summarized using mean and standard deviation, categorical variables were summarized using frequency and proportions. Chi-Square test was used to test association, p<0.05. Results: A total of 375 household heads with a response rate of 360 (96.0%) participated in the study with a mean age of 37.2 ± 0.8724, A good number of the participants 136 (37.8%) were in the age range of 35 – 39 years. Majority of them 310 (86.0%) were married. Majority of them 204 (56.6%) had secondary education. One hundred and fifty-eight (43.8%) of them responded that mosquito bite was the cause of malaria. Prevalence of home management of malaria was 117(32.4%) and overall knowledge level of mothers and caregivers was 202 (56.1%). There association between age range, marital status and level of education was statistically significant, p<0.05. Conclusion: There were several gaps in the participants’ level of knowledge relating to home management of under-five children, however, overall knowledge level of mothers and caregivers was 202 (56.1%) and prevalence of home management was low as majority of the under-fives were taken to the hospital for their management.

11.4 The Association Between Childhood ADHD and the Prevalence of Familial Mediterranean Fever in Children: A Population-Based Case-Control Study

11.4 The Association Between Childhood ADHD and the Prevalence of Familial Mediterranean Fever in Children: A Population-Based Case-Control Study

Parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards childhood fever among South-East and East Asian parents: A literature review.

The aim of this literature review was to identify, summarize, and critically appraise available empirical articles on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards childhood fever management among South-East and East Asian parents. A literature review following PRISMA. Articles were limited to those available in the English language. Articles had to be empirical studies that used a qualitative or quantitative research design with full-text available; focus on parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards fever; and be published in South-East and East Asia. Searches were conducted with CINAHL, PubMed and Scopus from inception to June 2022, and eleven articles were included after removing duplicates and excluding irrelevant articles. Narrative synthesis was conducted according to four themes: source of fever information, knowledge level, attitudes, and practices towards childhood fever. Parents showed different fever knowledge needs and various information-seeking behaviors. A low level of fever knowledge was revealed in terms of temperature, fever causes, potential harms and influencing factors. South-East and East Asian parents mainly reported anxiety, concerns and fever phobia. Fever assessment methods and fever management strategies varied based on parents' cultural background and beliefs. The findings of this review highlight that inadequacy of fever knowledge and negative attitudes towards childhood fever exist in South-East and East Asian parents. Parents have diverse cultural practices during their children's febrile episodes. However, some of them conflict with current medical guidelines, as they prioritize fever and body temperature reduction. This raises questions about their effectiveness and safety. Although some of them are medically discouraged, there are others that have been proven beneficial for the symptomatic relief of childhood fever. The results indicate an urgent need to develop a cultural-sensitive educational intervention for childhood fever management among South-East and East Asian parents. Unified educational interventions are needed to address parental concerns and fever-related knowledge needs.

Determinants of caregiver's knowledge and practices regarding childhood fever management in a developing setting: a multi-centre cross-sectional assessment.

Fever is both a sign of various diseases (chief of which are infectious in nature) and an adverse effect of certain interventions (e.g. vaccines, drugs) in the pediatric population. It elicits anxiety among caregivers and healthcare professionals alike resulting in non-evidence based practices, adverse medication administration events, waste of scarce resources and overutilization of health facilities. The determinants of these practices among caregivers in the domiciliary contexts have not been well characterized in developing settings. We assessed the knowledge and practices of childhood fever and their determinants among caregivers in domiciliary settings in Northern Nigeria using a 41-item questionnaire between August 2020 and February 2021. The questionnaire is reliable (knowledge: Cronbach's Alpha = 0.689; practice: Cronbach's Alpha = 0.814) and collected data on a total of 2,400 caregiver-child pairs, who participated in the study. Over two-third (68.3%; 1,640) of the caregivers expressed fever phobic tendencies. Paracetamol was the most commonly used medication and constituted 31.3% of medication administration adverse events reported by the caregivers. Only one out of every six knowledgeable caregivers engaged in evidence-based home childhood fever management practices (7% vs. 41.6%) with being a primary caregiver [Knowledge: odd ratio (OR): 2.81, 95% CI: 0.38; 5.68; p value: 0.04; Practice: OR: 1.65, 95% CI: 0.09; 7.33; 0.02] and having a child/children aged ≤3 years (knowledge: OR: 7.03, 95% CI: 4.89; 9.67, p value: 0.003; practice OR: 3.11, 95% CI: 1.27; 8.59, 0.007) determining both the knowledge and practices of childhood fever management in a household. The knowledge and practice of childhood fever management among caregivers were sub-optimal with being a primary caregiver and having a child/children aged ≤3 years being the significant determinants of each domain. These gaps underscore the dire need for targeted strategies aimed at improving childhood fever management by educating caregivers.

ANALISIS ASUHAN KEPERAWATAN MELALUI INTERVENSI WATER TEPID SPONGE PADA ANAK DENGAN HIPERTERMIA DI RSU UKI JAKARTA

Background: Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is an acute infectious disease caused by the Dengue virus which enters the body through the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The nursing problem that arises in children with DHF is hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is an increase in body temperature to be higher than usual. The child's normal body temperature is at 37.5oC, if the body shows this figure it indicates a fever caused by infection. The negative impact that can be caused if a child's fever is not handled properly and further treatment will cause dehydration due to increased evaporation of fluids so that the body can lack fluids. If fever is not treated quickly and appropriately, fever can endanger the safety of the child so that it can cause other complications (seizures and loss of consciousness). One of the nursing actions that can be performed on children with hyperthermia is a water tepid sponge. Water tepid sponge is an act of warm compresses with the technique of wiping given to patients who have high fever to reduce or reduce body temperature. Objective: To analyze nursing care through water tepid sponge intervention with ineffective hyperthermia problems with a children diagnosis of DHF. Result: The results of the nursing evaluation on the main nursing problem of hyperthermia based on progress notes, after the intervention of the water tepid sponge on children. A and children. D for 3 days with a frequency of 1 time per day obtained data on the third day of nursing action, namely that both clients experienced a decrease in body temperature. Body temperature children. A 38oC, after being given water tepid sponge therapy for 3 days it decreased to 36.7oC. body temperature children. D 39oC, after being given water tepid sponge therapy for 3 days it dropped to 37oC. Conclusion: Giving water tepid sponge intervention can overcome the problem of nursing hyperthermia as evidenced by a decrease in body temperature in children.
 Keywords: DHF, hyperthermia, water tepid sponge

Comparison of Effectivenness Between Ibuprofen and Paracetamol in the Treatment of Fever in Children Aged 0-18 Years a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Control Trials

Fever is defined as one of the acute adaptive physiological responses to conditions caused by infection, characterized by an increase in body temperature ?38°C. Acetaminophen (paracetamol) and ibuprofen are the only two choices of over-the-counter drugs for the antipyretic class. Acetaminophen (paracetamol) and ibuprofen are the two over-the-counter drug choices, the only antipyretic class most often prescribed to treat fever in children. Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is considered the safest over-the-counter drug to control fever in children, while ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that works by inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandin E2 in the anterior hypothalamus thereby reducing the temperature regulation center and can achieve a cooling effect. This made the authors interested in presenting a systematic review to compare the antipyretic profiles of acetaminophen with ibuprofen in the treatment of fever in children aged 0-18 years. Articles were searched through the database from January 2019 - January 2022. Searches were obtained from the PUBMED database. There was no attempt by the authors to specifically search for unpublished articles in English or Indonesian. Free full text or articles that can be downloaded for free (open access) articles with randomized controlled trials. The subjects used were children aged 0-18 years. Based on research results that ibuprofen is more effective than acetaminophen in treating fever in children. This was evidenced from the 8 articles discussed, 4 of which said that the use of ibuprofen was more effective in lowering body temperature, while 3 articles concluded that both were balanced and equally effective, while 1 other said that combination or alternating therapy resulted in more effectiveness than monotherapy in lowering body temperature. body temperature. However, the benefits appear to be small in comparison and may not be clinically relevant.

The Effect of Providing Tepid Sponge Education on Mother's Knowledge In Reducing Fever In Children

Tepid sponge compresses is a non-pharmacological therapy to reduce fever for children. Mother's knowledge about the tepid sponge compress is needed so education needs to be given. The aim is to develop knowledge of mothers in reducing fever in children by using the Tepid Sponge Compression Technique. The type of this research is. Quasi Experiment Design used is Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design. The target population in this study were mothers with children of 5 – 10 years in the working area of the Seelakau Public Health Center. With an average value that has increased as much as 44.9932 in the intervention group and in the control group also increased by 8.5107. Based on the results of Wilcoxon statistical tests that show Asymp. Sig. (2-Tailed) is 0.000, meaning that there is a difference between the groups using video and those not using video. Counseling will work well when using the right methods and tools that are of interest to the respondents. The use of video in this study functions well as an extension tool for the Tepid Sponge Compress.

Progress in Clinical Research on External Treatment of Fever in Children with Traditional Chinese Medicine

Progress in Clinical Research on External Treatment of Fever in Children with Traditional Chinese Medicine

Electrophysiological findings in extensive macular atrophy with pseudodrusen.

To present electroretinogram findings in extensive macular atrophy with pseudodrusen (EMAP) and describe associated systemic factors. Retrospective case series. Data on medical history, visual symptoms, multimodal imaging findings, and visual field were collected from the medical records of patients with extensive macular atrophy with pseudodrusen who attended a visual electrophysiology laboratory. Electrophysiological tests, including full-field electroretinogram, multifocal electroretinogram and photopic negative response, were performed. Eighteen patients (10 [56%] females, age 49-66years) were included. Of these, 17 (94%) had a history of rheumatic fever in childhood and/or adolescence, 7 (39%) had cardiovascular disease, 4 (22%) had autoimmune disease, and 10 (56%) had inflammatory conditions. The primary visual complaints were nyctalopia (95%), followed by visual field loss (67%) and dyschromatopsia (67%). The key retinal findings included retinal pigmented epithelium atrophy in the macular region and subretinal drusenoid deposits. Regarding electrophysiological results, 100% of patients had abnormalities on multifocal electroretinogram, 94% displayed alterations in photopic negative response, and 78% showed changes in the full-field electroretinogram. In this cohort, electrophysiologic evaluation demonstrated diffuse retinal dysfunction affecting all layers of the retina in patients with EMAP. The disease is associated with immune-mediated systemic conditions, chiefly rheumatic fever.

Profile of Enteric Fever in Children Admitted to a Tertiary Care Center in North India

Background Enteric fever is a community-acquired systemic infection which is more common in resource-limited overcrowded communities with poor access to sanitation and its management is compounded by the increasing antimicrobial resistance to the first-line antibiotics used. Materials and Methods This descriptive study reports the clinical profile of children with enteric fever managed at the departments of pediatrics and microbiology of a tertiary care hospital from February 2020 to August 2021. All inpatients who were confirmed (blood culture positive) or probable cases (clinical and serological evidence by Widal test) of enteric fever were included. Profile of all cases and antibiotic sensitivity pattern in culture positive cases were studied. Results Of the 70 cases enrolled, 40% were females and 60% males, and majority (52.9%) was in the age group of > 5 years. At admission, fever was the most common presentation along with abdominal symptoms. Widal test was positive in 84.6% cases and was found to be 80% sensitive when compared to the gold-standard blood culture. Both Salmonella Typhi (74.3%) and S. Paratyphi (12.9%) isolates were 100% sensitive to azithromycin, cotrimoxazole, and ceftriaxone. Quinolones and second-generation cephalosporin cefuroxime showed high resistance in comparison. None of the isolates was multidrug resistant. All cases were discharged after successful treatment. Conclusion The burden of disease and antibiotic susceptibility of enteric fever needs to be monitored to guide clinicians in selection of antibiotics.

Contemporary Understanding of the Etiology and Management of Molar Incisor Hypomineralization: A Literature Review.

Molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is a significant health problem that can affect the child's quality of life by negatively affecting their esthetics and function. This review aimed to summarize the etiology and pathogenesis of MIH. It also aimed to summarize the recent studies on MIH in children and adolescents, focusing on diagnosis, prevention, and clinical management. An electronic search on the PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, MedlinePlus, WHO reports, and Google Scholar databases was performed. The volume of research on the etiology, presentation, and clinical management of MIH is still expanding. The creation and validation of indices for the diagnosis and management of MIH, as well as any potential genetic aspects appear to be the main areas of current research. Notably, MIH was linked to childhood illnesses, the use of antibiotics, and early childhood fever. Although many studies discuss the different options for managing MIH lesions, evidence-based studies that address the long-term outcomes of MIH are still lacking. Indeed, future clinical studies should be directed to evaluate the impact of each systemic etiological factor and its different types of management on normal amelogenesis. Regarding the diagnosis, future research should focus on the pre-eruption diagnosis and early approaches to prevent the post-eruption breakdown and caries. Regarding the treatment of MIH, future investigations should emphasize further improvements in adhesion and the use of new materials and techniques, such as digital dentistry.

Fever in Children With Sickle Cell Disease—Rethinking the Approach When Bacteremia Is Rare

Stephen Rineer, MD; Patrick S. Walsh, MD, MS; Luke R. Smart, MD; Nusrat Harun, PhD; David Schnadower, MD, MPH; Matthew J. Lipshaw, MD, MS

Factors associated with pediatric febrile illnesses in 27 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa

BackgroundEvidence on the relative importance of various factors associated with febrile illness in children and their heterogeneity across countries can inform the prevention, identification, and management of communicable diseases in resource-limited countries. The objective of the study is to assess the relative significance of factors associated with childhood febrile illness in 27 sub-Saharan African countries.MethodsThis cross-sectional study of 298,327 children aged 0 to 59 months assessed the strengths of associations of 18 factors with childhood fevers, using Demographic and Health Surveys (2010-2018) from 27 sub-Saharan African countries. A total of 7 child level factors (i.e., respiratory illness, diarrhea, breastfeeding initiation; vitamin A supplements; child's age; full vaccination; sex), 5 maternal factors (maternal education; maternal unemployment; antenatal care; maternal age, and maternal marriage status) and 6 household factors (household wealth; water source; indoor pollution, stool disposal; family planning needs and rural residence) were assessed. Febrile illness was defined as the presence of fever in 2 weeks preceding the survey.ResultsAmong the 298,327 children aged 0 to 59 months included in the analysis, the weighted prevalence of fever was 22.65% (95% CI, 22.31%-22.91%). In the pooled sample, respiratory illness was the strongest factor associated with fever in children (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.46; 95% CI, 5.26-5.67; P < .0001), followed by diarrhea (aOR, 2.96; 95% CI, 2.85-3.08; P < .0001), poorest households (aOR, 1.33; 95% CI,1.23-1.44; P < .0001), lack of maternal education (aOR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.10-1.41; P < .0001), and delayed breastfeeding (aOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.14-1.22; P < .0001. Febrile illnesses were more prevalent in children older than >6 months compared to those 6 months and younger. Unsafe water, unsafe stool disposal, and indoor pollution were not associated with child fever in the pooled analysis but had a large country-level heterogeneity.ConclusionsMajor causes of fevers in sub-Saharan Africa could be attributed to respiratory infections and possibly viral infections, which should not be treated by antimalarial drugs or antibiotics. Point-of-care diagnostics are needed to identify the pathogenic causes of respiratory infections to guide the clinical management of fevers in limited-resource countries.

Copula based trivariate spatial modeling of childhood illnesses in Western African countries

Acute respiratory infections (ARI), diarrhea, and fever are three common childhood illnesses, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigates the marginal and pairwise correlated effects of these diseases across Western African countries in a single analytical framework. Using data from nationally representative cross-sectional Demographic and Health Surveys, the study analyzed specific and correlated effects of each pair of childhood morbidity from ARI, diarrhea, and fever using copula regression models in fourteen contiguous Western African countries. Data concerning childhood demographic and socio-economic conditions were used as covariates. In this cross-sectional analysis of 152,125 children aged 0–59 months, the prevalence of ARI was 6.9%, diarrhea, 13.8%, and fever 19.6%. The results showed a positive correlation and geographical variation in the prevalence of the three illnesses across the study region. The estimated correlation and 95% confidence interval between diarrhea and fever is 0.431(0.300,0.539); diarrhea and ARI is 0.270(0.096,0.422); and fever and ARI is 0.502(0.350,0.614). The marginal and correlated spatial random effects reveal within-country spatial dependence. Source of water and access to electricity was significantly associated with any of the three illnesses, while television, birth order, and gender were associated with diarrhea or fever. The place of residence and access to newspapers were associated with fever or ARI. There was an increased likelihood of childhood ARI, diarrhea, and fever, which peaked at about ten months but decreased substantially thereafter. Mother’s age was associated with a reduced likelihood of the three illnesses. The maps generated could be resourceful for area-specific policy-making to speed up mitigation processes.

Parents' management of childhood fever: An exploratory quantitative study in Malta

Every child will, at some stage in their development, experience a febrile episode that their caregiver will have to manage. Literature has reported that parents tend to misdiagnose fever, administer antipyretics incorrectly and become overly anxious about their child when febrile. This study aimed to explore the fever management behaviours of parents in Malta. A quantitative, explorative cross-sectional study was conducted in Malta's acute hospital, Mater Dei, by distributing questionnaires to parents of children aged 6 months–5 years. The results showed that although most Maltese parents diagnose fever at the correct temperature, many are not aware of the correct evidence-based practices for safe pharmacological and non-pharmacological fever management. It is concluded that more dissemination of information is needed to educate and empower parents to manage fever effectively through health professionals other than paediatricians.

Periodic Fever, Aphthous Stomatitis, Pharyngitis, and Adenitis Syndrome and Syndrome of Unexplained Recurrent Fevers in Children and Adults.

Children and adults with autoinflammatory disorders, who often experience recurrent fevers, rashes, cold-induced symptoms, conjunctivitis, lymphadenopathy, recurrent infections, aphthous stomatitis, and abnormal blood cell counts, may present to the allergist/immunologist because the symptoms mimic allergies and disorders of immunity. In recent years, there has been increased recognition of non-monogenic autoinflammatory disorders, including periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis syndrome and syndrome of undifferentiated recurrent fevers. For many clinical practitioners, the natural history, diagnostic criteria, differential diagnoses, and preferred therapies remain challenging because of the presumed rarity of patients and the evolving field of autoinflammation. Here, we aim to provide a practical framework for the clinical allergist/immunologist to evaluate and treat this patient population.

Knowledge and practice of caregivers for the management of their febrile children: Bangladesh perspective

Background: Fever is the most common pediatric symptom and one of the most prevalent public health issues, which warrants frequent visits to the doctors. Evidence-based practices are widely lacking due to a scarcity of knowledge regarding the management of febrile children. Objective: This study aims to determine caregivers' knowledge and practices for managing their febrile children and to assess the factors influencing these practices. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted at two military hospitals in Bangladesh. The study subjects comprised a convenient sample of 350 caregivers attending the OPD with a feverish child under twelve years. Results: Knowledge about fever management was deficient in the majority of participants, in terms of fever definition, the Paracetamol dose, and frequency. Most of the participants were worried about febrile convulsions. Unsatisfactory practices were observed in regards to faulty temperature measurement, giving inadequate fluid to febrile children, and preferring antibiotics to reduce body temperature. Maternal age, education level of the mother, income of the family, number of children, occupation of the mother, type of family, and history of recurrent illness in children were found to be significantly associated with the knowledge and practice level of parents. Conclusion: Poor knowledge and unsatisfactory practice of the parents regarding the management of their febrile children lead to undue concern, which increases the burden on healthcare facilities. It provides insight for healthcare providers to enhance parental expertise by offering evidence-based information and spreading awareness in the community to augment the general outcomes of febrile episodes in children.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of mothers regarding childhood malaria in southeastern Gabon

BackgroundIn Gabon, children under 5 years of age and pregnant women are the populations who are most at risk of malaria. Despite the presence of accessible health facilities, the community-based management of childhood fever remains a very common practice in Gabon, which may have serious consequences on child health. As such, the objective of this descriptive cross-sectional survey is to assess the mothers’ perception and knowledge of malaria and its severity.MethodsDifferent households were selected using the simple random sampling method.ResultsA total of 146 mothers from different households were interviewed in the city of Franceville, in southern Gabon. Among the households interviewed, 75.3% had a low monthly income (below the minimum monthly income of $272.73). Among the respondents, 98.6% of mothers had heard of malaria and 55.5% had heard of severe malaria. Regarding preventive measures, 83.6% of mothers used an insecticide-treated net as a means of protection. Self-medication was practiced by 68.5% of women (100/146).DiscussionThe use of health facilities was motivated by better care, the decision of the head of the family, but above all by the severity of the disease. Women identified fever as the main symptom of malaria, which could be beneficial for a quicker and more efficient management of the disease in children. Malaria educational campaigns should also increase awareness of severe forms of malaria and its manifestations. This study shows that Gabonese mothers react quickly when their children have fever. However, several external factors lead them to practice self-medication as a first resort. In this survey population, the practice of self-medication did not depend on social status, marital status, level of education, on the young age or inexperience of mothers (p > 0.05).ConclusionsThe data revealed that mothers may underestimate severe malaria and delay medical care by self-medicating, which can have detrimental effects for children and hinder the regression of the disease.