%A Onankpa, B %A Oche, M %A Tahir, Y %T Febrile convulsion: Knowledge and perceived causes amongst mothers in a rural community in North Western Nigeria %9 Original Article %D 2011 %J Sahel Medical Journal %P 52-55 %V 14 %N 2 %U https://www.smjonline.org/article.asp?issn=1118-8561;year=2011;volume=14;issue=2;spage=52;epage=55;aulast=Onankpa %8 April 1, 2011 %X Background: Febrile convulsion is one of the commonest presentations at most Paediatric emergency units. Adequate knowledge of relationship between fever and convulsion is needed to lessen the parental anxiety and apprehension associated with febrile convulsion. Febrile convulsion accounts for one third of admissions into most of the emergency paediatric wards with malarial infection being the commonest cause in the tropics. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study among mothers of under-five children in Garabshi, a rural community in Wamakko local government area of Sokoto State, Nigeria. Using a systematic sampling method, a one in four samples of one hundred and twenty mothers who met the eligibility criteria were recruited into the study. Results; The mothers were aged 18 years to 47 years; majority had Quranic education only, they were all of Islamic faith and were fulltime housewives. One hundred and six (88%) of the mothers were married. 9 (8%) were divorcees and 5 (4%) were widows. Their perceived causes of febrile convulsion Included fever caused by mosquito bite and bad blood; only 4% of the study subjects had adequate knowledge of febrile convulsion with a mean knowledge score of 35.3 ±9.48. Conclusions: The knowledge of febrile convulsion was grossly inadequate amongst the study subjects. There is therefore, the need to institute further measures in form of health education among the study subjects aimed at improving their knowledge and also to remove all misconceptions regarding the cause of febrile convulsion. %0 Journal Article %I Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications %@ 1118-8561