Beliefs and practices regarding childhood fever among parents: a cross-sectional study from Palestine.

BACKGROUND: Fever is an extremely common occurrence in paediatric patients and the most common cause for a child to be taken to the doctor. The literature indicates that parents have too many misconceptions and conflicting information about fever management. The aim of this study was to identify parents' beliefs and practices regarding childhood fever management. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among parents whose children were enrolled and presented for health care at primary health care clinics in the Nablus region of Palestine. Data were collected using structured questionnaire interviews with parents. The questionnaire consisted of 'yes/no' responses and multiple-response questions. Descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: Overall, 402 parents were interviewed. All parents believed that fever could cause at least one harmful effect if left untreated. The harmful effects most frequently reported by parents were brain damage (38.1%), dehydration (15.7%), and other organs damage such as liver and kidney damage (14.2%). The study showed that 65.4% of parents would recognise fever by only touching the child, 31.6% would measure the temperature and 3.0% would assess temperature by touching and measuring the child. Antipyretic was preferred to be used by 34.8% of parents, while 49.8% stated that they preferred cold sponges, and 3.2% stated that they preferred homeopathic methods to treat fever. The most common factors influencing frequency of medication administration included physician's instruction (61.7%), the degree of elevated temperature (14.9%) and instructions on the medication leaflet (13.7%). Of the participant parents, 53.2% believed antipyretics used to reduce fever were harmful. Parents reported the most harmful outcomes from these antipyretics to be allergic reactions (20.9%), effects on the stomach (16.9%), kidney damage (16.2%) and overdose (11.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Parents were anxious when dealing with a feverish child, which resulted in incorrect or inappropriate practices. Parents require reliable evidence-based information about the care of feverish children. These results indicate a need to develop and evaluate educational programs in our setting that will provide parents with education on fever and fever management.

A Homeopathic Combination Preparation in the Treatment of Feverish Upper Respiratory Tract Infections: An International Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) are very common and associated with considerable healthcare costs. We evaluated the clinical benefit of a homeopathic add-on therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this randomized controlled multinational clinical trial, patients (age range 1-65 years) with feverish URTI received either on-demand symptomatic standard treatment (ST group: paracetamol, ambroxol, and/or oxymetazoline), or homeopathic medication (IFC group: Influcid®) for 7 days plus the same on-demand standard treatment. URTI symptoms were assessed using the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey-21. Response at day 4, defined as absence of fever and absence or very mild degree of URTI symptoms, was the primary outcome measure. RESULTS: 523 patients (265 IFC group, 258 ST group) were randomized in 12 Ukrainian and 10 German centers. The responder rate on day 4 was 15.4% in the IFC group and 6.7% in the ST group (x0394;IFC-ST = 8.7%, 95% confidence interval 2.9-14.5%). The IFC group used less symptomatic medication, and symptoms were alleviated 1-2 days earlier. 3 and 8 adverse events (AEs) in the IFC and ST group, respectively, were assessed as possibly treatment-related; 2 out of the 3 AEs in the IFC group were possibly related to symptomatic therapy, 1 (vomiting) to IFC treatment. CONCLUSION: The homeopathic treatment shortened URTI duration, reduced the use of symptomatic medication, and was well tolerated.

A Homeopatia e a febre / Homeopathy and fever

A febre é um sinal clínico muito associado à infecção, gerando grande número de atendimentos em emergências e consultórios, e uso indiscriminado de antipiréticos.É desencadeada pela ação de citocinas pirogênicas endógenas e exógenas, desempenhando funções protetoras no organismo e auxiliando na recuperação. Conhecendo a importância da febre no mecanismo imunológico, e com a intenção de aliviar o desconforto do paciente, o medicamento homeopático tem como finalidade restabelecer a força vital, acelerando o processo de cura. Dentre todos os medicamentos homeopáticos, o simillimum é encontrado através da totalidade sintomática do paciente.Neste trabalho listamos alguns dos principais medicamentos utilizados para o tratamento da febre e suas indicações.(AU)

Fever is a clinical symptom generally associated to infection, generating a large number of emergency cases and medical appointments, and an indiscriminate use of antipyretics. The fever is triggered by the action of endogenous and exogenous pyrogenic cytokines, performing protective functions in the organism and aiding in the recovery. Regarding the importance of the fever in the immune mechanism, and with the intent to relieve the discomfort of the patient, the homeopathic medicine aims to restore the vital force, accelerating the healing process. Among all homeopathic medicines, simillimum is found through totality of symptoms manifested by the patient.(AU)

Quelques remedes de fievre au regard de l'experience clinique / Some drugs of fever in the clinical experience vision

L'article qui suit est un essai: c'est une quasi "creation collective" d'enseignants de la Societe d'Homeopathie de Bretagne et un prototype - certes imparfait comme tous les prototypes -, de ce que pourrait etre, a l'oree du troisieme millenaire, un mode de travail pour une reactualisation pratique de cet outil therapeutique que nous appelons "homeopathie". (AU)

Traitement homéopathique de la fièvre et de ses complications / Traitment of the fever and it´s complications

L´homéopathie est certainement la therapeutique médicamenteuse qui permet le mieux de traiter un état fébrile sans procéder à une simple suppression de symptômes et en respectant le rôle particulier que joue la fièvre dans un but curatif et préventif. L´auteur procède à une revue... (AU)

Síndrome febril prolongado: materia médica / Long lasting fever syndrome: medical matter

En el siguiente trabajo se desarrollan algunos de los medicamentos homeopáticos más importantes utilizados en el síndrome febril prolongado o calor febril duradero

La fievre chez l'enfant / The fever in child

"Allo docteur, mon enfant me fait de la temperature: pouvez-vous le coir en urgence?" Cette phrase laconique, une des plus connues des medecins, ets interessante pour plusieurs raisons: tout d'abord, elle montre que l'elevation de la temperature chez un enfant genere toujours chez les parents une grande anxiete, dont les medecins sont partiellement responmsables de par leur attitude generale. Cette anxiete etant nefast dans l'evolution de toute maladie, quelle... (AU)

Fiebre de origen desconocido: diagnostico medico y tratamiento homeopatico / Fever of unknown origin: medical diagnosis and homeophatic treatment

Uno de los desafios mas dificiles que nos plantea la energia vital a los homeopatas, es cuando manifiesta su desequilibrio como sindrome febril prolongado de diagnostico incierto. Las enfermedades responsables de la fiebre de origen desconocido (FOD) han ido variando para introducirse, cada vez con mas frecuencia, las neoplasias y las enfermedades del colageno. Sin embargo, se ha demostrado repetidamente que la FOD, es prioducida generalmente por enfermedades muy comunes y que las patologias exoticas o infrecuentes constituyen una pequena proporcion. Las infecciones representan en promedio el 40//de las causas de FOD, destacandose la tuberculosis como mas frecuente. Las neoplasias constituyen alrededor de un 30//de los casos, especialmente linfomas, carcinoma renal, mixoma auricular, hepatoma y carcinoma del tubo digestivo. A las enfermedades del colageno corresponde un 15//de los casos FOD, sobre todo LES y AR en su variedad llamada enfermedad de Still. El porcentaje restante tiene etiologia diversa. Un 8//de los casos quedan sin diagnostico. En el presente trabajo se propone una estrategia para el diagnostico medico de la FOD y una revision de las principales modalidades que el sindrome febril presenta en el Repertorio

Crisis de agravacion durante el tratamiento homeopatico / Agravation crisis during homeopathic treatment

Se presentan seis medicamentos para cada crisis de agravacion que se podria presentar durante un tratamiento homeopatico. Las crisis son: angina aguda febril, asma, cistitis, colico hepatico, colico intestinal, colico renal, dismenorrea, fievre, hipertension arterial y tos. El medico prescribe el medicamento adecuado segun el enfermo y ademas los seis medicamentos que debe tener el paciente en su cada por si apareciere una crisis de agravacion, en cuyo caso se comunicara inmedicatament con su medico tratante quien indicara uno de los seis para la crisis de agravacion.(AU)