I Expect the Doctor to Listen– It Could be Something Uncommon- Parents’ Recall of a Factual Worrying Infection Episode of their Preschool Child - Abstract
Objectives: To explore parents’ dread related to their ill child and elucidate anxious parents’ attitudes.
Methods: Qualitative study using answers in a questionnaire inquiring for parental memory recall of a worrying episode of infection of their preschool child.169 preschool children 3-5 years of age from nine preschools in Malmö, Sweden, participated in spring 2009.
Results: A total of 117/169 (69 %) shared their concerns. 20 % stated they had never experienced an infection episode that worried them. Remembered episodes occurred equally often when the child was newborn (0-3 months of age), >3-12 months and older (>1-5 years of age).Common symptoms created anxiety, such as fever, coughing and vomiting. Uncommon diseases, namely ileus, fever seizures, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, hip arthritis were also reported. The most anxious element was, not knowing what disease the child had. Parents wanted to see a doctor when the child was feverish and apathetic, but also simply just for being examined. They had to persuade medical staff, begging for investigations and pointing out that something was wrong with their child. Parents knew where to seek medical help, finding their way into the doctor, inspite of guarding nurses.
Conclusions: GPs ought to, besides updating their knowledge on common childhood diseases, learn more about the common of the uncommon diseases. Still, listen to the parents´ concern seems to be the wisest thing to do, capturing hints of a severe or an uncommon disease. As fever still remains the perpetuate reason to medical encounter, fever has to be demystified by health professionals.