Home interventions, ethnicity and socio-economic status of children with febrile convulsions in Ilorin, North-Central Nigeria

Background: During most occurrences of febrile convulsions in children, certain home interventions are instituted. These interventions may either be helpful or harmful. Aims and Objectives: To determine the variation of home interventions with ethnicity and socio-economic class (SEC) and the outcome of febrile convulsions following such interventions. Methodology: The home interventions carried out on children that presented with febrile convulsion(s) were prospectively studied over a period of one year (January – December 2004). Information on the age, gender, ethnicity, nature of pre-hospital interventions and parental socioeconomic status were obtained and analyzed. Results: A total of 167 children were recruited. One hundred and one (60.5 %) applied home intervention such as pouring of water on the child in 61 (60.4%), insertion of spoon in mouth in 53 (52.5%), balm application on 13 (12.9%), rubbing of onion on the face in 10 (9.9%), application of cow’s urine concoction in 11 (10.9%), use of scarification in 6 (5.9%), and use of palm oil concoction in 5 (5.0%). All eleven children that were given cow’s urine concoctions were of Yoruba ethnic stock, while the five children that had palm kernel oil concoction were of Igbo ethnic stock. Conclusion: Pre-hospital intervention is common among children with febrile convulsions. Ethnicity and socio-economic class are strongly associated with the nature of the intervention. Keywords: Home intervention; Febrile Convulsion; Ethnicit