| Description |
Although fever has been cited as the most common complaint among children, there is significant misunderstanding of fever among parents (Chiappini et al., 2012; Krantz, 2001; Wallenstein et al., 2013). In 1980, Dr. Barton Schmitt discovered that nearly all parents believed fever caused physical harm to children; he also discovered that parents utilized potentially unsafe fever management practices (Chiappini et al., 2012; Kwak et al., 2013; Wallenstein et al., 2013). Dr. Schmitt created the term fever phobia to address the phenomenon of undue concern about fever (Wallenstein et al., 2013). Interestingly, more than 30 years later, fever phobia is still present. The resounding recommendation from the literature is that educational interventions on fever are critical for counteracting fever phobia; researchers also argue that fever phobia persists due to inadequate community health education (Al-Eissa et al., 2000; Monsma, Richerson, & Sloand, 2014; Yoffe et al., 2011). This scholarly project was designed to provide parents within the community setting with accessible, evidence-based information on childhood fever to improve fever literacy, reduce fever phobia, and empower parents to appropriately manage a child's fever. The objectives for this project included: 1) Identifying evidence-based guidelines on childhood fever to develop an educational presentation and fever handout for parents. 2) Presenting information on childhood fever to parents and nurses within a community setting. 3) Utilizing evidence-based information on childhood fever to submit to an online resource for parents. 4) Submitting an educational presentation and fever handout to a community setting for broader dissemination. This project was completed in collaboration with the Utah Department of Health's Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, as well as the online resource for Utah parents, Baby your Baby. Through a literature review of the evidence-based guidelines on childhood fever, a PowerPoint® presentation and fever handout were created. Content experts provided feedback on the information. The information was then presented during biweekly classes to parents participating in the WIC program. The teaching was evaluated through the use of informal teach-back. The information was also presented to nurses during an in-service at the Utah Department of Health. Additionally, content on childhood fever was submitted to the website, Baby Your Baby, to serve as an online resource for parents. Digital copies of the PowerPoint® presentation and fever handout were then submitted to the Utah WIC director for broader dissemination. Lastly, the content was submitted and approved for presentation at the 2015 Public Health Conference for Utah. Educational interventions can effectively counteract fever phobia. In understanding that fever phobia is as prevalent today as it was more than 30 years ago - and exists irrespective of race, ethnicity, educational level, or socioeconomic status - one may conclude that healthcare is long overdue for more focused efforts to improve parental knowledge on fever (Chiappini et al., 2012; Kwak et al., 2013; Wallenstein et al., 2013). |
