Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate the general characteristics of the patients who presented to the pediatric emergency department with fever, to determine the relationship between the socio-demographic characteristics of the families and the admission to the emergency department, to investigate the relationship between the treatments administered and the duration of fever reduction, and to evaluate the impacts of fever on the life of the child and the family in during the period after admitting to emergency department.
Material and Methods: The study group consisted of patients who presented to the pediatric emergency department with the complaint of fever between 5th of March and 31st May 2009 and whose measured axillary temperature was 38°C and above. The physical examination of the patients was performed, treatment was arranged in accordance with their diagnosis and the information was obtained from the parents about the socio-demographic characteristics of the families. Parents who were reached after 7-10 days were asked questions about the duration of fever reduction, whether there was a need to apply to another health institution, the methods used to reduce the fever and whether the child did not attend school.
Results: 245 patients were included in the study, however, as 17 parents could not be reached at the controls after 7-10 days, study was completed using the data of 228 patients. 73.1% of the patients admitted to our emergency department within the first 24 hours after the onset of fever. A total of 57 patients (23.3%) were prescribed only antipyretic treatment, 181 (73.9%) were prescribed antipyretic and antibiotic treatment, and seven (2.9%) were treated as hospitalized. It was learned that 189 patients (82.8%) had reduced fever while 39 patients (17.2%) admitted to a health institution again. The school absenteeism rate in children aged 7 years and over was 72.9%.
Conclusion: In conclusion, we think that there should be time to relieve the anxiety and education of patients and their relatives who admitted with fever even in busy emergency departments and suggest that antibiotic treatment should be reduced, and symptomatic treatment should be given at the first admission.
Key words: antibiotic, children, emergency, fever
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