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Background: Fever in children is common and mostly caused by self-limiting infections. However, the number of (re)consultations in primary care is high, driven by lack of knowledge and fear among parents. These drivers have only been studied in parents when consulting with their sick child. Aim: To study knowledge, attitudes, and practice in childhood fever in parents within the general population. Design and setting: Internet-based survey of a sample of 1000 parents from the general population of the Netherlands. Method: A 26-item cross-sectional survey was conducted of parents with one or more children aged < 5 years. Results: Of 625 responders (average age 34.9 years), 63.4% and 43.7% indicated ever visiting their GP or GP’s out-of-hours centre with a febrile child, respectively: 88.3% knew the definition of fever (>38°C), 55.2% correctly stated that antibiotics are effective in treating bacterial infections and not viral infections, and 72.0% knew that not every child with a fever needs treatment with antibiotics or paracetamol. When asked to prioritise aspects of a GP’s consultation, 53.6% considered physical examination as most important. Obtaining a prescription for antibiotics or antipyretics was considered least important. Conclusion: Knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning childhood fever varied among parents with young children. Parents generally expect thorough physical examination and information, but not a prescription for medication (antibiotics or antipyretics) when consulting with a feverish child. GPs must be aware of these expectations as these provide opportunities to enhance consultations in general and prescription strategies in particular.

Background Although fever in children is often self-limiting, antibiotics are frequently prescribed for febrile illnesses. GPs may consider treating serious infections by prescribing antibiotics. Aim To examine whether alarm signs and/or symptoms for serious infections are related to antibiotic prescription in febrile children in primary care. Design and setting Observational cohort study involving five GP out-of-hours services. Method Clinical information was registered and manually recoded. Children (

BackgroundGPs are often consulted for respiratory tract symptoms in children.AimTo explore characteristics of children, their parents, and their GPs that are correlated with consulting a GP for cough, sore throat, or earache.Design of studySecond Dutch National Survey of General Practice (DNSGP-2) with a health interview and an additional questionnaire.SettingChildren aged 0-17 years registered with 122 GPs in Dutch general practice.MethodCharacteristics of patients and their GPs were derived from the DNSGP-2 health interview and a questionnaire, respectively. Characteristics of the illness symptoms and GP consultation were acquired by means of an additional questionnaire. Data were analysed using multivariate logistic regression.ResultsOf all children who completed the questionnaire, 550 reported cough, sore throat, or earache in the 2 weeks preceding the interview with 147 of them consulting their GP. Young children more frequently consulted the GP for respiratory symptoms, as did children with fever, longer duration of symptoms, those reporting their health to be 'poor to good', and living in an urban area. When parents were worried, and when a child or their parents were cued by someone else, the GP was also consulted more often. GP-related determinants were not associated with GP consultation by children.ConclusionThis study emphasises the importance of establishing the reasons behind children with respiratory tract symptoms consulting their GP. When GPs are aware of possible determinants of the decision to consult a GP, more appropriate advice and reassurance can be given regarding these respiratory symptoms, which are generally self-limiting.