Assessment of the Care Provided by Mothers for their Children Suffering from Seizures

Background: Seizures are a transient occurrence of sign or symptoms resulting from abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain due to different neurological disorder during childhood. Aim: This study aimed to assess the care provided by mothers for their children suffering from seizures. Design: A descriptive design was followed in carrying out this study. Setting: This study was conducted at Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Neurological In-patient department and Out-Patient clinic at Children’s Hospital which affiliated to Ain Shams University Hospitals. Sampling: A sample of 100 mothers and their children suffering from seizures. Tools: Four tools were used for data collection, Tool 1: A structured Interviewing Questionnaire that consisted of three parts to assess children characteristics, mothers’ characteristics and mothers’ knowledge about care of their children suffering from seizures, Tool II: Mothers’ reported practices about care of their children suffering from seizures and Tool III: Coping Patterns Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Tool IV: Mothers’ attitude questionnaire. Results: This study revealed that, 30% of the studied mothers had unsatisfactory knowledge level regarding seizures and 71.0% of them had inadequate reported practices level. 64.9% of the studied mothers had negative attitude. Conclusion: Less than one third of the mothers had unsatisfactory knowledge level regarding seizures, less than three quarters of the studied mothers had inadequate reported practice level. As well as, there was a significant positive correlation between the total studied mothers' knowledge, reported practices regarding caring children with seizures. Also, less than two thirds of the studied mothers had negative attitude regarding care provided for their children with seizures. Recommendation: Provide educational program for mothers about seizures. Disseminate hand notes and instructions to mothers about pediatric seizures.