Celik, TaylanGuzel, Yusuf2025-01-272025-01-2720242757-6256https://doi.org/10.5152/TurkArchPediatr.2024.23152https://search.trdizin.gov.tr/tr/yayin/detay/1260049https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12428/21193Objective: Parents' lack of knowledge about fever causes fear and incorrect practices. This study aims to investigate the fever knowledge level, concerns, and practices of parents of preschool children. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, conducted between July 2021 and July 2022, a survey was conducted among parents of children aged 6 months to 5 years who did not have a history of febrile seizure and/or chronic disease, either in themselves or their siblings. Results: A total of 386 parents, with a mean age of 33.6 +/- 6.38 years and a mean number of children of 1.85 +/- 0.9, participated in the study. Approximately one-third of parents started giving antipyretics to their child before the body temperature reached 38 degrees C (32.4%) and/or used them alternately (34.5%). Moreover, approximately two-thirds (67.1%) tended to seek medical help within the first 12 hours. Parents who could not define fever correctly (66.6%) were more likely to start giving antipyretics before the child's body temperature reached 38 degrees C [odds ratio (OR) 2.83 (1.70-4.71), P < .001] and seek medical help within the first 12 hours [OR 1.81 (1.16-2.82), P = .008]. As the number of children or length of parenting increased, parents started giving antipyretics before the body temperature reached 38 degrees C [OR 1.61 (1.26-2.06), P < .001; OR 1.04 (1.01-1.08), P = .048] and used them alternately [OR 1.07 (1.03-1.11), P = .001; OR 1.28 (1.02-1.62), P = .031]. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a substantial proportion of parents still cannot define fever correctly, and inappropriate antipyretic use is more prevalent among experienced parents with multiple children and/or longer lengths of parenting.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessChildfeverparentsantipyreticsArticle59210.5152/TurkArchPediatr.2024.23152N/AWOS:0011881793000102-s2.0-85186605314126004938454227Q3