Awareness of Parents about the Side Effects of Phenobarbital and the Management of Epileptic Children, Taif City, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Many children were suffering from neurological problems. One of these neurological problems is epilepsy, which causes seizures. Children with seizures were managed with different drugs. A drug like phenobarbital is used mainly for epilepsy. This study aimed to assess the awareness of parents about the side effects of phenobarbital and the management of epileptic children, describe the clinical presentation of children with epilepsy and assess the knowledge of parents about the management of epileptic children. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among parents of children diagnosed with epilepsy. Online questionnaire survey distributed to parents of children with epilepsy. A total of 200 parents were included. The age group is 31-40 years old, 72(36%). Parents' knowledge about epilepsy was 98(49%). There were 104(52%) parents who reported seizures caused by low doses of Phenobarbital led to a loss of consciousness. Non-compliance with the required dose occurred majorly due to forgetting the dose 102(51%). The number of children with epilepsy was significantly associated with the awareness level of parents (P=0.0001). In addition, the awareness of parents was significant at the time of epilepsy diagnosis of children (P=0.01). An inadequate awareness among parents regarding the side effects of Phenobarbital, and there were gaps in their knowledge regarding other aspects of the condition and its management.