Acute illnesses in young children and family response

Swedish speaking parents of 446 children, all around one year of age and living in the suburbs of Stockholm, participated in a three-week diary study. The aim was to describe the pattern of illnesses in children and the measures taken in the family and to correlate the findings with the socio-economic conditions of the family. A health complaint, most frequently running or blocked nose or a cough, was recorded for about 1/3 of the days of observation. Some form of family action was recorded on 70% of these days. Medicines were given on 39% of the complaint days and relatives, friends or a health professional were contacted on less than 10% of the days. In case of acute respiratory infection medicines were given or a health professional contacted more often if the symptom was recorded as severe. Most frequently the Child Health Centre nurse was consulted. The measures taken by the parents were judged to be rational. However, one quarter of the parents expressed uncertainty about the care of the acute infectious disorders of the child. Correlations between family response and socioeconomic factors were weak.