Abstract
Background: Childhood seizure is a common and frightening neurological emergency. It typically originates from abnormal neuronal discharges in the central nervous system, and inappropriate therapies during a seizure episode can significantly worsen outcomes.

Aims: To assess parents’ perception of the causes and treatments of seizures in children and to identify factors influencing the first-aid measures used during such convulsive episodes.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the paediatric outpatient department (OPD) of the Mother and Child Hospitals (MCH) in Ondo State. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to every participant. Both descriptive and inferential data analyses were performed. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify potential predictors of harmful home therapies for seizures. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: A total of 230 caregivers/parents participated in the study. The mean age was 32.1±8.1 years, and nearly two-thirds (63.9%) were females. The most commonly perceived causes of seizures were cold (71.7%), fever (69.6%), and malaria (57.8%). Additionally, 33.3% believed in superstitious causes. Commonly perceived treatments included mother’s urine (54.3%), cow’s urine (15.7%), scarification (10.0%), and fire (5.2%). Participants with secondary education were significantly more likely to engage in harmful treatment practices compared to those with tertiary education (χ² = 17.312; p = 0.001).

Conclusion: While caregivers generally have good awareness of the causes of childhood seizures, misguided first-aid practices remain prevalent. There is a need for community-specific health education programmes on prehospital care for convulsions.

Key words: childhood seizures, causes, prehospital care, parental perception