Table 2

Mothers'health seeking behaviour during presentation of danger signs in infants.

Mothers' report in Kiswahili on danger signs
English translation and details on signs, in no. of infants
No. of infants admitted to hospital exclusively
Infants exclusively*** treated traditionally
Infants both admitted and treated traditionally
Other****

Kulegea only
Weak body, 29*
2
10
6
11
Manifestations of kulegea, called zongo when severe and treated traditionally
Breastfeeding failure, too weak to sit/be carried, sleep all time, prostration/lethargy, 25*
5
14
4
2
Mchango
Convulsions,19 *
1
12
2
4
Kupauka
Paleness**, 21*
5
7
5
6
N.a.
None of above signs, 21
3
3
0
15
Total
63
11
24
9
19

*In most instances, more than one symptom or sign occurred simultaneously

**Paleness is counted as a danger sign, but was in fact only responded to in action by mothers, when other signs were also occurring

*** Exclusively does not exclude simultaneous or sequential combination of traditional treatment with out-patient treatment or allopathic home treatment as a past or second choice. However, these were at stages during the illness progression when mothers saw this as homa or uncomplicated malaria, and not during danger signs.

**** Other includes out-patient treatment, home-treatment with allopathic medicine, failure to get treatment, or illness regarded as self-limiting.

Ringsted et al. Malaria Journal 2006 5:111   doi:10.1186/1475-2875-5-111