Coming in hot: a qualitative investigation into perceptions of parents and doctors of reasons for the presentation of children with fever to the emergency department in England

We widen the evidence base of why parents attend ED for paediatric fever and their perceptions of other health services. Parents face challenges when seeking care and perceived ED as a last resort. Interventions to support parental decision-making and management of fever could help to alleviate these challenges, as well as potentially reducing the demand for emergency care.