A fever in a child is one of the most common reasons why we see a doctor. Parents worry, and a diagnostic challenge for pediatricians. Check how to adequately respond to the increased temperature of your little one.
Understand the fever
From the medical point of view, fever is an important but non-specific symptom of a very individual nature. According to statistics, it is the cause of about 70 percent. pediatric advice. In a child under 5 years of age fever is usually associated with a viral or bacterial infection. It also occurs in the case of the development of infectious diseases such as: chicken pox, mumps or rubella.
Your baby’s temperature may also increase during teething, after a recent vaccination, or because the body overheats. Fever in toddlers is very often accompanied by other symptoms: flushing on the face, glassy eyes, rapid breathing, irritability, chills, restless sleep, loss of appetite, and even vomiting. In such a situation, the first step that informed parents should take is to measure the temperature. There are many types of thermometers on the market that we can use: electronic, touch, non-contact or strip.
What temperature in a child should worry us? If the thermometer shows the body temperature in the range above 37 to 38˚C, it is a low-grade fever, while a moderate fever is between 38 and 39˚C, and a temperature above 39 degrees Celsius indicates high fever.
Low fever (between 37˚C and 38˚C) is not necessarily our enemy. It is often beneficial – it increases the blood supply to tissues and also stimulates the immune system to work. However, higher temperature weakens the body and should be lowered. Question: how to do it?
Ways to temperature
In the fight against fever in a child, traditional and pharmacological methods come to our aid. An example of the former are cold compresses on the forehead, neck and calves – a quick compress can be made with a towel or a cloth dipped in cool water. Many parents decide to bathe their child in water, the temperature of which is 2 degrees C lower than the body temperature.
We can also use a mixture well known to our grandmothers, i.e. hot milk with honey and garlic. Although toddlers may not like its taste, honey and garlic have antibacterial properties and stimulate the immune system to work.
There are a few more things to keep in mind when caring for a baby with a fever. The first issue is adequate hydration – a child should drink plenty of fluids during a fever. The best is cool water or tea in smaller portions, but several or even several times a day. If your baby is still breastfed, give him food regularly. Regular meals are equally important – of course, nothing by force.
A feverish child usually has no appetite and should not be forced to eat. Remember that what your baby needs is, first of all, sleep and regeneration. Therefore, create a cozy place for him to rest – set the heating properly, let fresh air into the room, arrange soft pillows on the bed, and cover the toddler with a light blanket or sheet.
A trusted choice of parents
In order to improve the comfort and well-being of a feverish child, it is worth implementing antipyretic treatment. In children under 12 years of age, we have a choice of two drugs that have antipyretic and analgesic properties. We are talking about preparations with the active substances paracetamol and ibuprofen. Both are effective, safe and over-the-counter, plus ibuprofen has anti-inflammatory properties.
Many years of research on ibuprofen have proven that it is more effective than paracetamol, with similar tolerability, safety and number of side effects, making it the preparation of choice in reducing fever and treating pain in the pediatric population. It is worth remembering that the correct dosage is the key to the effectiveness of any drug. For ibuprofen, the appropriate dose is 10 mg / kg body weight.
There are many preparations for children with ibuprofen on the market. The assortment includes products for infants from 3 months to 6 years of age, as well as for children from 6 to 12 years of age.
Quickly get the doctor
In some situations, too high temperature can pose a serious threat to our toddler’s health. A feverish newborn or infant certainly requires urgent consultation. Older infants and young children should be examined by a doctor if the fever is accompanied by other, disturbing symptoms, such as: complete refusal to eat or drink, shortness of breath, cough, vomiting, severe diarrhea, apathy or extreme agitation, hyperalgesia, severe headache, stiff neck or neck problems. awareness.
Also, if the fever above 38 ° C persists for more than 3 days, appropriate diagnostic tests are necessary. The decision about the need to refer a small patient to the hospital should always be made without undue delay. Our knowledge, efficiency in assessing the situation and the accuracy of the diagnosis are important.