High fever in a child without symptoms

Contents

Up to one and a half years
- Overheating
- teething
From 2 6 years up
After 6 years
How to bring down the temperature of a child at home

It often happens that a child’s high temperature rises without symptoms of SARS and flu. Why this happens and how it can be brought down at home, we discuss with experts

It often happens that the child has a fever, but there are no symptoms of SARS, flu (sore throat, cough, weakness, often vomiting), and no other complaints. But the parents still start to panic and give the child an antipyretic. We discuss with pediatrician Evgeny Timakov when it is important to pay attention to a high temperature in a child without symptoms of a cold, and when it is not worth it.

“The most important thing to remember is that a child’s temperature is the body’s reaction to some kind of stimulus,” says pediatrician Evgeny Timakov. – This may be a reaction of the immune system to viruses and bacteria, the nervous system to overexcitation, a reaction to pain, including during teething. At the same time, by knocking down any temperature with antipyretics, we prevent the immune system from fighting viruses and bacteria and producing antibodies. That is, we weaken the immune system.

The most important thing is to understand why the child has a high temperature and identify the cause. And only a doctor can establish a diagnosis after examining the child. But any increase in temperature in a child requires consultation with a pediatrician, because. inexperienced parents can miss serious processes – from the usual asymptomatic SARS to serious inflammation of the kidneys.

Up to one and a half years

In infants, and in children under 3 years old, the thermoregulation of the body has not yet been established. Therefore, temperature drops in a baby from 36,3 to 37,5 degrees are a variant of the norm, provided that the temperature drops on its own, and nothing bothers the child. But when the temperature rises higher and persists throughout the day, it becomes more serious.

The main causes of fever:

Overheating

You can’t wrap babies too much, because they still don’t know how to sweat, so they quickly overheat. And too high a temperature in the apartment is also bad.

Pediatricians advise keeping the temperature in the apartment no higher than 20 degrees, then the baby will be comfortable. Let your baby drink plain water more often, not just mother’s milk. And do not forget to take air baths from time to time, laying them naked on a diaper – this is both a cooling and hardening procedure at the same time.

teething

In babies, this period begins at about four months. If an elevated temperature is accompanied by whims, screams, anxiety, often profuse salivation, then teeth may begin to erupt. Sometimes children react to teeth with a runny nose and a change in stool (it becomes liquid and watery). It is quite difficult to visually see swollen and reddened gums. This can only be determined by an experienced pediatrician.

A doctor’s consultation is all the more important because these symptoms can also accompany an inflammatory process in the mouth (stomatitis, thrush, and just sore throat).

Most often, a high temperature during teething occurs from 6 to 12 months, when incisors appear, and also at 1,5 years when molars erupt. Then the temperature can rise to 39 degrees. On such days, children do not sleep well, often refuse to eat.

The temperature during teething should be brought down depending on the condition of the child. For example, the temperature is not high (around 37,3 degrees), but the child is crying, very naughty, so you need to give painkillers. At the same time, some children calmly react to temperatures and above.

Often the temperature due to teething can last from one to seven days. After the tooth comes out, it will go away on its own.

It is best these days not to overexcite the child, often apply to the chest, hug. Do not turn on loud music, give him more sleep. Be sure to observe the temperature regime (not higher than +20 in the room). Dress your child in loose clothing that does not restrict movement. It is advisable, when the temperature is elevated, to leave the baby without a diaper so that the skin breathes and there is no overheating. And then the temperature will drop without medication.

IMPORTANT!

Kidney disorders

lasts longer than a day, is poorly controlled by antipyretics, or rises too quickly after taking medication.

It is especially important if at the same time the baby constantly cries monotonously, spits up more than usual, vomits, he is constantly lethargic.

“It is very important to rule out urinary tract infections in asymptomatic infants,” warns pediatrician Yevgeny Timakov. – An asymptomatic disorder in the functioning of the kidneys, which is accompanied only by fever, is especially dangerous. Therefore, first of all, at a temperature, I recommend taking a general urine test, which can tell a doctor a lot.

From 2 6 years up

Again teeth

A child’s teeth may continue to erupt up to 2,5-3 years. At the age of about one and a half years, molars begin to break through. They, like fangs, can give an elevated temperature of up to 39 degrees.

What to do, you already know – do not worry, give more to drink, console and often leave naked.

Vaccination reaction

A child can react to any vaccination with an increase in temperature, and at any age – both at 6 months and at 6 years. And this is a predictable reaction of the body, which passes within one to four days. In agreement with the pediatrician, you can give the child an antipyretic and antihistamine. The main thing is to drink plenty of water, rubbing with warm water and rest.

“Children react differently to vaccination, some may have a high temperature, some may have a strong reaction at the injection site, and some will not notice the vaccination at all,” Yevgeny Timakov warns. – In any case, if you notice a violation in the behavior of the child (whims, lethargy), temperature – be sure to consult a doctor.

Allergy

After one year, children are often given various foods, especially tangerines and berries out of season (May and April strawberries), to which he can react with a strong allergic reaction with an increase in temperature. It could also be an intestinal infection.

As a rule, a few hours after the temperature jump, the first skin manifestations appear – rashes, swelling, the child itches and is naughty. Be sure to remember what food you gave the child last, to which there may be a reaction. To relieve symptoms, give a sorbent, an antihistamine. And be sure to see a doctor! Because a temperature reaction along with an allergy can be accompanied by anaphylactic shock.

After 6 years

The immunity of a child by the age of seven, if he went to kindergarten, as a rule, is already actually formed – he is familiar with most infections, vaccinated. Therefore, an increase in temperature in a child after seven years can be both in the above cases and in acute respiratory viral infections (other symptoms in the form of a runny nose and cough can appear much later, often on the next day), with intestinal viruses, or emotional overstrain and an overabundance of stress. Yes, stress or, conversely, too much joy can also give rise in temperature to 38 degrees.

So the first rule is to calm down. Moreover, both parents and children. And then be sure to determine the causes of temperature.