A child's fever often comes on suddenly and rises quickly, so start taking your child's temperature regularly when you notice symptoms. Since high fever in young children can be very dangerous, find out when and how to bring your child's fever down. What to do with a burning child?

A fever in a childmay appear as a result of teething or an ordinary cold, as well as be a symptom of a very dangerous disease. Therefore, whenevera child has a high fever , consult a doctor.

Fever in a child: symptoms

The fact that the child's temperature needs to be measured, because it is most likely elevated, may be confirmed by:

  • blushing (redness)
  • sticky, sweaty skin
  • cry (anxiety)
  • feeling tired, apathy
  • headaches and / or muscle, bones, abdominal pain
  • dry mucous membranes
  • febrile seizures
Important

What is a fever?

  • a temperature between 37.2 ° C and 38.0 ° C is a low-grade fever requiring the observation of the child
  • a temperature between 38.0 ° C and 38.5 ° C is a moderate fever, in which the child should be cooled down and / or given an anti-pyretic drug
  • temperature above 38.5 ° C means high fever, requiring administration of antipyretic drugs and its intensive reduction
  • temperature above 40 ° C requires urgent medical attention
Probe

Fever in a child: how to properly measure the temperature?

You can measure your child's temperature in several ways:

  • in the mouth- wait half an hour after your child has had a last meal or drink, and make sure that the child can hold the thermometer long enough without opening his mouth (it will be it is difficult with severe nasal congestion and severe cough); in the case of very young children, a thermometer in the nipple may be a good solution, which has sensors in the silicone part and a display
    • in the dial
  • in the ear- infrared ear thermometers are very comfortable - they are inserted into the child's ear - the result appears after a second and is very accurate, because the eardrum has the same temperature, what is the thermoregulation center in the brain
  • in the rectum- uyoung children it is the surest way to measure body temperature
  • armpit- these measurements, while comfortable and less embarrassing for the baby, are less accurate than the oral and rectal measurements

Note: doctors advise against forehead stripe thermometers - they are only used to determine the approximate body temperature and do not guarantee correct measurement. Before using a new thermometer, carefully read the instructions for its use so that the measurement is performed correctly.

Fever in a child: when to see a doctor?

The answer is not simple as it depends on the age of the child and accompanying symptoms. A feverish newborn or infant certainly requires urgent consultation. Older infants and young children should be examined by a doctor when fever is accompanied by other disturbing symptoms, such as complete refusal to eat and drink, shortness of breath, cough, vomiting, acute diarrhea, apathy or extreme agitation, hyperalgesia, severe headache, disturbed consciousness. On the other hand, the fever itself or the fever with mild catarrhal symptoms, lasting no more than three days, can be lowered without medical consultation.

Fever in a child: when and how to lower it?

In the opinion of most doctors, the child's fever should be reduced when it exceeds 38.5 ° C to prevent febrile seizures.

  • Antipyretics for children

In the case of fever in children, medications containing paracetamol or ibuprofen are administered, however, the instructions of the doctor and the manufacturer of the preparation should be strictly followed. They are available in the form of syrups and suppositories. Children under 12 years of age do not receive aspirin due to the possibility of Reye's syndrome.

  • Home remedies to reduce fever in children

Cool (but never cold) water is the most effective in lowering the temperature - you can apply cool compresses to the forehead and / or legs, but change them quite often, or immerse the child in water 2 degrees lower than the temperature his body.

Fever in a child - possible causes

The most common causes of fever in children and infants include:

  • three-day event
  • otitis
  • enteric-gastric infections, most often caused by rotavirus

A fever may also appear during the period of compulsory vaccinations (along with other symptoms such as redness or swelling at the injection site, restlessness, drowsiness) and teething.

Other possible causes of fever in children and infants are:

  • cold
  • tonsillitis
  • cystitis
  • childhood infectious diseases: measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox
  • meningococcal, pneumococcal infection
Worth knowing

Meningococci, pneumococci and rotaviruses especially dangerous for young children

Meningococci are bacteria that cause invasive meningococcal disease, with sepsis or meningitis. Pneumococci, i.e. pneumonia, are also dangerous. Pneumococci can cause many diseases. The most common infections, called invasive, are acute pneumonia, meningitis, blood poisoning (bacteraemia), systemic infection of the blood (sepsis). Rotaviruses are also very dangerous pathogens that cause acute, watery diarrhea (administered even several times a day), high fever (up to 40 degrees C) and upper respiratory tract infections.

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Child's he alth