As a senior pediatrician, I have seen the smiling faces of countless children, and often come into contact with all the discomfort of crying when babies are sick, fever is a hurdle that every baby can not get around, as parents of children have to go through the test of this level, so scientific understanding of fever and the correct use of antipyretic drugs, is not the homework that responsible parents should prepare?
1.How to use the mercury thermometer correctly?
When the baby has a fever, the mother will be accustomed to feel the baby’s forehead, you can probably know whether the fever, but this method is relatively rough, with the help of the thermometer measurement to get the accurate fever value.
First, before using a mercury thermometer (made of glass), hold the top and give it a quick shake to bring the mercury down below 35.5°C. If you are worried that this action will drop or break the thermometer, you can do it in bed.
① Measure the armpit temperature: This method is not easily cross-infected and is the most common method of measuring body temperature. Dry the armpit sweat, put the mercury end of the thermometer on the top of the internal fossa, use the upper arm to clamp the thermometer, the baby can not move around, and read the temperature after 10 minutes.
② Measure oral temperature: If the baby has just eaten, wait at least 30 minutes before measuring the temperature. This is because eating will change the oral temperature and thus affect the correct reading. Place the thermometer in the depression under the tongue (either left or right), which is closer to the blood vessels that reflect the core temperature of the body. Hold the thermometer in place with your lips, not your teeth. Breathe through the nose, not the mouth, to avoid room temperature affecting the reading. Hold the thermometer under the tongue for at least 3 minutes (some experts prefer 5 – 7 minutes).
③ Measuring anal temperature: To use the anal thermometer, have the child lie on your lap and use one hand to hold half of his buttocks in place. Lubricate the front of the anal thermometer with petroleum jelly and carefully insert it about 3 cm, without straining. The mercury will begin to rise quickly. After the mercury has stopped rising (about 3 minutes), remove the anal thermometer and take a reading.
The thermometer is more accurate when placed in the mouth and anus to measure the temperature, but these two methods are usually more uncooperative with small children, I am afraid that there may be accidents of biting the thermometer or breaking the thermometer, resulting in accidental ingestion of mercury or mercury poisoning caused by body surface contact with mercury. Nowadays, it is more common to put the thermometer under the child’s armpit to measure the axillary temperature.
The method and time of temperature measurement: It also affects the true value of the measured temperature, such as the difference between the axillary table, oral table, and anal table in order of about 0.5℃, i.e. the axillary table is the lowest and the anal table is the highest.
The following are some of the tips that mothers should know about body temperature.
① First of all, it is important to know the normal body temperature of the baby.
Oral body temperature range between 36.7℃-37.7℃
Axillary temperature range between 36.0℃ and 37.4℃
Rectal temperature range between 36.9℃-37.9℃
Generally speaking, a baby’s axillary temperature above 37.4℃ means that the baby has a fever.
② Secondly, it is important to know the grading of fever level (axillary table)
Low fever 37.5～38.0℃.
Moderate fever 38.1～39.0℃.
High fever 39.1 to 40.0℃.
Super high fever 40℃ or more.
The above is my summary of today’s mercury thermometer (glass) method of measuring baby’s temperature, if you want to be able to better cope when your baby has a fever, usually have to do some homework yo.
Second, talk about the fever-reducing drug Merlin
First of all, Merlin is a kind of over-the-counter medicine. 1989 on Merlin oral suspension as a pediatric prescription drug, in June 1995 the U.S. FDA first approved it as a pediatric over-the-counter drugs, this is the first approved for children’s non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, when it was used to relieve fever and pain caused by colds, flu, sore throat, headache, toothache in children aged 2 to 11 years. The fact that a drug can go from prescription to over-the-counter also speaks to its safety.
Merlin antipyretic action principle: Merlin suspension active ingredient is ibuprofen, through the inhibition of hypothalamic cyclooxygenase, reduce the synthesis of prostaglandin, increase the heat dissipation process, so as to achieve the antipyretic effect, but does not inhibit the heat production process, so it has no effect on normal body temperature.
What is the effect of Merlin on reducing fever?
Merlin’s active ingredient is ibuprofen, which has the advantage of smooth and long-lasting fever reduction, with a controlled fever reduction time of about 4-6 hours on average and up to 8 hours. It is indicated for the relief of fever and pain in children over 6 months of age as well as in adults. Doctors recommend that children with body temperature not exceeding 38.5°C should not take antipyretic drugs.
Four, the most commonly used Merlin dosage
1.Johnson Merrill (ibuprofen suspension drops) 15ml per bottle, for infants and children under 3 years old, orally: 5-10mg/kg at a time according to body weight. or refer to the age and weight dose table and take by dropper.
2. Merlin (ibuprofen suspension) 100ml per bottle, for children under 12 years old.
If fever or pain is not relieved, it can be repeated every 6 to 8 hours if needed, not more than 4 times every 24 hours.
V. Precautions when using Merlin
1. A few patients may experience nausea, vomiting, heartburn or mild indigestion, gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding, elevated transaminases, headache, dizziness, tinnitus and other discomforts.
2.The dose should not exceed the recommended dose, otherwise it may cause headache, vomiting, lethargy, hypotension and skin rash, etc.
3. Use with caution in children with a history of peptic ulcer, patients with renal insufficiency, cardiac insufficiency and hypertension.
4. Children with bronchial asthma should be used under the guidance of a doctor.
It should be noted that some children may have fatal and serious skin adverse reactions in the course of the disease, such as exfoliative dermatitis and toxic epidermal necrolysis, the cause of which can be due to infection, but there are very few children belong to exfoliative dermatitis type drug rash, and taking some drugs (also including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) related, then until the cause is identified, should avoid allowing the baby to continue to take Possible allergenic drugs are safer for the baby. (Reference to Merlin instructions prevails)
This is all about temperature measurement, fever and fever reducing medication Merlin Dr. Liu introduces for parents, hope it helps young parents!