When parents do not understand what is wrong with their child’s body, especially when they do not know what is causing the fever, they are really anxious! In this regard, the Academy of Pediatrics says that this is because the immune system of children is not yet perfect and is susceptible to infection by foreign bacteria. The fever is a manifestation of the body’s immune mechanism, which is a protective response to pathogenic bacteria.
What temperature is considered a fever?
The normal body temperature of a child during the day is between 36 and 37 degrees. If the child’s average body temperature reaches or is higher than 37.5 degrees Celsius, it is important to consider whether the baby has a fever.
Low fever: 37.3-38°C.
Moderate fever: 38.1-39°C
High fever: 39.1-41°C.
Super high fever: 41°C or more.
Misconceptions about pediatric fever
Many parents still have many misconceptions about children’s fever, some misconceptions can even endanger the life of the child, must be aware of it.
1, as long as the rapid reduction of fever to normal body temperature is good?
In fact, the purpose of reducing fever is not to quickly lower the body temperature so that recovery, but to reduce the symptoms of discomfort, so that the body temperature down to about 38 degrees and then slowly return to normal by drinking more water, more rest, etc..
The fever reducing medicine or fever reducing injection blindly will cover up the real disease, using medicine to force down the virus, but the virus is not expected to run to other brain caused by meningitis, is also commonly known as “burned brain”.
2, need to immediately use ice pillows, fever patches to cool down?
Ice pillows, fever patches, warm water baths and other physical cooling methods are best used as an aid to help reduce fever. If the child shivers or trembles during use, stop using them immediately. The reason is that trembling increases the body’s heat production and makes the child more uncomfortable.
3.What should I do if my fever does not go away repeatedly?
The body temperature during fever may go up and down because the thermoregulatory center of the inferior colliculus has increased its adjustment point. When the body completely recovers from the disease, the fever will naturally go down. Generally speaking, viral infection is about 3 to 5 days, usually about 48 hours will slowly ease; but the longer course of the disease may also burn to 2 weeks, if the long-term fever does not go away, you should immediately seek medical examination.
4.Will taking antipyretic drugs have side effects on children?
Fever-reducing drugs are generally taken when the body temperature is above 38 ℃, and must follow medical advice, do not take too much, otherwise it will increase the burden on the kidneys of children and injury.
5.Can children with fever use the method of covering heat to reduce fever?
In the minds of many older people, a child with a fever will be fine if he or she sweats. But in fact, for children, this is not allowed. Because the central temperature nerves of infants and children are not mature, they will not be able to cool down by covering sweat like adults. On the contrary, the more you cover the higher the body temperature, after covering the heat for a long time, the child’s body temperature can rise to 41 ℃ -43 ℃, easy to get “muffled fever syndrome”, and even life-threatening.
6, is it true that the higher the temperature, the more serious the condition?
The fact is that even if a child has meningitis, he or she does not necessarily have a fever, so it is not possible to measure the severity of the disease by the temperature.
However, if your child has a fever with the following symptoms: dullness, poor facial expression, irritability, shortness of breath, vomiting or diarrhea, and a fever of 40°C or higher, please go to the hospital immediately.
Precautions for children with fever
1. Take more rest and drink more water for hydration. If your child is only in a state of low fever, there is no need to rush to the hospital for a series of tests. First get enough rest, hydrate, and closely observe your child’s condition.
2. Prepare a light diet. During the period of fever, you should let your child eat some easily digestible food so as not to increase the burden on the stomach and intestines.
3. Pay attention to the ventilation of the room. Properly open the windows and doors to ventilate, so that the air with germs flow away, in the summer can also open the air conditioning to maintain at 28-29 ℃.
4, try to choose physical cooling methods. Try to wear loose clothes, bath with warm water, pay attention to change the sweaty clothes to avoid aggravating the fever.
5, the use of alcohol to lower the temperature must be carried out under the guidance of a doctor, avoiding important parts.
Summarize the seven principles to deal with pediatric fever.
1, no need to rush to the doctor, as long as the child is still in good spirits.
2, do not necessarily use antibiotics (anti-inflammatory drugs), because they do not reduce fever.
3, do not use the way to cover sweat to reduce fever, but pay attention to ventilation.
4, do not think that antipyretic drugs, antipyretic injection must be able to reduce fever, as long as the power of the medicine, high fever will return.
5. do not think that a low fever must not be serious
6. do not easily rub yourself with alcohol, but need to do so under the guidance of a doctor
7. Don’t stuff spoons, towels and other objects into the mouth of children in spasm.