A sharp increase in temperature in a child without symptoms: possible reasons for how to quickly bring down

An increase in body temperature is a fairly common phenomenon that is observed in young children. Basically, the cause of this condition is infectious diseases. In 80-90% of cases, they are of a viral nature. However, parents should be aware that a sharp increase in temperature in a child can cause diseases that are completely unrelated to the infection.

Why the temperature rises

In children, especially in infants, thermoregulation is still quite weak. Therefore, a sharp increase in temperature in a child to 39 degrees occurs often. But such values ​​in some situations are likely to be positive than negative. Therefore:

1. At this temperature, the process of reproduction of pathogens is sharply slowed down. In turn, the infection is gradually spreading through the children's body.
2. The protective functions of the body are activated - the cells of the immune system actively absorb microorganisms, the number of antibodies in the blood is growing.

A sharp increase in temperature in a child (up to 39 degrees), in particular, refers to a negative symptom, which is especially dangerous for young children. According to pediatricians, it is best to fight hyperthermia with its high rates. When a child's body temperature does not exceed 37.5 degrees, then it is not recommended to knock it down. During this period, the body fights infection.

Due to the fact that the child is constantly growing and developing, the reasons for the sharp increase in temperature can also change. We can distinguish between hyperthermia in infants up to one year and increased rates in older children.

High fever in infants

Due to the fact that thermoregulation in the infant is in the process of formation, for this age there are reasons for a sharp increase in temperature in the child. These include:

• Overheat. This is the most common and common cause of fever of non-infectious origin in the baby. Most often, overheating occurs in the summer months, especially with dehydration of the child's body, but this can also happen in winter. For example, if you wrap a child in a warm blanket.
• Transient fever. This is a special phenomenon that occurs in infants at an early age. In this case, a sharp increase in temperature occurs in a child without symptoms up to 39 degrees. Parents should not worry, because there is another stage in the formation of the thermoregulation system of the baby.
• Teething. Many mothers experienced the whole complex of emotions and anxieties, looking at the torment of the child. During this period, with the eruption of the first teeth, hyperthermia is the main symptom.
• Nervous overexcitation. The children's body is largely associated with various situations and events that took place the day before. This is the occurrence of fear, a long cry and other experiences.

A sharp increase in temperature in a child without symptoms can lead to the occurrence of febrile seizures at this age. Despite the anxiety of the parents who observed this condition, it can be attributed to the form of the reaction of the child's body to fever.

Hyperthermia in middle-aged children

The causes of a sharp increase in temperature in a child without symptoms are less common than in infancy. This phenomenon, which makes parents worry, happens at this time, only the causes of the occurrence are somewhat different:

1. Vaccine response. Hyperthermia after vaccination often causes a feeling of anxiety in parents, which subsequently serves to refuse it in the future. Such a reaction is a normal option, after which the activation of the immune system occurs, which can lead to a small temperature. You can protect your child from the appearance of hyperthermia if you give him an antipyretic (Nurofen) and an antihistamine (Fenistil) before vaccination.
2. Allergic reactions. They can occur after eating food and medicines. Symptoms of allergies are rash, skin itching, and redness. Another reaction of the body is an increase in body temperature.
3. Prodromal period of infectious and colds pathologies. This is the beginning of the disease when viruses begin to multiply in the body. In this case, no other symptoms appear, and only an increase in body temperature takes place.
4. Injuries and damage to the skin, soft tissues and joints. The child develops a reaction in the form of hyperthermia.

Basically, the causes of a sharp increase in temperature in a child are not observed for long, then the symptoms of a characteristic disease appear.

Bacterial and viral infections

The causes of a sharp increase in temperature without symptoms include signs of a viral infection. The danger of the disease lies in the fact that it weakens the child’s immune system, thereby reducing its ability to fight infection. After 2-3 days, other symptoms appear - cough, runny nose. May cause bronchitis or pneumonia.

Sometimes high fever can be the first sign of a disease like chickenpox. In this case, it is necessary to monitor the formation of a rash on the child's body.

A bacterial infection is always accompanied by signs that a doctor may notice. An exception is a urinary tract infection. Parents should pay attention to the color of the urine of the child and the pain experienced by them when urinating. If you suspect this pathology, you need to do the appropriate tests and show the baby to a specialist.

The most common causes of a sharp increase in temperature in a child to 39 degrees with bacterial infections include:

1. Sore throat. After the onset of fever, a sore throat and a white coating on the tonsils appear.
2. Pharyngitis. Symptoms - redness of the throat, hyperthermia.
3. Otitis. The disease often occurs in young children who cannot explain what their pains are. With otitis media, the child begins to act up, does not sleep and touches the ear with his hands.
4. Stomatitis. Refusal of food, copious saliva and sores on the oral mucosa are added to the high temperature.

Sometimes parents, due to their inexperience, do not notice additional symptoms of the disease in the child. Therefore, it is best not to self-medicate, but to show the baby to a pediatrician. He can quickly make the correct diagnosis, and if necessary, conduct an additional examination of the child.

Diagnostic Methods

With a sharp increase in temperature in a child without symptoms up to 39 degrees, the specialist prescribes the following examination:

• blood and urine tests;
• ECG;
• Ultrasound of the kidneys and abdominal organs;
• roentgenography;
• additional analyzes of a narrow focus - hormonal studies, the presence of antibodies, and more.

The exact set of procedures will be prescribed by the doctor, at his discretion. If any changes are noticed in urine tests, then radiography and listening to the lungs completely eliminate any need.

It happens that with prolonged high temperature, a specialist claims that this is the norm, so you should not worry. In this case, no analyzes are assigned. In this case, you need to consult another doctor for a consultation, because such a condition for a child's body can be stressful.

Conditions requiring urgent treatment

If there are congenital pathologies, then a sharp increase in temperature in a child without any symptoms may indicate the initial form of endocarditis. At the beginning of the disease, the indicators are quite high, but gradually they decrease and remain at the level of 37 degrees. The child develops tachycardia and shortness of breath.

How to bring down a sharp increase in temperature in a child without symptoms? If the fever is caused by vaccination, it is recommended to give the child more fluid and take antihistamines. Many experts advise taking medication 3 days before and after vaccination. Vaccinations should be given to completely healthy children, after examination by a pediatrician and blood and urine tests.

If the child’s condition has not improved within a day after vaccination, and taking a single dose of an antipyretic does not help, you should immediately consult a specialist.

The use of expired drugs of any orientation can cause the onset of heat in the baby, which is gradually supplemented by other symptoms. With severe poisoning, the child is hospitalized.

Before taking the medicine with the baby, parents should check its expiration date and avoid funds that are not prepared in pharmacies.

A doctor is necessary in such cases:

• the child refuses to drink and his body is very dehydrated;
• if there was a sharp increase in temperature without symptoms in a child of 2 years and over 38 degrees in a baby up to 12 months;
• hyperthermia lasts 3 days and does not decrease;
• high temperature does not fall after taking an antipyretic drug;
• pale skin and cold limbs.

This condition requires urgent medical attention and the start of proper treatment.

What to do when the temperature rises

The heat that arose in the baby requires special attention from the parents. A sharp increase in the child’s temperature to 40 means that the child’s body is fighting the infection, so you should not panic. Some experts are of the opinion that parents should not be particularly worried, because in the body there are mechanisms that will not allow hyperthermia, more than 41 degrees. And the febrile convulsions that occur in this case in no way affect the functioning of the brain and the general condition of the child.

It is believed that convulsions occur not from high temperature, but from its sharp rise.

Initially, parents should measure it accurately. There are situations that the child is cold and his temperature is high. In this situation, a “white” fever occurs, which is characterized by a reflex spasm of peripheral vessels (arms and legs).

How to bring down a sharp increase in temperature in a child? Parents must complete the following scheme:

• It is not recommended to bring down the temperature of 37.5. Such indicators contribute to strengthening the immune system and other protective forces of the body. If parents begin to lower the temperature, then they further weaken the body.
• At indicators of 37.5-38.5, it is best to use physical methods (rubbing with water, cold on large vessels, warm drinking).
• At temperatures above 38.5 degrees, antipyretic drugs must be used together with physical methods. Which drugs to give or do intramuscularly, it is necessary to decide with a specialist. The most preferred for children are: "Ibufen", "Nurofen", "Tsefekon" and others. Medicines should always be in the medicine cabinet. It is not recommended to take "Aspirin".
• It is important to ensure normal air exchange between the skin of the child and the environment. The child is not recommended to be too wrapped up and swaddled. This often leads to overheating, and as a result to a further increase in temperature.

An exception to the rule are children who have neurological disorders. Experts do not recommend that parents allow a sharp increase in temperature in a child with ODS and other diseases if they are diagnosed with heart defects, cysts, and cerebral hemorrhage.

The most important thing to do in this case is to organize proper patient care. It is necessary to ensure the flow of fresh air into the room.

Nutrition also plays an important role in improving your condition. It is important to prevent dehydration and to give the child more drink:

1. You can make weak tea or cook stewed dried fruit. Drinking should be warm, not hot. The liquid will not only prevent dehydration, but also remove toxins from the body.
2. The child can be given light food, focusing on his appetite. Force-feed the baby should not, so as not to provoke vomiting. You can give vegetable soup, porridge, steam cutlets, dried bread.

It is necessary to observe the child for 2-3 days. If a viral infection occurs, other symptoms of the disease should appear. If the temperature at the end of this period has not returned to normal, then you should immediately consult a pediatrician.

Tips by Dr. Komarovsky

A well-known pediatrician explains to parents how thermoregulation occurs. The child’s body constantly controls two processes: heat production and heat transfer.

If there is a high temperature, then parents can help in reducing it. You can regulate this process without taking any medications. It is necessary to pay attention to what happens to the child, his activity, nutrition and the environment. Active sports and hot foods can cause a slight increase in temperature. Here you can talk about 37 degrees.

With a sharp increase in temperature in a child to 39, Komarovsky advises the following:

• create increased humidity in the room;
• provide sufficient fluid intake into the body;
• Do not overfeed the child;
• put to bed;
• give an antipyretic.

The doctor does not advise to get involved in drugs, because they lower the level of interferon in the body, which helps in the fight against infection. In some cases, they do not allow to achieve a positive effect due to too thick blood composition. It is important to give your child plenty of water.

As antipyretic drugs, Komarovsky advises the use of Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. You can use funds in the form of candles. The most rapidly absorbed into the blood are medicines that have a liquid form - syrup and solutions, and then tablets. Therefore, in the first place, it is best to give the baby drugs that will instantly spread throughout the body and have a beneficial effect.

The above antipyretic drugs give the following results:

• lower the temperature by 1-2 degrees;
• act after 60 minutes;
• a positive effect is achieved within 3-4 hours;
• positive effect lasts 6 hours.

A medicine to lower the temperature can be used if the child has other symptoms: a runny nose, cough. If the exact cause of the condition is unknown, then the drug is not recommended.

The pediatrician advises parents to create all the necessary conditions for the child's body to cope with the temperature on its own.

Rubbing in the form of vodka or vinegar easily penetrates the body, and also evaporates, so it can lead to poisoning or an allergic reaction.

If the baby has a high temperature and pallor of the skin, then an urgent medical consultation is needed.

When you need an ambulance

The conditions when a sharp increase and decrease in temperature in a child requires urgent medical attention include the following:

• febrile seizures;
• lethargy and sharp blanching of the skin;
• after taking antipyretic drugs, there is not a decrease in heat, but its increase;
• from tablets or syrup an allergic reaction occurs, accompanied by swelling of the larynx.

Parents should not self-medicate when they detect dangerous signs. The doctor will rather orient if the child has a critical condition. Your doctor may give you the right drug and suggest hospitalization.

What is not recommended for hyperthermia

With a sharp increase in temperature in a child to 39 degrees, the following is prohibited:

• inhalation;
• grinding;
• wrapping up;
• taking baths (a short showering with water at a temperature of 36.6 degrees is allowed);
• rubbing the child with vinegar or alcohol;
• mustard plasters;
• hot drink.

Instead of humidifying the air, it is better to open a window for ventilation. Parents should understand that the health and life of the baby is completely dependent on their actions. Therefore, with hyperthermia, it is important to monitor the condition of the child.

Conclusion

A sharp increase in temperature in a child indicates a reaction to inflammation or infection. In this case, parents should not panic, but monitor the level of its rise. Other signs of the disease may be absent or hidden, so if the fever lasts more than 3 days, then a specialist consultation is required.