In children, especially up to 3 years, the cerebral cortex is not fully formed, where the hypothalamus is present, which is also responsible for thermoregulation. Therefore, babies often have a fever. With this phenomenon, a child may experience chills. All parents need to know how to help in this situation.
General information
Usually, chills are considered a protective reaction that does not allow hypothermia. With a similar phenomenon in children occurs:
- The appearance of "goose" skin due to spasm of blood vessels that are on the surface of the body. So the protective reaction of the body from dehydration proceeds, limiting evaporation.
- Muscle tremors, which increases body heat production. The masticatory muscles contract first.
- There is a chewing curl up in a ball.
With chills in a child, metabolism is activated, the synthesis of interferons increases. The organism is prepared, as its protective forces begin to act.
Why does this occur?
What are the causes of chills in a child? A short fever appears from hypothermia when stationary. It quickly disappears if the child is changed into dry clothes, warmed, and given a warm sweet drink.
Another chills in the child appears with:
- nervous strain, severe stress;
- intoxication of the body - ARI, intestinal infection, pneumonia;
- taking medication;
- vaccinations, Mantoux reactions;
- general exhaustion after a long illness, intense exertion or vitamin deficiency;
- vegetovascular dystonia (usually occurs in adolescents);
- increased intracranial pressure (up to 1 year);
- failure in the endocrine system (with hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus).
There are rare causes of chills, which include:
- Renault syndrome, involving the defeat of small vessels on the tips of the fingers, legs, nose, earlobes;
- gastritis, in which there is bad breath;
- hypopituitarism - a decrease in the production of hormones by the pituitary gland.
In any situation, parents need to learn to recognize the occurrence of chills in the child. It is also important to be able to provide first aid, and with repeated seizures, you should consult a doctor.
Symptoms
Signs of severe chills in a child are cold hands and feet, tapping with teeth. Then the child has a slight trembling of the muscles of the body, he wants to shrink into a lump. Symptoms include the appearance of:
- weaknesses;
- refusal to communicate;
- loss of interest in the outside world.
Pimples appear on the skin at the onset of fever due to a reduction in capillaries. Breasts with this phenomenon cry for a long time. Older children breathe shallowly with moaning. Severe chills often scare parents because they are like cramps.
Recognition
With chills, a slight muscle contraction appears. The child has a feeling of cold. Speaking children usually tell their parents about it themselves. They also want to wrap themselves up warmly, shrink into a ball to minimize heat loss.
Seizures are presented in the form of periodic muscle contractions with a large amplitude, which may not be controlled by consciousness. With seizures, one part of the body is involved, rarely all muscles are affected. The child rolls his eyes, and contractions pass through the body.
If after 3-5 minutes the attack does not stop, then the child loses consciousness. Chills can go into convulsions, so parents need to know the mechanism of fever.
With and without temperature
Often a fever appears before a fever. This indicates the beginning of the struggle of the body with the threat of infection. Chills in a child at temperature means the presence of infectious ailments, in which the body activates the synthesis of interferons, which increase immunity, and also blocks the reproduction and vital activity of pathogens.
With fever, aches, pain in the eyes. Among the reasons should not exclude teething in infants, a reaction to vaccination. At high temperatures, acute inflammation is observed - from sinusitis to inflammation of the kidneys, bladder. In this case, an imbalance of macronutrients of sodium and calcium appears, which is noticeable in the general biochemical analysis of blood.
Chills in a child without fever may be a sign:
- imbalance in the body of the hormones norepinephrine and adrenaline due to stress, including hypothermia or overwork;
- the appearance in the body of endogenous pyrogens, which are considered toxic products of the metabolism of pathogens;
- failure of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems of the central nervous system.
If chills occur in a baby up to 3 months, an ambulance must be called. Children under 3 years of age need immediate help if the fever lasts more than 15 minutes.
How to restore the state?
What to do with a chill in a child? When the first signs of fever occur, the baby is put in a crib, covered with a light blanket, woolen socks are put on over cotton. Then you need to give him a warm sweet drink. It can be compote with dried fruits, fruit drinks with cranberries, lingonberries. Suitable green tea with lemon. Drink should be given in 5-10 ml, but often.
To prevent dehydration, an oral glucose solution (10%) is used, sold in ampoules in pharmacies. To calm the baby, warm tea with mint and honey is used. Melissa is added to the grass if the child is more than 1 year old. Breasts are worn on the hands and often applied to the chest.
If there is a chill in a child at a temperature - what should I do? Lavender aromatic oil perfectly eliminates nervous chills: 2-3 drops are added to peach oil (50 ml), and then rub the feet and palms of the child. If after that the chills remained, and also vomiting appeared, an ambulance must be called immediately. This can be a sign of severe intoxication of the body, in which dehydration appears with unpleasant consequences.
How to bring down the temperature?
To lower the temperature in children, "Paracetamol" and "Ibuprofen" are used. Preparations are available in different forms: for small ones choose syrup or suppositories, and for older children there are pills. Efficiency does not depend on cost. It depends on the manufacturer and dosage. For the product to be effective, the child needs to drink it in the following amounts:
- "Paracetamol" - 10-15 mg per 1 kg of weight.
- Ibuprofen - 5-10 mg per 1 kg.
There are combined means. But no medicine can be drunk more than 4 times a day and more than 3 days in a row. With chills, candles will be less effective due to centralized blood circulation. It is advisable to choose a syrup or tablets.
Children under 12 years old should not be given Aspirin. Undesirable application and "Analgin." When the temperature does not drop, doctors inject a lytic mixture in which such a medicine is present. Before using any drug, it is advisable to consult a specialist, as well as read the instructions. Only the right remedy will be effective and safe.
What is forbidden?
After the onset of the first symptoms of chills and as they develop (without fever), parents need to know that there are prohibited activities. It concerns:
- heating the baby in the bathroom;
- plantings of mustard plasters, including caviar;
- wrapping yourself in warm and uncomfortable clothes or in a blanket;
- heating the air in the room with electric heaters, as this will reduce humidity, which will only aggravate the condition of the child.
Do not give medicine without a doctor’s prescription, including antispasmodics. Because of this, blood pressure can drop sharply and loss of consciousness can occur. Valerian should not be given to a child to calm him down. It works only with regular use, when the body has its supply. Motherwort decoction for relaxation is effective, but it has an unpleasant taste.
Prevention
To prevent chills, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system:
- reasonable hardening;
- physical exercises;
- a balanced diet with a high content of protein food;
- regular intake of vitamin complexes, which are prescribed by a doctor.
With a tendency to chills, children should go to the pediatrician at least 1 time in 6 months. This will allow you to timely identify the causes of this phenomenon and prescribe treatment. Parents should be aware that with causeless chills without fever, especially if it recurs, you need to see a doctor. Safety net in this case does not hurt.