It is difficult to remain calm if the child has a fever, however, one should not panic. Unfortunately, it is impossible to avoid such a situation, and each parent has encountered this at least once during the growth and development of the child.
It is very important to identify the cause of this, because high temperature can signal various serious diseases. It is believed that temperatures below 38.5 degrees should not go astray, as this indicates, most often, that the body’s immune system is fighting the virus. As soon as possible, you should definitely seek medical help, especially if the child has a high temperature up to a year, because many diseases in babies develop much faster, and they can respond differently even to a “common” cold.
In order to measure body temperature in small patients, it is better to use not mercury, but electronic or infrared thermometers, which significantly reduce the measurement time, moreover, it is much safer.
Often, if the child has a fever, pediatricians prescribe paracetamol-based drugs. Aspirin, popular recently, is not recommended for children under 12 years of age, as it has many undesirable side effects. In the case when paracetamol is not effective, you can use drugs, the active substance in which ibuprofen. Dosage should be prescribed in consultation with your doctor.
Usually high fever is accompanied by general weakness. In this situation, it is recommended to put the baby in bed. Wrap and dress in warm clothes the child is not worth it. On the contrary, it is necessary to leave a minimum of clothing, which will contribute to better heat transfer.
The most effective will be wiping with water, cooled to room temperature, or compresses with vinegar mixed with boiled water in a ratio of one to one. Modern pediatricians do not recommend vodka wipes, especially for children under the age of one year, since alcohol is well absorbed into the blood through the pores of the skin, which can lead to intoxication. In addition to the forehead, compresses are well applied to the armpits, groin, clavicle, where the main vessels of the body pass.
Also, if the child has a fever, drinking plenty of fluids is recommended so that the body does not dehydrate. It is better to give juices, water or fruit tea. If signs such as dry mucous membranes and skin, the disappearance of urine, tears, apathy, and refusal to drink fluids appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.
I must say that fever can indicate a variety of diseases or health problems. Its causes must be clarified by consulting with a pediatrician. This can be either a reaction to teething or cooling the body, or a signal about the onset of a viral or intestinal infection. The latter is usually accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting and temperature in the child, this disease is very dangerous for babies who are under the age of one.
The room where the patient is located should be regularly ventilated, the optimum temperature in it should be no more than 20 degrees. It is better to feed the child at this time with food that is easily digested, if the baby refuses to eat, it is not worth insisting, it is better to pay attention to the fact that he drank more liquid.
It should be noted that if a child’s temperature above 38.5-39 degrees does not go astray with the help of medicines containing paracetamol or ibuprofen, or goes astray for a short time, this will be a signal for urgent treatment by a pediatrician, as it can lead to life-threatening condition. And in any other case, a doctor’s consultation is necessary when using any drugs, especially in babies under the age of one year. If the temperature rises to 40 degrees and (or) is accompanied by convulsions, you need to urgently call an ambulance.