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FEVER

You wake up in the middle of the night to find your child standing by your bed, flushed, hot, and sweaty. Your little one’s forehead feels warm. You immediately suspect that your child has a fever. Even if your child does have a fever, it’s likely that it’s not serious. Although it can be frightening when your child’s temperature rises, fever itself causes no harm and can actually be a good thing – it’s often the body’s way of fighting off infections.
But there are steps you can take to correctly take your child’s temperature and make your child comfortable when it’s a little higher than usual.

What Is Fever?

Fever occurs when the body’s internal “thermostat” raises the body temperature above its normal level. This thermostat is found in the part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus knows what temperature your body should be (usually around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 37 degrees Celsius) and will send messages to your body to keep it that way.
Sometimes, though, the hypothalamus will “reset” the body to a higher temperature in response to an infection, illness, or some other cause.
Researchers believe turning up the heat is the body’s way of fighting the germs that cause infections and making the body a less comfortable place for them.

What Causes Fever?

It’s important to remember that by itself fever is not an illness – it’s usually a symptom of an underlying problem. Fever has several potential causes:

Infection: Most fevers are caused by infection or other illness. Fever helps the body fight infections by stimulating natural defense mechanisms.

Overdressing: Infants, especially newborns, may get fevers if they’re overbundled or in a hot environment because they can’t regulate their body temperature.

Immunizations: Babies and children sometimes get a low-grade fever after getting vaccinated.

How Do I Know if My Child’s Fever Is a Sign of Something Serious?

In the past, doctors advised treating a fever on the basis of temperature alone. But now, they recommend taking both the temperature and the child’s overall condition into account.

Children whose temperatures are lower than 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius) usually don’t require medication, unless they’re uncomfortable. There’s one important exception to this rule: If you have an infant 3 months or younger with a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or higher, call your baby’s doctor or go to the emergency department. Even a slight fever can be a sign of a potentially serious infection in very young infants.

For older children, take behavior and activity level into account. By watching how your child behaves, you can get a pretty good idea as to whether he or she has a minor illness or needs to be seen by a doctor.

The illness is probably not serious if your child:

* is still interested in playing
* is eating and drinking well
* is alert and smiling at you
* has a normal skin color
* looks well when his or her temperature comes down

And don’t worry too much about a child with a fever who doesn’t want to eat. This is very common with infections that cause fever.

How Can I Make My Child Feel Better?

Here are some things you can do to alleviate the symptoms that often accompany a fever:

# Give your child a sponge bath to make him or her more comfortable and help bring the fever down. Use only lukewarm water; cool water may cause shivering, which actually raises body temperature. Never use rubbing alcohol (it can cause poisoning when absorbed through the skin) or ice packs/cold baths (they can cause chills that may raise body temperature).
# Dress your child in lightweight clothing and cover him or her with a light sheet or blanket. Overdressing and overbundling can prevent body heat from escaping and can cause a temperature to rise.
# Make sure your child’s room is a comfortable temperature – not too hot or too cold.
# Offer your child plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration – a fever will cause a child to lose fluids more rapidly. Water, soup, ice pops, and flavored gelatin are all good choices. Avoid drinks containing caffeine, including colas and tea, because they can cause your child to pee more.
# If your baby or child also has vomiting and/or diarrhea, ask your child’s doctor if you should give him or her an electrolyte (rehydration) solution made especially for children. You can find these solutions at pharmacies and supermarkets. Don’t offer sports drinks – they’re not designed for younger children, and the added sugars may make diarrhea worse. Also, limit your child’s intake of fruits and apple juice.
# In general, let your child eat what he or she wants (in reasonable amounts) but don’t force eating if your child doesn’t feel like it.
# Make sure your child gets plenty of rest. Staying in bed all day isn’t necessary, but a sick child should take it easy.
# It’s best to keep your child home from school or child care if he or she has a fever. Most doctors feel that it’s safe to return when temperature has been normal for 24 hours.

When Should I Call My Child’s Doctor?

Call your child’s doctor if you have an:

* infant younger than 3 months with a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius)
* older child with a temperature of higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius)

If an older child has a fever of less than 104 degrees, call the doctor if the child also:

* refuses fluids or seems too ill to drink adequately
* has persistent diarrhea or repeated vomiting
* has any signs of dehydration
* has a specific complaint (i.e., sore throat or earache)
* still has a fever after 24 hours in a child younger than 2 years or 72 hours in a child 2 years or older
* has recurrent fevers, even if they only last a few hours each night

Seek emergency care if your child shows any of the following signs along with a fever:

* inconsolable crying for several hours
* extreme irritability
* lethargy and difficulty waking
* rash or purple spots that look like bruises on the skin (that were not there before the child got sick)
* blue lips, tongue, and nails
* infant’s soft spot on the head seems to be bulging outward
* stiff neck
* severe headache
* limpness and refusal to move
* difficulty breathing that doesn’t get better when the nose is cleared
* leaning forward and drooling
* seizure

Related posts:

1. Thermometer & Childs Temperature
2. Symptoms of foodborne illness
3. Medicines and children
4. Food borne diseases for children
5. Headache