Fever is a common problem in children, such as fever when they catch a cold, fever when they have inflammation of the ear, nose, and throat, fever when they have rash, and sometimes getting vaccinated can also lead to fever. Fever is a symptom that is generally self limiting, but sometimes a child may have a persistent fever that does not subside. So, what should a child do if their fever persists?
1、 Diseases that can cause fever
1. Cold: whether the common cold or influenza is the most common disease for babies. The symptoms of a cold vary, including fever, decreased appetite, gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhea, ear, nose, and throat problems.
2. Ear, nose and throat inflammation: Ear, nose and throat problems usually involve inflammation, resulting in redness and swelling, which is a viral infection. Common symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and swollen throat (babies usually do not want to eat).
3. Childhood rash (rose rash): The typical symptom is an inexplicable high fever (above 39 ℃) that lasts for about 3-4 days, followed by a rash (at which point the fever will subside). The rash usually disappears slowly without leaving any scars or other complications, so parents don't have to worry.
4. Getting vaccinated: Many babies have mild fever due to vaccination, but the most obvious fever usually occurs after receiving the "diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus" vaccine. If there is physical discomfort or a cold, it is not suitable to take the baby to get vaccinated to avoid confusion of symptoms. Within 72 hours is the observation period for fever caused by vaccination. If the fever is not caused by the vaccine, parents need to make a separate judgment.
Fever is a symptom that is often caused by infection, and is commonly caused by viral infections. Antipyretic drugs only target high fever and can temporarily cool down the body, which is a method of treating the exterior. The purpose of taking antipyretics is to avoid febrile seizures and reduce the body's high metabolic state caused by high fever. So, when using antipyretics during high fever (above 38.5 ℃), the body temperature will rise again several hours later. That's what mothers often say, why does my baby have a fever after taking antipyretic medicine for a few hours, and why does it recur. Viral infections are mostly self limiting diseases, and fever usually lasts for 3-5 days.
2、 What should I do if a baby has a fever
1. Maintain air circulation in the home: If the home has air conditioning, keep the room temperature between 25-27 ℃. You can place the baby in an air-conditioned room or use an electric fan to blow around and gradually lower their body temperature, which will also make the baby feel more comfortable. But if their limbs are cold and shivering violently, it means they need warmth. For the comfort of the child, warm water can be used to soak their hands and feet. Generally, children who experience chills may continue to experience an increase in temperature.
2. Remove too much clothing: If the baby's limbs and hands are warm and sweaty, it indicates the need for heat dissipation and can wear less clothing.
3. Warm water bath: Unfasten the baby's clothes and rub the whole body with a warm water (30-37 ℃) towel. This can dilate the blood vessels of the baby's skin and release body gas. In addition, when water vapor evaporates from the body surface, it can also absorb heat.
4. You can use antipyretic stickers: When the moisture in the adhesive material of antipyretic stickers evaporates, it can take away the heat without excessive cooling. (The effect is not obvious, you can use it if you want.) It is not recommended to use an ice pillow because babies are not easy to move their bodies, and ice pillows can cause local supercooling or hypothermia.
5. Drink plenty of water/milk: Give your baby plenty of water/milk to promote diuresis, detoxify, and prevent dehydration. Water has the function of regulating temperature, which can lower body temperature and replenish the lost water in the baby's body. Milk contains 80-90% moisture
6. Use antipyretic medication: When the baby's central temperature (anal or ear temperature) exceeds 38.5 ℃, antipyretic medication or suppositories can be used moderately. Strictly follow the instructions, check the dosage, and do not overdose. After taking antipyretic medication, it is important to drink plenty of water in order to make the medication more effective. Children with severe vomiting can use antipyretic suppositories.
7. Timely hospitalization for treatment: For infants whose body temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees within 3 months, they must be taken to the hospital for examination to rule out urinary tract infections; septicemia; Severe infections such as meningitis have limited ability to control infections due to weak immunity in infants within 3 months.
8. Observe changes in fever and other related manifestations. For example, accompanying symptoms such as cough, diarrhea, headache, convulsions, sore throat, ear pain, rash on the body, repeated vomiting, conjunctival congestion, pale complexion, and mental exhaustion. Before seeking medical treatment, parents should organize their child's fever process and other manifestations, as well as medication use and reactions to medication, which is beneficial for the diagnosis of the disease. Having a fever for at least 24 hours is necessary to take the child to see a doctor for a more valuable diagnosis. Even blood tests have preliminary significance only after 24 hours of high fever.
This article introduces the possible causes of a child's fever, as well as some measures that can be taken to deal with it. If a baby has a persistent fever at home, it is important to actively search for the specific causes of this situation and take these measures to deal with it.
