Fever is an increase in body temperature in response to infection, injury, or inflammation. Children health issues his body temperature rise and fall, and the temperature rose to 100.3 º F (about 38 º C) could be a natural thing in healthy children. Therefore, small temperature increases that do not pester a child does not require medical attention. Temperature of 100.4 ° (about 38 º C) and higher are considered unnatural and usually need attention, particularly in infants under 3 months.
Causes of Fever In Children
Fever is usually the result of common infections such as colds and gastroenteritis. These infections are usually viral and get better without treatment. Less commonly, fever due to infections of the ears, lungs, bladder, or kidney, usually bacterial infections require antibiotics. In infants rarely, fever may be the only sign of bloodstream infection (occult bacteremia), which can lead to meningitis and overwhelming infection (sepsis), two life-threatening conditions. Children with this type of infection usually appear ill. Many conditions other than infection causing fever in children, but all are rare. Not the same as the fever caused by common infections, fever lasts more than a few days.
Fever can occur after routine vaccinations and not a reason to avoid the vaccine are recommended. Giving your baby acetaminophen or ibuprofen at the time of vaccination and thereafter to minimize the risk of fever or lower the fever itself.
Fever Symptoms In Children
Infants who experience fevers are usually irritable and could not sleep or eat properly. Older children lose interest in play, although sometimes children with high fevers look healthy. Occasionally, rapid high fever can cause an attack (an attack of febrile), and very rarely, fever became so high that the child becomes lethargic and no reaction.
Your Child's Temperature
Children most accurately measure temperature using digital thermometers, and that in measuring rectal temperature. However, oral temperature measurements can be accurate when performed in children over 4-5 years, or ear temperatures in children over 6 months. Measuring axillary temperature is the least accurate, but can be useful when performed on children less than 3 months. If the axillary temperature over 37.2 º C, the rectal temperature should be measured. On the other hand, it is not accurate when measuring the body temperature by feeling the child's skin. This is called the temperature of tactile (touch) because it is subjective, which is strongly influenced by the temperature measurement of people who feel the skin of the child. Here's how to measure the temperature of the child :
- Axillary temperature : place the tip of the thermometer in the armpit dry and then children with mengempitnya Hold the thermometer between the elbow to the chest for 4-5 minutes.
- The temperature of the ear: to note that the ear thermometers are not used for children under 6 months. When a new child from outside the home where the weather is cold, wait 15 minutes before measuring the ear temperature. Ear infections do not affect the accuracy of the temperature of the ear. The trick, she should pull the ear outward and back before inserting the thermometer then hold the tool in the child's ear for about 2 seconds.
- Rectal temperature: the child was placed in the lap of the examiner with the stomach as the base, apply a little earlier jely cream or lubricant (eg Vaseline) on the tip of the thermometer, insert the thermometer gently to a rectal thermometer child until the silver tip is not visible (0.5 to 1 , 25 cm in the rectum), hold the thermometer in place. Hold for 2 minutes for mercury thermometers or less than 1 minute to digital.
- Oral temperature: the note is not to measure temperature at the mouth of the child if the child is eating or drinking hot or cold in the last 30 minutes. Previous clean the thermometer with cool water and soap and then rinse with water until clean. Place the tip of the thermometer under the tongue towards the back. Ask the children to hold a thermometer in his mouth. Try your lips to hold the thermometer in for about 3 minutes for mercury thermometers or less than 1 minute to digital.
- Parents should not panic in the face of a child with a fever.
- If kids want to drink, give the child to drink more or more often than usual.
- Parents can give febrifuge already recommended by your doctor about how drinking and the dose.
- If after being given the drug no improvement, should be taken to a doctor or other health facilities.
The most common and traditional way of dealing with a fever at home is to compress. Compress is allowed and encouraged by warm water (temperature from 29.4 to 32.2 degrees Celsius). How to compress the right:
- Give febrifuge 30 minutes before it compresses.
- Compress using cloth that has been moistened with warm water temperature from 29.4 to 32.2 degrees centigrade and has been squeezed, then wipe the body, arms and legs.
- Do not use cold water or alcohol to compress, because the alcohol will be absorbed by the skin or respiratory inhaled, can cause coma.
For additional treatment of children health issues these depends on child's age and cause of the fever.
