Understanding Fever in Children: Causes and Treatment
A high body temperature commonly faced by newborns and early children is known as “fever.” Keep in mind that fever is a symptom of something that must be treated immediately rather than other illnesses. After the sickness has been treated, your child’s temperature will return to normal because fevers are occasionally the body’s defense mechanism against germs and illness.
Therefore, what would be a wise course of action to take if your child has a fever? First, feeling a child’s temperature with your hands is not a trustworthy way to take their temperature. A thermometer is the best tool to measure body temperature.
How can I determine whether my child has a fever?
There are different methods to measure your child’s temperature:
- a younger child, under five years old When the digital thermometer “beeps” and is ready to measure a temperature, you can place it under your child’s armpit (axilla) and leave it there for a few minutes. The ear (tympanic) thermometer is another option that has a cone-shaped nozzle that should be directed toward the center ear opening to prevent readings that are too low.
- When a child reaches five years old and can work with others, the thermometer can be placed behind the tongue, not above it, and left there for a short while until its “beeps” and is prepared to take a temperature. Mercury-containing glass thermometers are not recommended at this time since a broken glass thermometer may expose buyers to hazardous mercury.
Symptoms
Often, a child’s appearance can tell us if they are ill or not. Typical adverse effects include a heated face, tired eyes, and fair or pale skin. A fever might also be indicated by a puffy forehead or neck. A few kids cry a lot or become wildly hungry.
Child should be put to the emergency unit in the event of a health-related issue:
- throw up, have diarrhea, or stomach aches,
- have a skin rash.
- have a stiff neck.
- are restless or confused.
- suffer a fever or seizure.
- The fever lasts for more than three days, peaks at 39 °C (or 38 °C in the case of infants) and varies.
- Since their last visit to the doctor, their condition has gotten worse.
What body temperature in children is regarded as a fever?
Internal heat level is affected by age, general health, active employment, the time of day, and the thickness of clothing. Everyone is usually hotter in the late afternoon and evening and colder in the early morning. A little increase in internal temperature will also occur with intense activity.
- The normal body temperature ranges between 36.1 and 37.5 degrees Celsius.
- Above 37.5 degrees Celsius are considered insignificant,
- An increase over 38 degrees Celsius has the potential to be harmful.
Causes of fever in children
| Main Cause | Mechanism | Differentiating symptoms | How long does a fever last? |
| Viral Infections | Viral diseases are the cause of many common illnesses, such as colds, coughs, flu season, diarrhea, and so on. Low-grade fevers make up a major portion of these cases.
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The symptoms are usually vague and vary in intensity; nonetheless, they frequently manifest as fatigue, nausea, hacking, runny nose, enlarged lymph nodes, and stiffness and discomfort in the muscles | .A viral fever normally passes after a few days, but you should visit a doctor if it persists for five days or longer.
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| Bacterial infection | They are less common than viral infections, but they are more likely to cause serious illnesses like meningitis, pneumonia, joint, kidney, and urine infections.
Mild to high fever |
The most common adverse effects include headaches, joint pain, fatigue, and nervousness; however, these may vary depending on the specific type of bacterial illness. | If a child has a bacterial illness, their fever is unlikely to go away unless they receive anti-infection treatment. |
| Heat stroke.
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The temperature of the body is raised because it absorbs heat from the outside.
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Hot, dry, and flushed skin, rapid heartbeat, irritability, etc.
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It usually takes up to 24 hours for a fever to go away.
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| Immunizations | Immunizations ‘trick’ the immune system into developing immunity to the target.
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Redness, swelling, and pain in the surrounding area of the injected needle.
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Mostly mild fever and last 1 to 2 days.
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| Inflammatory conditions | Types of arthritis and reactions to some medicines induce fever.
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Pain, swelling, redness, fatigue, and loss of function
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It takes mostly 3 to 5 days to subside the fever.
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In addition, a variety of conditions such as illness, dehydration, or irritation can induce fever. Usually, a fever in your child does not indicate a serious infection. It is possible that the temperature reading will not always tell you if your child needs medical attention or testing.
How can I help my child with a fever?
- Take off any covers that are covering the subject and loosen your clothes.
- Move them to a cooler spot.
- Encourage your child to take as much time to rest.
- Your child may be dehydrated, so encourage them to drink extra water.
- You can offer water, milk, diluted fruit juice, or little pieces of soft fruit (such as watermelon or papaya). Older kids can choose jelly, flavored soups, frozen popsicles, or ice cream. Give your child smaller portions more often if they are unable to consume a full cup of water. Consult with your physician if your child refuses to drink anything for more than a few hours or is incapable of doing so at all.
- Given that children with fever may not feel hungry, it is not necessary to force them to eat.
- Instead of using ice water for tidy sponging, use tap water. Because alcohol can be harmful if absorbed via the skin, it should not be used.
- Use acetaminophen in age-appropriate doses (as prescribed by pharmacist) to lower the fever.
When would be a good time to take my sick child to see the specialist?
- Despite appearances, your baby is less than three months old.
- It had been more than three days since the fever started.
- Three days after your child starts taking antibiotics, the fever still does not go away.
- Your child is still incapacitated or has not improved yet.
- Your child has a history of having fever outbursts.
- Your child is feverish, but they also exhibit the following symptoms:
- inadequate nutrition
- frequently vomiting,
- requiring more than five diaper changes every day due to lose stools.
- minimal urine production.
- The body has a bluish or pale appearance.
- Breathing difficulties or dyspnea make one appear ill (clingy, angry, etc.)
- seems confused, sleepy, or incapable of identifying you.
- claims to have a headache, a stiff neck, or eye pain brought on by light.