Children with high fever is one condition that often makes parents worry. Especially if the child also becomes fussy and restless.
So, what should you do immediately when this happens?
First, try not to panic as a parent .
Fever is a normal thing for children to experience from time to time and is usually a sign that the body is fighting an infection.
What Temperature is Considered a High Fever in a Child?
To be able to determine whether a child can be said to have a high fever or not, parents must first know the normal temperature.
The normal temperature of babies and children is around 36.4ºC. Although this number can sometimes be different for each child.
Then, at what temperature can a child be said to have a fever? If your child has a temperature of 38ºC or more, then this can be considered a high fever.
Many things can cause an increase in temperature in children.
Fever occurs when the body’s internal “thermostat” raises body temperature above normal levels.
This thermostat is found in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus and it knows what your body temperature should be.
This part of the brain will then send messages to your body to maintain this normal temperature.
Most people’s body temperature can change throughout the day, although the numbers are not very significant.
Typically a child’s body temperature is slightly lower in the morning and slightly higher in the evening, and can vary as children run around, play, and exercise.
However, sometimes, the hypothalamus will “reset” the body to a higher temperature in response to infection, illness, or other causes .
Researchers believe that increasing the temperature is the body’s way of fighting off infection-causing germs and making it a less comfortable place for them.
Causes of High Fever in Children
Reported from the pageMayo Clinic, if a child has a fever, it is likely that one of the following conditions is the cause.
Virus Infection
This is the most common cause of fever in children and does not require antibiotics. Viral infections can run their course over a few days. These infections include:
- Have a cold
- Flu
- Roseola
- Chicken pox
- Hand, foot and mouth disease
- Fifth disease
Bacterial Infection
Children can be treated with antibiotics and are contagious. These infections can be left for 12 hours until the child is seen by a doctor. Common examples are:
- Ear infection
- Sinus infection
- Pneumonia
- Bladder infection
- Sore throat.
Heat Exhaustion
Symptoms of heat exhaustion may include dizziness, blurred vision, and headaches. The body can become overheated from exertion in hot weather outdoors.
Your body temperature should return to normal after drinking fluids and resting. This may take 1 or 2 hours.
Inflammation
Certain inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation of the lining of the joints (synovium).
Tumor or Cancer
Tumors can produce pyrogens, cause infections that produce pyrogens or interfere with the normal function of the hypothalamus.
The hypothalamus works with the autonomic nervous system, endocrine system, skin, muscles, sweat glands, and blood vessels to regulate processes that occur without us thinking about them, such as blood pressure, breathing, heart rate, regulation of body fluids, salt concentration, and body temperature.
Drugs
Some medications, such as antibiotics and drugs used to treat high blood pressure or seizures.
Fever is a common side effect of many medications, including antibiotics. Fever can occur due to an allergic reaction to the medication or as a bad side effect.
Additionally, someone trying a new drug (either brand, dose, or time of consumption) can also cause fever.
A low-grade fever may occur about 7 to 10 days after starting a new medication.
Immunization
Some types of vaccines or immunizations , such as the diphtheria, tetanus and acellular (DTaP), pneumococcal or Covid vaccines can cause fever.
But actually, fever due to immunization is normal, not dangerous, and may be helpful.
Why is that? Because, fever accelerates the child’s immune system.
Fever with most vaccines begins within 12 hours and lasts 1 to 2 days.
For mild fever of 37.8 to 39° C, do not give fever medicine. However, see a doctor immediately if the fever continues or the body temperature does not go down.
Signs of High Fever
Aside from the body temperature that can be known using a thermometer, there are other signs that a child has a high fever. Here are some of them:
Back and Chest Feel Hotter
If your child has a high fever, usually their back and chest will feel hotter when you touch them.
You can confirm this unusual feeling of heat by checking your child’s body temperature using a thermometer.
Sweating
When a child’s body temperature rises, he or she will sweat more than usual. This occurs as a response to lowering the high internal temperature.
In this way, the child’s fever will also decrease slowly.
Child Looks Sick
High fever will make children look weaker and less enthusiastic than usual.
He may move around a little and lie down more often. This could be a sign that your child has a high fever.
How to Treat Children with High Fever
Did you know, parents, that not every case of fever needs to be treated by a doctor?
In many cases, you only need to see a doctor if the fever is causing discomfort to your child. Here are some ways that parents can do at home to deal with high fever in children:
1. Giving Medicine
If the high fever causes your child to become fussy or uncomfortable, you can give paracetamol or ibuprofen at a dose based on the child’s age and weight.
Never give aspirin to a child without a doctor’s instructions, as it is associated with Reye’s Syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease.
If you or your child do not know the recommended dose, ask your doctor to find out how much to give.
It should be noted that if your child is less than 2 months old, then you should not give him/her any fever medication without being checked by a doctor.
If your child has any medical problems, check with your doctor to see which medicine is best to use.
Giving fever medication to children aims to temporarily lower their body temperature. However, usually, this treatment will not return the child to normal and cannot treat the underlying cause.
2. Wear comfortable clothes
Parents can dress their children in light, sweat-absorbent clothing.
Avoid wearing thick clothing on children because it can prevent body heat from escaping, causing their body temperature to increase.
3. Set the room temperature
Make sure your child’s bedroom has a comfortable temperature, not too hot or too cold.
High fever tends to make children restless.
By creating a comfortable room atmosphere for children, this can make them feel better.
4. Stay Hydrated
Parents , make sure your child stays hydrated when they have a high fever because this makes them lose fluids faster than usual.
Drinking enough water and eating warm soup can be the best choice for children to consume.
Avoid drinks containing caffeine such as tea or soda as they can worsen dehydration by increasing urination.
Additionally, limit your child’s intake of fruit and apple juice.
If your child also has vomiting and/or diarrhea, ask your doctor if you should give him or her an electrolyte (rehydration) solution made specifically for children.
You can find it at your local drugstore. In general, let your kids eat what they want in reasonable amounts, but don’t force them if they don’t like it.
5. Accompany Children
Parents , when your child has a high fever, make sure he gets enough rest.
Your child doesn’t need to stay in bed all day, but it is important for him to feel calm and safe.
Try to keep your child at home and avoid contact with others until his/her temperature has gone down.
Things Not to Do When a Child Has a High Fever
When a child has a high fever, parents must still be careful in taking action for them so as not to worsen their condition.
Some of these things include:
1. Don’t make your child cold
A high temperature is the body’s natural response to fighting infection, so you don’t need to do anything to lower your child’s body temperature instantly.
For example, you don’t need to undress your child or wipe his entire body with cold water. This can actually make your child cold and feel worse.
2. No need to wear layers of clothing
Even if your child is not feeling well, it doesn’t mean you have to use layers of clothing or blankets for him.
This can actually make it difficult for your child’s heat to escape. So make sure your child is wearing comfortable clothing.
3. Don’t give medicine carelessly
Make sure you do not give aspirin to children under 16 years of age.
Also, do not combine ibuprofen and paracetamol, unless your doctor recommends it.
Paracetamol should also not be given to children under 2 months and ibuprofen is prohibited for consumption by children under 3 months or asthma sufferers.
When to See a Doctor?
In many cases, the child’s condition will improve on its own after receiving treatment at home.
However, sometimes a high fever can indicate a more serious condition.
Contact a doctor immediately if your child experiences signs such as:
- Infants under 3 months of age with a rectal temperature of 38°C or higher
- Children with a temperature higher than 39°C
- Having a fever that lasts more than 72 hours or more than 24 hours if the child is under 2 years old
- Fever accompanied by other symptoms such as stiff neck, sore throat, earache, rash, or severe headache
- Having a seizure
- Appears very ill, upset, or unresponsive
- Refusing fluids or appearing too ill to drink
- Experiencing prolonged diarrhea or repeated vomiting
- Having signs of dehydration (urinating less than usual, not producing tears when crying, being less alert and less active than usual)
- Have certain complaints such as sore throat or earache
- A rash appears
- Experiencing pain when urinating.
High Fever Child Experience
Not a few parents have experience related to high fever in children. This condition is indeed worrying and makes parents afraid.
Like Mother Munawir Syajali who described the panic related to her child’s high fever.
“ My child used to have a high fever and febrile seizures. How can I prevent seizures when I have a high fever? ” she wrote on theAsianparent Community page .
Seeing the upload, Mom Yumna gave advice.
“ Check your temperature often if your body starts to feel warm. Apply a warm compress , if it reaches 38 immediately give paracetamol every 4-5 hours. Before giving paracetamol, check your temperature again, if it has gone down, apply a warm compress again on the folds. Oh, and wear thin clothes and a thin blanket. Sometimes in the hospital, they don’t even cover them ,” she said.
Popular Questions Regarding Children with High Fever
There are many questions regarding children with high fever, some of which are:
Why doesn’t the fever go down even though I’ve taken paracetamol?
Viruses are very resistant to heat. That is why viral infections often cause very high temperatures, and are not easily controlled with normal fever medicines such as paracetamol.
For example, dengue fever symptoms are not completely relieved by paracetamol.
Can a child with a fever be massaged?
Gentle massage can help relieve discomfort. However, some doctors feel that massage should be avoided during fevers, and even during viral illnesses such as the flu or a cold.
This is because, during illness, the body works hard to fight infection and recover.
Why is my child’s head hot but his hands and feet cold?
This could be because their thermoregulatory system is not yet well developed.
In other words, their new blood circulation and immune system are busy fighting germs elsewhere in the child’s body.
In addition, young children do not have enough fat in their bodies and have more water. Their skin also does not contain enough sweat glands.
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These are some notes that parents need to know if their child has a high fever.
Hope it is useful.
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Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
