Fever is defined as a temperature over Normal body temperature is The magic number for fever is Lim says doctors tend not to worry about:.
Now for the important question: When should you be worried about a fever? Call a doctor if and when:. Seizures are a very scary side effect of fevers in some children, Dr. Some non-infectious illnesses and inflammatory conditions can cause recurrent or persistent fevers. Teething does not cause fever Many people believe that teething causes fever. Does my child have a fever? The most accurate way to measure temperature is with a thermometer: How to measure a rectal temperature.
Helping your child. Taking care of your child with a fever Clothing Keep your child lightly dressed. Extra fluids Fever will make your child's body lose some fluid liquid , so encourage your child to drink extra fluids to avoid dehydration. Sponging Sponging is unnecessary to help lower body temperature and may make your child more uncomfortable. Medication You should use medication to keep your child comfortable.
Two types of medication are usually recommended for managing fever They are: acetaminophen ibuprofen Both drugs are available in tablets, capsules and liquid formulations of various strengths.
When to seek medical attention. When to see a doctor See your child's regular doctor or go to the nearest Emergency Department right away if your child has a fever and: Your child is less than three months old. You have recently returned from travelling abroad. Your child develops a rash that looks like small purple dots that do not go away when you apply pressure with your fingers blanching. Your child is not able to keep down any fluids, is not peeing and appears dehydrated.
Your child's skin looks very pale or grey, or is cool or mottled. Your child is in constant pain. Your child is lethargic very weak or difficult to wake up. Your child has a stiff neck. Your child has a seizure associated with fever for the first time or a long seizure associated with fever. Your child is looking or acting very sick.
Your child seems confused or delirious. Your child does not use their arm or leg normally or refuses to stand up. Your child has problems breathing. Your child cries constantly and cannot be settled. See a doctor within one to two days if your child has a fever and: Your child is between three and six months old.
Your child has specific pain, such as ear or throat pain that may require evaluation. Your child has had a fever for more than three days. The fever went away for over 24 hours and then came back. Your child has a bacterial infection that is being treated with an antibiotic, but the fever is not going away after two to three days of starting the antibiotic.
Your child cries when going to the bathroom. You have other concerns or questions. Myths about fever There are many myths about fever, and some of these myths may make you worry unnecessarily. Myth: Fever needs to be treated with medication This is wrong! Myth: The exact number of the temperature is useful That is wrong! Myth: Fevers cause brain damage That is wrong! Myth: Fevers are bad for children That is wrong! Myth: Fevers should always respond to ibuprofen or acetaminophen That is wrong!
Often these children will have exam findings like swollen, painful joints or swollen lymph nodes that will help point towards their diagnosis. Malignancy - Fortunately, this is a very rare cause of prolonged fever but it does happen so we all need to keep it in the back of our mind. The most common type of cancer in children is leukemia. One specific cause of fever over five days deserves specific attention.
Because many parents are not aware of it and because the diagnosis can be tricky, I thought it deserved its own specific mentions. Kawasaki disease KD is characterized by the characteristic fever over 5 days along with some of the following findings:. One of the other things to note with KD is that these children are very, very irritable. Not kinda irritable, but noticeably irritable even to a pediatrician who hears crying babies and children all day long irritable. The cause of KD is unknown.
There is some evidence to suggest that there might be an infection involved. The symptoms and complications associated with it are a result of inflammation of small to medium sized arteries throughout the body. The most commonly known complications of KD involve the heart and can be inflammation or the lining or muscles of the heart or dilation of the arteries that supply the heart.
Blood tests can help confirm the diagnosis and treatment can resolve the symptoms and help to prevent complications. The good news is that children with Kawasaki's disease, like the child in the photos with this blog, usually return to normal and don't suffer complications.
Justin Smith , M. If you are interested in having Dr. An abnormal high body temperature Fever is the only symptom. Your child has a true fever if: Rectal Bottom , Ear or Forehead temperature: Forehead strips are not accurate. Causes of Fever Overview. Almost all fevers are caused by a new infection. Viruses cause 10 times more infections than bacteria. The number of germs that cause an infection are in the hundreds.
Only a few common ones will be listed. Viral Infections. Colds, flu and other viral infections are the most common cause. Fever may be the only symptom for the first 24 hours. The start of viral symptoms runny nose, cough, loose stools is often delayed. Roseola is the most extreme example.
Fever may be the only symptom for 2 or 3 days. Then a rash appears. Bacterial Infections. A bladder infection is the most common cause of silent fever in girls.
Strep throat is also a common cause of unexplained fever. Sinus Infection. This is a problem caused by a cold.
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