WHAT IS FEVER?
- Fever is a temperature higher than normal.
- A fever is indicated by: a rectal temperature equal to or higher than 38C (100F); or oral temperature equal to or higher than 37.5C (100.4F). (Definition of fever varies a little bit in various textbook. Never mind.)
- Axillary temperatures are not very reliable and should be discouraged.
- Ear Temperature is not yet a standard. The proper use of it should be referred to the instruction for each brand.
WHAT IS HIGH FEVER?
- Generally, rectal temperature above 103F(39.5C) is consider high fever.
- Although some viral infections may cause high fever,
while a severely ill child with meningitis may have a low grade fever or even no fever, it is safer to ASSUME that high fever means serious before a definite diagnosis being made.
WHY FEVER?
- Its presence often means infection, although other conditions may also cause fever in the absence of infection.
- Fever is not caused by teething.
- Infants with serious infections may have below-normal temperatures rather than a fever.
- A fever may occur following a child's vaccination (or immunization).
- In general, the child's behavior tells more about the severity of the illness than the degree
of the fever. It is much more important to observe the behavior of the child than to take the temperature.
IS FEVER HARMFUL? IS FEVER DANGEROUS?
- Is Fever Dangerous? Not necessarily. It serves as a valuable warning sign. Dangerous or not depends on the cause of fever, not the degree of fever.
- Although fever almost always means infection in young children, the fever itself is
usually not harmful. Fever is an important defense mechanism that helps the body fight or react to an infection. However, some children may be susceptible to febrile convulsion.
- Febrile Convulsions are fairly common. Approximately three percent of normal children will have at least one febrile seizure between the ages of 6 months and 6 years.
The tendency to have febrile seizures runs in families. Febrile seizures last less than 15 minutes and do not cause brain damage or epilepsy. Children who are prone to febrile seizures may have a seizure whenever they develop a fever, especially if the body temperature rises rapidly. Often, the seizure is the first sign of a fever.
- Seizures may also occur as part of a more serious infection, such as meningitis. Therefore, any child with fever and a seizure should be promptly evaluated by a physician.
- When Does a Fever Indicate Serious Illness? In a child with fever, certain types of behavior or symptoms are suggestive of a serious illness. If any of the following is present, the child should be seen by a physician as soon as possible. These are:
excessive listlessness, drowsiness, sleepiness, or lack of interest in surroundings;
irritability, fussiness, crankiness, inconsolable crying, high-pitched crying or screaming, weak cry;
poor skin, rapid or difficulty breathing; a fever with a rash; excessive drooling
- Because it is difficult to assess the condition of infants who are less than 6 months of age, fever in an infant should ALWAYS be evaluated by a physician as soon as possible.
DO's
- The child should be watched closely for symptoms of a serious illness. This is more important than lowering the temperature!!
- Fever can be lowered by allowing heat to leave the body. This can be done by:
undressing the child to diaper or underwear; allowing the child to sweat, which cools the body as the sweat evaporates.
- Tepid sponging and warm water baths will lower fever, but children rarely enjoy this bath.
DON'Ts
- Avoid using excessive medication for treating fevers. Children with infections causing fever often have headaches and other aches and pains. Medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, Tempra, Panadol, and others), which lowers fever, also relieves pain.
The main reason to use such medicine is to make the child feel better. The correct dose is listed on the bottle or package. It should be given at the dose recommended, and not more often than every four hours. The temperature usually drops in 1 1/2 to 2 hours and sometimes it may rise again, so that the medication may have to be repeated. (Aspirin or any medicine contenting aspirin should not be used to treat fever in children, especially with chickenpox, influenza or some other viral infection. There is a risk of Reye's syndrome, a very serious condition affecting the liver and brain.
- If the skin is cooled too much, it may cause shivering. The muscular activity of shivering will raise body temperature. Any child who is shivering should be wrapped up and kept warm until the shivering stops and the skin feels warm to touch. The caregiver can then remove most of the blankets or clothes so heat can be lost to the air.
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