How we treat fever in babies
Fever = body temperature is elevated .The normal body temperature is under 37 degrees Celsius. When the temperature reaches 38 C we call that a fever.
All mothers are so scared when this is happening but this is a normal body response, all babies will have fever at the same stage. So be calm and try not to worry so much .The most normal thing you can do is call your doctor and he will guide you what to do. But fever at children between 2-6 years old is harmless because this is the body’s mechanism for fighting infections. We do treat fever to make the child more comfortable. To treat fever without drugs you can try dressing your baby in light cotton clothing, give lots of fluids, keep his room cold, try a sponge bath and don’t dry off let the water evaporate from the skin. Also you can add cool towels on the forehead or the back of the baby to cool them down.
A lot of mothers ask how should they measure the temperature for babies, what is the best method. Well, the most precise reading is using a digital rectal thermometer. To take a correct rectal temperature place your baby belly-down on your lap or on a bed or on the changing table, then gently insert the bulb1/2 to 1 inch into your child’s rectum. Loosely hold the thermometer in place with two fingers until it beeps.
WHY we give them fever-reducing drugs?
The main reason we give acetaminophen or ibuprofen is to make the baby feel more comfortable not to “break” the fever. This is actually a good thing since it helps the body fight infections .Usually give acetaminophen to babies under 6 months, for older kids ibuprofen seems to bring fever down faster. But how much drug you should give depends on what the doctor says .Don’t make any moves without his permission.
DON’T USE ASPIRIN TO TREAT YOUR CHILD’S FEVER, it has been linked with side effects such us intestinal bleeding, and most seriously, Reye’s syndrome, a severe neurological disorder.
WHAT CAUSES FEVER?
Fever has several potential causes:
Infections: most fevers are caused by infections or other illnesses. Fever helps the body fight infections by stimulating natural defense mechanisms.
Overdressing: Infants, especially newborns, may get fevers if they are over bundled or in a hot environment because they don’t regulate their body temperature as well as older children.
Immunizations: babies and children sometimes get a low grade fever after getting vaccinated.
All kids get fever, and in a majority of cases most are back to normal in a few days. The way your child acts is most important than what the thermometer says. Every child gets cranky when it has fever, this is a normal reaction and it should be expected. But if you are ever in doubt about what to do or what a fever might mean, or if your child is acting ill in a way that concerns you even there’s no high fever, always call your doctor for advice.
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This information s very good. Kindly tell me the procedures to correcting high fever without involving a doctor.