Get documents about "Fever and Your Baby
W
Description
Your child's normal temperature vary with his age, activity, and the time of day. Infants tend to have higher temperatures than older children, and everyone’s temperature is highest between late afternoon and early evening and lowest between midnight and early morning.
Document Sample
Fever and Your Baby
Your child's normal temperature will vary with his age, activity, and the time of day.
Infants tend to have higher temperatures than older children, and everyone’s
temperature is highest between late afternoon and early evening and lowest between
midnight and early morning. Ordinarily, a rectal reading of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
(38 degrees Celsius) or less, or an oral reading of 99 degrees Fahrenheit (37.2
degrees Celsius) or less, is considered normal, while higher readings indicate fever.
By itself, fever is not an illness. Rather, it is a sign or symptom of sickness. In fact,
usually it is a positive sign that the body is fighting infection. Fever stimulates certain
defenses, such as the white blood cells, which attack and destroy invading bacteria.
The fever may actually be important in helping your child fight his infection. However,
fever can make your child uncomfortable. It increases his need for fluids and makes
his heart rate and breathing rate faster. Fever most commonly accompanies
respiratory illnesses such as croup or pneumonia, ear infections, influenza (flu),
severe colds, and sore throats. It also may occur with infections of the bowel, blood,
or urinary tract, inflammation of brain and spinal cord (meningitis), and with a wide
variety of viral illnesses.
In children between six months and five years, fever can trigger seizures, called
febrile convulsions. These convulsions tend to run in families, and usually happen
during the first few hours of a febrile illness. Children may look “peculiar” for a few
moments, then stiffen, twitch, and roll their eyes. They will be unresponsive for a
short time, and their skin may appear to be a little darker than usual during the
episode. The entire convulsion usually lasts less than one minute, and may be over
in a few seconds, but it can seem like a lifetime to a frightened parent. Although
uncommon, convulsions can last for up to fifteen minutes or longer. It is reassuring to
know that febrile convulsions almost always are harmless—they do not cause brain
damage, nervous system problems, paralysis, mental retardation, or death—although
they should be reported promptly to your pediatrician. If your child is having trouble
breathing or the convulsion (also referred to as a seizure) does not stop within fifteen
minutes, call 911.
Children younger than one year at the time of their first simple febrile convulsion have
approximately a 50 percent chance of having another such seizure, while children
over one year of age when they have their first seizure have about a 30 percent
chance of having a second one. Nevertheless, febrile convulsions rarely happen
more than once within a twenty-four-hour (one-day) period. Although many parents
worry that a febrile convulsion will lead to epilepsy, keep in mind that epileptic
18/02/2013 07:53 PM
Pdf créé avec la version d'essai pdfFactory Pro www.pdffactory.com
seizures are not caused by a fever, and children with a history of feverrelated
convulsions have only a slightly higher likelihood of developing epilepsy by age
seven.
A rare but serious problem that is easily confused with fever is heat-related
illness, orheatstroke. This is not caused by infection or internal conditions, but by
surrounding heat. It can occur when a child is in a very hot place—for example, a hot
beach in midsummer or an overheated closed car on a summer day. Leaving children
unattended in closed cars is the cause of several deaths a year; never leave an
infant or child unattended in a closed car, even for a few minutes. Heatstroke also
can occur if a baby is overdressed in hot, humid weather. Under these
circumstances, the body temperature can rise to dangerous levels (above 105
degrees Fahrenheit [40.5 degrees Celsius]), which must be reduced quickly by cool-
water sponging, fanning, and removal to a cool place. After the child has been
cooled, he should be taken immediately to a pediatrician or emergency room.
Heatstroke is an emergency condition.
Whenever you think your child has a fever, take his temperature with a
thermometer. Feeling the skin (or using temperature sensitive tape) is not accurate,
especially when the child is experiencing a chill.
Fever Without Fear
A fever in a newborn should not be taken lightly but it helps to know when to take
action and when to let it run its course.
Let’s face it, fevers can be scary for parents. But even though infants get their share
of colds and fevers, fevers should be taken more seriously. When your baby is
burning up, it can be hard to think straight and make important decisions. Learning
what causes fevers and how to treat them will ease your anxiety and help you take
control of the situation.
What Causes a Fever?
“Fever is usually, but not always, an indication of some infection in the body,”
explains Dennis Vickers, M.D., FAAP, chairman of pediatrics at Sinai Health Systems
in Chicago. “It is the body’s first line of defense in fi ghting infection.”
Everyone has his or her own internal “thermostat” that regulates body temperature,
and normal body temperature is around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit plus or minus about
one degree (37 degrees Celsius, plus or minus about 0.6 degrees). When the body
18/02/2013 07:53 PM
Pdf créé avec la version d'essai pdfFactory Pro www.pdffactory.com
detects an infection or other illness, the brain responds by raising the body
temperature to help fight the condition.
“Any rectal temperature over 100.4 is generally considered a fever,” says Barbara
Huggins, M.D., FAAP, professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Health
Center at Tyler. “A fever itself doesn’t necessarily warrant a call to the doctor. It
depends on the age of the child and his other symptoms.
Managing the Fever
A fever can’t always be detected by feeling your infant’s forehead. It’s usually
necessary to take his temperature as well. Although there are numerous
thermometers on the market that measure temperature in different areas, parents
should use rectal thermometers with their babies for the most accurate reading. “The
‘gold standard’ measurement is still the rectal temperature,” says Dr. Vickers.
Once you’ve identified a fever, you can begin treating it if needed based on your
child’s age and other symptoms. While you may instinctively want to bring your child
to the doctor’s office, it may not be necessary, especially if the child seems fine once
the fever is reduced.
“What I tell parents when they call me in the middle of the night is, ‘Don’t panic.’
Fever by itself is not something to panic about. I ask them how the child looks and
how they’re acting—are they behaving normally?” says Dr. Huggins. “Then we focus
on how to get the fever down. With the vast majority of viral infections, once you get
the fever down, everything’s better.”
Keeping Fever at Bay
Although not every fever needs to be treated, there are some things you can do to
help make your child more comfortable. Giving a child acetaminophen or ibuprofen
will usually reduce a fever. “Make sure you’re giving the appropriate dose,” advises
Dr. Huggins. “Refer to the label and if they’re under two years old, contact your
pediatrician or pharmacist.”
Common sense is equally important for treating fevers, says Dr. Vickers. “Use your
head. Don’t overdress the child, no matter what grandma says.” The same goes for
giving baby an alcohol bath, an old practice that is no longer recommended.
A fever will also cause a child to lose fluids more quickly, so offer your baby plenty of
fluids to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include crying without tears, a dry
mouth, and fewer wet diapers.
Being prepared can help take the fear out of fever. Keep your digital thermometer
ready and accessible so you don’t have to search for it once your child is ill. Have
children’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen on hand. And make sure your pediatrician’s
phone number is handy.
When to Call the Doctor
• Your child is younger than 2 to 4 months old and has a fever.
18/02/2013 07:53 PM
Pdf créé avec la version d'essai pdfFactory Pro www.pdffactory.com
• Your child is lethargic, unresponsive, refuses to eat, has a rash, or is having
difficulty breathing.
• You observe signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth, a sunken soft spot, or
significantly fewer wet diapers.
• Your child’s fever lasts more than a few days.
• Your child experiences a febrile seizure
How to Take a Rectal Temperature
Taking a rectal temperature is the most accurate way to measure a young child’s true
body temperature. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to
remove mercury thermometers from their homes to prevent accidental exposure and
poisoning. Here are the steps for taking a rectal temperature:
1. Use a rectal thermometer (preferably digital) that has a round bulb at the end.
2. Clean the tip of the thermometer with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
3. Lubricate the tip with a water-soluble lubricant.
4. Place your baby on his stomach across a firm surface or your lap. Or, if your
child is more comfortable on her back, gently lift her legs and proceed to step
6.
5. Stabilize your child by placing one hand on his lower back just above the
buttocks. If your child is wiggling, ask someone to help you restrain him.
6. Slowly insert the lubricated thermometer into the anal opening about one-half
inch, stopping if you feel any resistance. Never force the thermometer.
7. Gently hold the thermometer in place between your index and forefinger while
keeping your hand against your baby’s bottom.
8. Wait until your thermometer beeps or signals that it’s done. A reading of 100.4
degrees Fahrenheit or more is generally considered to be a fever.
Febrile Seizures
What are they?
A febrile seizure is a relatively common and harmless side effect of fevers in young
children.
What does it look like?
It’s a full-body seizure where your child may be unresponsive, look strange, twitch,
stiffen or roll his eyes.
What should you do?
Remain calm and move your child to a safe place where he can’t hurt himself. Do not
put anything in his mouth. Febrile seizures usually last less than one minute, but can
last up to 15 minutes. Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than a few minutes. Follow
up with your pediatrician for all febrile seizures.
This article was featured in Healthy Children Magazine. To view the full issue
18/02/2013 07:53 PM
Pdf créé avec la version d'essai pdfFactory Pro www.pdffactory.com
