I understand parents who, when the child’s temperature rises, try to knock it down faster. Heat always scares moms and dads. She is the most frequent reason for calling an ambulance. After all, the kid who recently played and ran, now lies and refuses to eat. Churn or not temperature? What is the temperature you need to shoot down a child? How to do it right? How to bring down the temperature in children? Which drug is better? Let’s figure it out.
An increase in body temperature above 37 degrees is called fever. Fever is a frequent sign of an infection. So the body is protected. Under high temperature conditions, many viruses and bacteria die or lose activity. Also, when the body temperature rises, the body begins to produce interferons (protective substances) that are involved in the immune response. Therefore, before you bring down the temperature, first think.
What is the temperature you need to shoot down a child?
- Healthy children are not recommended to give anti-fever at a temperature below 39.0–39.5 ° C. But be sure to focus on well-being. It happens that with a temperature of 39 the child plays.
- Children of risk groups – with heart defects, metabolic disorders, neurological pathology (for example, epilepsy) bring the temperature above 38-38.5º C.
- Children of the first 3 months of life should be given antipyretic (antipyretic) at 38.0–38.5 ° C.
- From this level it is recommended to reduce the temperature in children with a history of febrile convulsions. But now they are refusing this. Febrile seizures for the most part have a good prognosis. Therefore, it makes no sense to measure the temperature every minute and lower it at the slightest increase. This does not prevent the risk of recurrent seizures, but may lead to an overdose of the antipyretic drug.
The child has a fever, and his arms and legs are cold
Very often, when the child’s temperature rises, he has cold hands and feet. He is cold, shivering. Why is this so let’s understand.
In raising the temperature, there are three stages:
- Stage of temperature rise. In this stage, the process of heat generation increases. To heat is not consumed, the vessels spasm, the blood flows to the internal organs. As a result, hands and feet become cold. Due to lack of blood circulation, the work of the sweat glands is inhibited → sweating decreases, which also prevents heat loss. The state of health of the child suffers, he is shivering.
- The temperature reaches the maximum value needed by the body to fight the infection. At this stage, the processes of heat production and heat transfer are balanced. Vessels expand, sweat glands begin to work → skin becomes pink, warm, moist. The baby gets hot.
- Stage temperature drop. The temperature slowly begins to decline.
How to reduce the temperature in a child?
Our main task is not to reduce the numbers on the thermometer, but to improve the child’s well-being. How to help the child, depending on the stage of fever?
- The baby has chills, he is cold, his hands and feet are cold and pale. Previously, this condition was called “pale fever” and antispasmodics were prescribed (No-spa, drotaverin). Now we all understand that this is just the initial stage of raising the temperature. The child needs to be warmed: put on socks, cover with a blanket, you can vigorously rub the skin before redness.
- When the baby gets hot, you can undress him, wipe him with comfortable temperature (not cold) with water, you can even take a light shower.
When to give a child antipyretic?
The main indicator for giving antipyretic to your child is his state of health. If he feels bad, he lies, drinks badly, he has a headache, aching his whole body – antipyretic should be given.
How to churn the temperature of a child?
Drugs reduce the temperature of a huge amount. So how can you churn the temperature of a child? To reduce the temperature in children, only two drugs are used: paracetamol and ibuprofen.
What else you need to know?
- How much to give? The dose of the drug is calculated by weight, not by age. Paracetamol – 15 mg / kg, ibuprofen – 10 mg / kg.
- Repeatedly antipyretic drug is given only when the temperature rises again.
- It is not advisable to alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen, or use combination drugs, it can cause acute renal failure. If you alternate, then it should take at least 2-3 hours between taking paracetamol and ibuprofen.
- Paracetamol and ibuprofen are in the form of syrup and rectal suppositories. The presence of oral forms and suppositories, both in paracetamol and ibuprofen, allows their combined use. For example, first take paracetamol in syrup, and the next dose of paracetamol can be given as a candle in 2–3 hours, which will provide a longer lasting antipyretic effect.
- Do not expect that after taking the drug, the temperature will become normal – 36.6. If it was 39, and became 38 – this is already good.
- When giving the child a drug, for metering accuracy, use only the measuring spoon or syringe included in the package. And not a teaspoon from the buffet.
Trade name paracetamol: Efferalgan, Panadol, Kalpol, Tsefekon D (candles).
Ibuprofen trade names: Nurofen, Maksikold.
Preparations prohibited in pediatric practice
- Analgin can cause anaphylactic shock, blood disease (agranulocytosis), as well as significantly reduce the temperature to fainting.
- Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) may cause severe encephalopathy with liver failure (Ray’s syndrome) in a child.
- Nimesulide (Neise) never even been registered in the United States and banned in many European countries, and unfortunately we are used in children’s practice. It causes toxic damage to the liver.
Answers to the most frequent questions
What is better nurofen or paracetamol?
Nurofen / Paracetamol does not knock down the temperature. What to do?
Our task is not to reduce the temperature to 36.6. If it has dropped by one degree, that’s good. The main thing is to improve the child’s well-being.
After how much can re-give paracetamol / ibuprofen?
Wiping at high temperature in a child
We wipe only with warm water, especially the places where the vessels closely adjoin (axillary, ulnar, inguinal, popliteal).
When to call an ambulance at a child’s temperature?
- If the child does not drink at all.
- If the child is less than 2 months.
- Against the background of the temperature, the child had convulsions.
- If the temperature is accompanied by a severe headache.
- The appearance of shortness of breath.
- Increasing pain in the abdomen.
- The appearance of a rash that does not disappear when pressed.
What temperature is considered dangerous?
The most important thing that I want to say, do not focus on the numbers on the thermometer, but on the child’s well-being. It may be that at 37.5 the baby is a layer, then we will of course reduce the temperature. And it happens that at 39 the child rushes around the house, then we will delay the giving of the febrifuge and feed the child.
Temperature – the most frequent symptom of SARS. How to treat ARVI in children correctly here.