Elevated body temperature in an infant is not a disease in itself, it is only a symptom of the disease. Common causes of fever in newborns are acute bacterial and viral infections. Also, the temperature can jump from overheating, emotional stress, dehydration, the reaction to vaccination, teething, central nervous system damage.
It is known that at temperatures up to 39 ° С almost all known viruses and bacteria die, polluting the body. In this case, intoxication appears and, as a result, the temperature rises, which activates the immune system.
Observe the condition of the child
With a high body temperature in an infant, one needs to focus not only on a thermometer, but also on the baby's behavior. If in general the condition of the newborn is normal and the behavior is adequate, you should not rush to lower the temperature with medications.
Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that you do not lower the temperature by taking the medicine, even if it reaches the limits of 39 ° C, provided that the child tolerates it normally and remains active. You can try to reduce it physically - remove an additional layer of clothing from the child or completely undress (air baths), ventilate the room, and wipe with cool water.
But if the baby has a pale appearance, her hands and feet are cold, inappropriate behavior (apathetic, capricious, refuses to eat or drink), and a temperature of around 38 - most likely, you can’t do without the help of a doctor and medications.
Attention, before sounding the alarm, we read an article on the norms of body temperature in infants – https://kid.htgetrid.com/en/zdorove-rebenka/kakaya-normalnaya-temperatura-tela-dolzhna-byit-u-grudnichka.html The normal temperature can be from 36 to 38 degrees
There is a separate category of children in whom it is better not to allow the temperature to rise to 38 ° C. It:
- the child of the first two months of life;
- a child who has had cramps in previous high fevers;
- children with chronic diseases.
Check out the article: how to measure the temperature of a newborn baby (Rules and methods for measuring temperature in newborns: in the armpit with a mercury or digital thermometer, rectally, frontal thermometer, nipple thermometer, in the ear with an ear thermometer.)
Temperature 37 ° С
If the baby has a temperature of 37 ° C, the child is active, eats well, he has normal stools - do not worry, because this may be an individual feature and does not require any additional treatment, as in children of the first year of life, the function of thermoregulation has not yet fully formed and they are capable of both quickly overheating and supercooling. (Cm: The baby has a temperature of 37)
Temperature 38 ° С
The body temperature of a newborn 38 ° C is a protective function of the body. Usually, kids always tolerate it well enough, continue to be active, have a good appetite, arms and legs are warm. In this case, the child should be given more warm drink, it is advisable to make infusions of herbs to improve and maintain the general condition of the crumbs. It is not necessary to achieve a mandatory temperature reduction, because it is in the range from 38 to 39 ° C that the body's protective immune functions are turned on. Observing a child, you can temporarily abstain from the use of medications.
Temperature 39 ° С
At a temperature of 39 ° C, in most cases, the child is lethargic, refusal to feed, irritability, eyes become foggy, arms and legs can be cold, heart palpitations and shortness of breath. With these symptoms, medical attention is definitely required.
What to do at high temperature
How to provide first aid if the baby continues to have a high fever, what to do to alleviate the condition of the child and how to bring down the fever?
- Provide the child with a plentiful drink, it is possible on herbal infusions that lower the fever.
- If the baby is breastfeeding, often put it on the chest. Breast milk provides enough moisture for the baby.
- Make sure that the baby is dressed according to the temperature in the room, as an additional layer of clothing will only increase body temperature due to overheating.
- Recommended to do air baths. Undress the child to the goal (remove the diaper) and let the baby lie down naked for 10-15 minutes.
- Put the baby on the forehead with a cool cloth.
Antipyretics for the smallest
The main requirement for choosing an antipyretic medicine for infants is, first of all, safety and effectiveness. WHO recommended only paracetamol (Panadol, Efferalgan) (may be suspension, syrup, suppositories) and ibuprofen (nurofen, ibufen), fully meeting safety requirements, allowed for children from the first months of life for use at home and in the hospital.
Giving babies aspirin is prohibited, due to the strong side effects for the child's body.
But if your child has a high fever for the first time, it will still be better to refrain from using the medicine on your own and get a doctor’s recommendation.
On the topic of temperature:
We recommend watching the video:
Video: how to measure the temperature of a child:
When they first encountered this problem, they were very scared. There was a high temperature, I phoned my parents and grandmothers, read what to do on the Internet, and asked my doctor for advice.The temperature was knocked down with paracetamol (so to speak a proven agent), watered plentifully, the temperature was constantly measured. In general, everything went away by morning, now we will know what to do.
My grandmother, a medic, always said that a disease that goes without fever is much worse than when it rises. Temperature means that the body has turned on protective functions and is struggling. We always try to bring down the temperature at the first symptoms, this is not right. Then the children are left without immunity. But, of course, you need to know the measure in everything, sometimes you can’t do without churning. If the baby is very ill, it is better to call a doctor or even an ambulance.
38-39gr, the old grandfather way. undress the baby, he is also waist-high. you take it in your hands, firmly press it to your stomach. you walk download. an adult's body (70-100kg) just takes the temperature from the baby + in his arms he quickly calms down
So what to do if the child does not have such a critical temperature that needs to be lowered, but at the same time he is very ill?
My little kid, after a cold, had a very long temperature. The pediatrician recommended starting taking ixim lupine. The impression of the medicine is extremely positive. First of all, it certainly helps a lot. Where even panadol did not help, Xim acted very well. Secondly, it tastes good, drank without problems and persuasion, even with joy. Thirdly, this is an adequate price. Last time they were treated with Suprax, so the sky-high cost there is simple, although the antibiotic is the same.