Recommendations for caring your child
► It is very likely that throughout his childhood, your son suffers at least a hundred of infectious episodes, most of which occur before the first four years. Many of these infectious diseases will be accompanied by fever, so you should be informed about how to handle these situations.
► In these cases, MEDIZZINE would like to warn about the need that before any other consideration, a diagnosis be established by a competent physician. Fever is a symptom and may accompany potentially serious illness, especially in children under six months of life.
► Fever causes greater loss of body water through the skin, which means an increased risk of dehydration. It is advisable, therefore, offer additional amounts of liquids, as water or juices. Drinks containing caffeine or similar substances increase the elimination of urine and thus may theoretically increase the risk of dehydration.
► It is not recommended that you force a child with a fever to eat if he does not desire it, but the additional expenditure of energy that causes maintaining a higher temperature than usual can be compensated in part by administering sugars, both in the form of drinks or sugared candies.
► The temperature can be taken in the rectum, mouth or armpit, being preferred the first site for the youngest children. Remember that in general, there is high temperature from 37.8 ° C (see table) in the child one-year-old in the rectum and the temperature varies with age.
| Age | Temperature |
|---|---|
| 3 months | 37.5±0.4 |
| 6 months | 37.5±0.3 |
| 1 year | 37.7±0.2 |
| 3 years | 37.2±0.2 |
| 5 years | 37.0±0.2 |
| 7 years | 36.8±0.2 |
| 9 years | 36.7±0.2 |
| 11 years | 36.7±0.2 |
| 13 years | 36.6±0.2 |
► It is not mandatory that you intend to maintain a normal temperature at all costs. Fever is a defensive reaction mechanism of the organism and should be treated when it causes discomfort, although this is relatively low, or when it reaches a certain level (eg 39 ° C in the rectum). If the child seems to be well and you do not detect a tendency to raise the temperature, can refrain from taking concrete measures against the fever while it remains mild to moderate .
► Do not overdress the child with the intention that he not be cooled. Just what should be done is the opposite, ie, that the excess heat produced by fever can be removed easily. With temperatures above 39 ° C in the rectum, it is likely that your child only required a T-shirt and underpants or panties. When an episode of chill occurs, is recommended to minimally cover (a savannah or, at most, a thin blanket) until the inevitable thermal increase occurs, at whose moment is unnecessary the excessive clothing.
► Do not force your child to stay in bed if the only reason that you have to take this measure is a fever. Surely he will find more comfortably if can perform any activity in his room or elsewhere in the home.
► Antibiotics do not lower the temperature. If your doctor has not prescribed any drug of this class you must assume that he have good reasons for not doing so. In fact, the vast majority of childhood infections are caused by viruses, which are insensitive to the action of antibiotics, and usually, heal by themselves.