Fever in infants and young children

Fever is common in children but is not necessarily harmful, nor is it always evidence of a serious illness. Fever is a sign that the body’s inflammatory response has been turned on. The most common cause of this is a viral or bacterial infection. Fever, or higher body temperature is thought to be adaptive and beneficial in that it helps neutralize the infecting microbe.

Fever symptoms can include:

• rapid breathing and heart rate
• glossy eyes and flushed or marbled skin
• lethargy

For children of any age, parents and caregivers should be attentive to changes in eating or sleeping habits, coughing, pain or other marked changes in a child’s behavior.

When does a child have a fever?

When does a child have a fever?

A child is considered feverish when he or she has an oral or rectal temperature of 38.2 Celsius (100.7 Fahrenheit) or higher.

When to seek medical advice

When to seek medical advice

Same day: we recommend heading to a network walk-in clinic or to the Emergency Department in the following cases:

• Children younger than 3 months with an oral or rectal temperature of 38. 2 Celsius (100.7 Fahrenheit) or higher should be seen by a doctor the same day
• In children over 3 months old with  an oral or rectal temperature of 38.2 Celsius (100.7 Fahrenheit) or higher, medical advice should be sought same-day if fever accompanied by the following: the child appears uncomfortable or in distress despite administering a fever reducer (acetaminophen or ibuprofen), the child complains of headache and stiff neck, the child refuses to drink, for prolonged periods of time, the child has had a convulsion (seizure)
• Children with chronic diseases or who have weak immune systems should also be seen early

Call Info Santé at 811, consult your pediatrician or family doctor, or head to your nearest network walk-in clinic in the following cases:

Mild flu symptoms, gastroenteritis and fever that generally lasts 3 to 5 days can be treated at home and do not require medical attention.

However:

• If your child’s fever is persistent after 3 days without any apparent cause, or;
• If fever remains present after 5 days along with other symptoms (such as runny nose, coughing, sore throat, etc. ), consult your pediatrician or family doctor, or head to your nearest network walk-in clinic.

Call 9-1-1

Don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1 if ever your child’s condition deteriorates seriously.

How to best care for a feverish child

How to best care for a feverish child

• Your child may not feel like eating much with a fever. To prevent dehydration, give your child plenty of fluids — water, juice, soup, flavored gelatin or ice pops.
• Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen if your child’s temperature is causing him or her discomfort. Reducing the fever does not change the natural course of the illness, but often makes the child more comfortable. A comfortable child is more likely to drink and eat which is important in fighting an infection. Be sure to follow the package’s instructions for your child’s age and weight. Do not give children and teenagers aspirin or aspirin-containing products, because they have been linked to Reye’s syndrome, a serious condition that can lead to coma and death.
• Dress the child lightly and use lighter bedclothes to avoid overheating.
• About 5% of children between 6 months and 6 years of age sometimes have seizures or convulsions (called febrile seizures) when they have a  fever. These seizures are seldom harmful and are caused by the combination of a virus and a change in temperature in a susceptible child. During a seizure, protect children from hurting themselves by keeping them away from nearby objects and making sure they are breathing freely. These seizures most often stop by themselves within a minute. Report the seizure to your child’s doctor. If the seizures continue, go to the emergency room.

How do I take my child’s temperature?

How do I take my child’s temperature?

There are several ways to take your child’s temperature. Our experts recommend rectal and oral methods because of their accuracy, and advise against checking temperature more than once a day. Additional temperature readings add little value.

The right method depends on your child’s age. Use this chart to help you decide which method to use:

An accurate temperature reading is especially important during the first 3 months of your child’s life. During this time, a rectal thermometer remains the most accurate way to measure your child’s temperature. 

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First aid for a baby or child with a fever

1. The baby or child has a raised temperature (above 37°C). They have hot flushed skin and may be sweating.

In the early stages of fever, a baby or child may have a raised temperature but complain they feel cold and they may look pale. They may also complain of a headache.

2. Check their temperature by using a thermometer.

A moderate fever may not be harmful, but you should monitor them. A temperature above 39°C can be dangerous.

3. Reduce their temperature: remove excess clothes and give them fluids such as water or diluted juice.

This will cool the baby or child and help to keep them hydrated. Do not cover the baby or child with blankets or anything that may make them hotter.

4. Give the recommended dose of paracetamol syrup.

This will help to reduce the baby or child’s temperature and pain.

Watch how to help a baby or child with a fever (1 minute 32 seconds)

Common questions about first aid for a baby or child with a fever

What is a fever?

Can I give paracetamol syrup to my baby?

Should I put my baby or child in a cold shower or cold bath, or sponge them down to cool them?

Could a fever be a sign of something more serious?

Can a fever or high temperature cause a febrile seizure?

Do I have to seek medical advice every time my baby or child has a fever?

What is a fever?

A fever is a body temperature that is raised higher than the normal temperature of about 37°C.

Fever is usually caused by an infection, which may present as an earache or a sore throat. Moderate fever is not usually harmful, but you should monitor the child or baby carefully in case it develops into something more serious.

Back to questions

Can I give paracetamol syrup to my baby?

If your baby is under three months old you should not give paracetamol syrup, unless advised by a doctor. If they are older than three months then you could give them the recommended dose of paracetamol syrup.

Back to questions

Should I put my baby or child in a cold shower or cold bath, or sponge them down to cool them?

No, it is not recommended to sponge a baby or child down to cool them. It is important not to cool them too quickly. Putting a baby or child in a cold shower or bath would be distressing and may cause hypothermia.

Back to questions

Could a fever be a sign of something more serious?

Yes. It is important to monitor the baby or child for other symptoms, such as a severe headache, that could indicate serious conditions like meningitis.

Seek medical advice if you are in any doubt.

Back to questions

Can a fever or high temperature cause a febrile seizure?

Yes, a baby or child can have a febrile seizure because of a high temperature. This is because they can’t properly regulate their temperature yet.

As the child gets older, their body will get better at regulating their temperature, reducing the likelihood of febrile seizures.

Find out how to help a baby or child who is having a febrile seizure.

Back to questions

Do I have to seek medical advice every time my baby or child has a fever?

No, fevers are quite common in babies and young children. Often you don’t need medical advice.

Always seek medical advice if:

• their temperature rises above 38°C for a baby less than six months old 
• their temperature rises above 39°C for all babies and children over six months old
• you are worried about their condition.

Back to questions

Email us if you have any other questions about first aid for a baby or child with a fever.

Test your knowledge with our First aid app quiz 

High temperature what to do?

High temperature is an increase in body temperature above normal values. Normal body temperature in the armpit is 36.0-36.9ºС, and in the morning it is 0.3-0.5ºС lower than in the evening. In the oral cavity and rectum, the temperature is usually 0.5-1 ºС higher than in the armpit, but does not exceed 37.5 ºС.

The causes of fever are manifold. The most common of these are infectious diseases. Microorganisms, their toxins and waste products affect the thermoregulatory center in the brain, causing an increase in body temperature.

There are several types of fever. According to the degree of temperature rise, subfebrile is distinguished – not higher than 37.5ºС; and febrile fever. Everyone is familiar with the manifestations of fever: muscle aches, headache, pain in the eyes, weakness, chills. Chills are nothing more than a physiological way to increase body temperature. When muscles contract, they increase heat production, and body temperature rises.

An increase in body temperature during an infectious disease does not occur by chance. Fever has important physiological significance. First, many bacteria die at high temperatures or lose their ability to reproduce. In addition, with an increase in body temperature, the body’s defense mechanisms to fight infection increase. Therefore, if the fever is benign and there are no other symptoms, drug treatment is usually not required – plentiful warm drinking and rest are recommended.

However, there are negative consequences of fever. In addition to subjectively unpleasant sensations, fever leads to increased fluid loss and excessive energy expenditure, which can be dangerous in people suffering from cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. High fever is especially dangerous for children who have an increased tendency to convulsions.

When should the temperature be lowered?

• For severe discomfort.
• Sleep disorders.
• When the temperature rises above 38.5°C.

Tips for lowering the temperature:

The room should not be too hot and should be ventilated regularly. Do not rub the patient’s skin with alcohol – this can increase the chills. It is necessary to drink plenty of warm liquids (mineral water, preferably without gas; fruit drinks). If chills occur, the patient should not be wrapped. Of the drugs to reduce the temperature, paracetamol, ibuprofen are suitable. Pay attention to the dosage of the drug – always read the instructions on the package.

When to call a doctor immediately:

• For fever lasting longer than 24-48 hours in an adult or adolescent (or longer than 6-12 hours in a child under 2 years of age).
• When the temperature rises above 38.5°C.
• With the appearance of disturbances of consciousness: delirium, hallucinations, agitation; as well as with severe headache, convulsive seizures, respiratory failure.
• If registered with a neurologist and other specialists.

There is no need to be “afraid” of calls to polyclinic doctors or to “03”; Do not expect and think that everything will pass on its own. Timely treatment and treatment is the key to your peace of mind and health. Doctor of GBUZ YaNAO “Nadymskaya SSMP” Panov S.I.

Panov S.I. Kuzminykh V.V.

Note to parents: Emergencies in children

The New Year holidays are behind us, weekdays have begun. We hope you had a good rest and spent a wonderful time with your family and loved ones.

Before the New Year holidays, we published tips and reminders for parents on the safety of children during the holidays. However, you need to think about the safety of the baby not only during the holidays, so we decided to remind you of the importance of emergency care in dangerous conditions for the child. Let’s talk about this with the pediatrician of the children’s clinic “Mother and Child-IDK” Pikuleva Olga Vladimirovna.

“Of course, in an emergency, my first recommendation would be – call an ambulance for your baby to be examined by a doctor. Meanwhile, medical workers cannot always arrive very quickly, this problem is especially relevant in large multi-million cities. In some cases, even before the arrival of the ambulance, parents must take the measures necessary to save the life of the child. In this article, we will tell you what emergency conditions are in children, and how to properly provide first aid in an emergency, based on professional recommendations.

In the event of an emergency in children, the first aid that must be provided before the arrival of medical personnel usually consists of the following: One of the emergency conditions for which children may need first aid is hypothermia . Of course, if the baby’s cheeks, ears, nose, arms or legs are frozen, nothing terrible has happened, and there is absolutely no need to call a doctor. If, along with hypothermia, the baby has symptoms such as blanching or blue skin, increased heart rate and breathing, or muscle tremors, and also if the baby has become lethargic, weak and indifferent to everything, medical help should be sought immediately. Before the arrival of medical workers, it is necessary to completely undress the baby and attach his body to the body of an adult. From above, you can put on a warm scarf or scarf and gently rub the baby’s limbs with your palms. If it is still a baby, you can try to feed it with mother’s milk or adapted milk formula. It is not recommended to take any other actions before the arrival of the doctors.

Another of the most common emergency conditions in a baby is overheating . Do not forget that young children do not yet have a perfect thermoregulation system, so they overheat and hypothermia much faster than their parents. Overheating or heat stroke can be caused by direct exposure to the sun, insufficient fluid intake, clothing that is too warm, or excessive humidity. Symptoms of this disease, in which it is necessary to call an ambulance, are headache, increased breathing and heart rate, vomiting and nausea, pallor, general weakness, limitation of motor activity and a significant increase in body temperature. In some cases, heat stroke can even lead to loss of consciousness. In such a situation, you should also call an ambulance as soon as possible, and before it arrives, undress the baby, move it to a cool place and put it so that the legs are slightly higher than the head. To reduce the temperature, you can make various lotions and compresses, as well as wipe the baby’s torso with cold water, no medicines should be given before the doctors arrive. If the child does not refuse, it is necessary to give him ordinary non-carbonated water as often as possible.

Fever usually occurs as a result of inflammation in the body, the penetration of infectious agents into it or the release of special substances, fever mediators, including as a response to vaccination of the body. In this case, there is a change in the mechanisms of thermoregulation and, as a result, an increase in temperature. Although this is a protective reaction of the body, but with it, for every degree of fever, the heart rate increases by 10 beats and the load on the body increases. Therefore, fever always requires attention from parents and sometimes the provision of emergency active assistance. According to modern data, it is required to bring down the temperature only if the state is disturbed or the numbers rise above 38.5 degrees, in the presence of severe chronic pathologies or febrile convulsions that have previously occurred. If the child tolerates even high temperatures relatively well, you just need to give him the opportunity to have a temperature and cope with the infection on his own, carefully monitoring his condition.

Depending on the type of fever – white or red , the help will also differ. With red fever, you can not bring down the temperature to 38.5 and above, provided it is well tolerated, with white fever with vasospasm, therapy should be started immediately. Children with fever are given antipyretics in different forms, depending on age, but these should be drugs based on paracetamol or nurofen. They are dosed according to age and body weight, usually the calculation is indicated on the box. With white fever, it is also necessary to take antispasmodics – “Papaverine” or “no-shpa” Non-drug methods will also help – with a red form, rubbing with a damp towel with water at room temperature, and with a white one – rubbing the legs and hands with applying heating pads with warm water to them . It is necessary to undress the child and ensure coolness in the room, cover the child with a blanket when chilly. At a very high temperature, before the arrival of doctors, cold compresses can be applied in the area of ​​​​large vessels – in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe elbows, armpits, popliteal and inguinal folds. You can not rub the child with alcohol, vinegar or vodka. It is necessary to drink a lot of the child so that he sweats and the body cools down. If, with all your efforts, the temperature does not go down, it is better to call an ambulance and examine the child.

Bleedings of varying severity are especially common in children. As a rule, no special therapy is required for minor abrasions and scratches, however, in some situations, serious blood loss can even threaten the life of the baby. First aid for young children in emergencies, accompanied by significant loss of blood, is as follows: the baby should be laid so that the wound from which blood oozes is located above the level of the heart. Next, on the damaged skin, you need to attach a sterile napkin and press it firmly with your palms. Then the napkin should be replaced, tightly, but not strongly, bandaged and applied to the wound with a pressure bandage

Some parents are faced with such a phenomenon in their baby as convulsions. As a rule, in such a situation, the baby suddenly freezes with outstretched limbs, and after that there is a short-term loss of consciousness, accompanied by involuntary contractions of the baby’s arms and legs. Often an attack is accompanied by blue lips, the appearance of foam coming from the mouth, rolling eyes and other extremely unpleasant symptoms that often frighten young parents. In most cases, the cause of seizures lies in a significant increase in body temperature. This condition is very dangerous and requires an immediate medical examination, so an ambulance should be called as soon as possible. In this case, nothing can be done before the arrival of medical workers, just make sure that the baby in convulsions does not hit or get hurt

If the baby suddenly lost consciousness , regardless of the cause that provoked fainting, the following recommendations should be followed: first of all, splash cold water on his face. Then, at a distance of 5 centimeters from the spout, hold a cotton swab abundantly moistened with ammonia for 2-3 seconds; I do not recommend bringing the cotton wool too close.

One of the most dangerous medical emergencies in children requiring urgent treatment is foreign object entering the respiratory tract . Little kids love to put everything in their mouths and try it on their teeth, so it is very important to make sure that there are no small parts among the baby’s toys that he could swallow. Despite the fact that parents in most cases pay special attention to the choice of toys, various foreign objects enter the respiratory organs of babies quite often. As a rule, in such a situation, the baby begins to turn blue, suffocate, cannot scream, tries to cough, but to no avail, makes characteristic whistling sounds. Naturally, in this state of affairs, it is necessary to call emergency medical care as soon as possible. Much here depends on the correct tactics of the actions of parents. Place your son or daughter breast-feeding in your palm, so that his face looks down. With the thumb and forefinger of one hand, firmly grasp the baby’s lower jaw. Sit on a chair, and place the hand with which you hold the child on the knee or thigh. Hold the baby so that his head is lower than his torso. Then, with your free hand, sharply hit the baby on the back in the area between the shoulder blades 4 times. Turn the baby over and press hard with your fingers just below his nipples for 5 seconds. Alternate these movements until you manage to remove a foreign object, or until qualified medical assistance is provided.

In all of the above situations, first aid can be very important for preserving not only the health, but also the life of a small child. Unfortunately, many mothers and fathers in the presence of danger simply panic and forget even the most basic things.

Children are very active and, left unattended by their parents, can fall from various heights – from small chairs to quite large heights. At the same time, any fall is accompanied by fear and worries of parents about the health of the child. However, in cases where children fall, it is important to restrain their emotions and immediately take active steps to assess the situation and provide first or emergency care to the child. In this case, first aid will depend on the specific situation in which the injury occurred. First of all, falls from a height are a particular danger and characteristic features; at an early age, the greatest risk of injury is in the head area, since it is the heaviest in children and they fall head down. In this case, the parietal region becomes the most frequent zone of damage.

We will give you general instructions, but it is worth remembering that each injury and each child is unique, you need to evaluate both the type of injury, the height of the fall and other factors. There are general first aid measures given to children in cases of injury from falls. So, if the child falls from any height, you need to put the child on his back, while he should be laid on the floor or on a hard bed without pillows. If you need to move away from the child, you need to put him on the side, turning his face down. If the head is injured, do not soothe the child in such ways as applying to the chest or motion sickness, as well as drinking liquids. It is important for relatively high falls to immediately call a doctor or an ambulance to examine the child. Apply a cold compress to the impact site. If there is an abrasion or wound at the site of impact, you must first stop the bleeding with a clean, dry cloth, and only then apply cold compresses. In no case should children be given any sedatives or painkillers before the arrival of the doctors, and it is important that the child does not fall asleep before the arrival of the doctors – shake him gently, talk to him, do not let him fall asleep.