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| Fever in Children |
Signs and Symptoms
1. Hot forehead.
2. Orally measured temperature of 100 degrees or higher.
3. Flushed face.
4. Sweating.
5.Loss of appetite or little appetite.
6. Crying, irritability.
What to do now
1. Make sure your child is not overdressed or in a place that’s too hot. Remove extra clothing, and if possible, cool the room.
2. Have your child drink plenty of cool fluids to help lessen body temperature and prevent dehydration.
3. Check your child’s temperature with a thermometer. For a child up to the age of five, consider using a rectal thermometer.
4. Observe your child’s behavior. If child is eating and sleeping well and is playful, there’s probably no serious problem. But complaints of feeling sick or tired, lack of appetite, and crying for no clear reason are like signs of illness.
5. Give you child acetaminophen to help lessen the fever. (Never give a aspirin to a child under 12 who has a fever, chicken pox, flu, or any other illness you suspect of being caused by a virus).
6. Consult a pediatrician before giving medication to an infant under three months old.
When to call a doctor
1. If your child has a fever that lasts more than three days.
2. If your child has other symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, or a stiff neck; or if he or she cries continuously and is confused or delirious.
Call for an immediate appointment:
1. If your child is over three months old has a fever of 102 or higher. If your baby (three months old or under) has a fever of 100.4 or higher.
2. If your child has a temperature that climbs as high as 105 degrees after spending time on a hot beach or any hot place or in a closed car. This is not a fever but a dangerous condition called heat stroke.
How to prevent it
There is no known way to prevent most fevers. But fevers that are caused by overheating could be avoided:
1. Encourage your child to drink lots of water, rest in the shade, and wear a hat when playing in hot sun.
2. Keep a comfortable temperature at your child’s room.
3. Don’t overdress your child.
4. Never leave your child alone in a closed car.
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