In what cases does the fever do not stray in the child?

If you hear the mournful whimper of your baby and see that he is somehow unusually sluggish or red, then first of all you will measure his temperature. Having seen that the child has a fever, you, of course, will begin to worry. But how big is the danger if the children have a high fever? Do you always need to sound an alarm if the temperature does not get out of the child?

In the United States, an interesting study among parents was conducted in one of the Children's Centers in the city of Baltimore. Here are the results:

• The overwhelming majority of parents believe that even a relatively low body temperature in a child can cause functional impairment in the form of a seizure or brain damage.

• Almost 90% of parents resort to an antipyretic agent at a temperature of less than 38.9 ° C and continue to use such drugs if the temperature does not go astray in the child.

To understand how to act, it is important to find out the role of temperature.

Why does the temperature rise?

The normal temperature, as is known, when measured in the oral cavity is 37 degrees. Throughout the day, the temperature can fluctuate by a few tenths of a degree. Every mother knows that by the evening the temperature rises, and in the morning it will be the lowest in a child.

The temperature is regulated by a very important organ - the hypothalamus. It acts like an automatic thermostat. When, in response to the entry of viruses and bacteria into the body, the immune system releases pyrogenic substances into the blood, the body temperature automatically rises and the hypothalamus itself adjusts itself to the maintenance of the child's temperature at an elevated level.

High temperature exhausts and causes dehydration, but it does not always represent a danger. Low temperature is a favorable environment for pathogens of respiratory diseases. High temperature is the key factor in the war of the organism with harmful organisms. A small increase in a child's body temperature helps his body fight.

Doctors advise: a small temperature does not stray in the child, as it contributes to the natural defense mechanism. If this advice seems a bit frightening to you, think about this: a method called hyperthermia is successfully used by doctors and represents treatment by artificial increase in body temperature.

However, high fever indicates infection. Remembering that it is rare that high temperatures are dangerous per se, focus not on the mercury column of the thermometer, but on the state of the child itself.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that if a child does not suffer from febrile seizures or a serious chronic illness, and feels relatively normal, then the temperature does not get out of the child to 38.3 degrees!

What if the temperature has risen?

Of course, you can help your baby by increasing his body temperature.

• Give the sick child more fluids (water, soup, fruit juice, diluted with water). Avoid drinks containing caffeine: cola and black tea. Such drinks have a diuretic effect and contribute to dehydration of the body.

• Infants should continue breastfeeding.

• Put your child in light clothing, as overheating of the body increases the heat.

• Create a cool atmosphere in the room.

• Do not feed the temperature-abiding child with severe food for digestion, as the temperature of the stomach is difficult at a temperature.

• Do not panic.

What to do - the temperature does not drop?

If, nevertheless, despite your actions, the heat does not go astray, and has risen higher than 38.9 degrees, you should give the child an antipyretic drug - paracetamol or ibuprofen, which are sold without a prescription. Observe the dosage indicated on the package itself. Remember that children under 2 years old without a doctor should not be given such medicines themselves. Do not use aspirin, which in children under 16 years of age can cause the Rhine syndrome.

Wiping reduces the heat. The child needs to be put in a bath in which warm water is poured on the bottom, and it is necessary to wipe it with a sponge. Alcohol can never be rubbed by children - it can cause a toxic reaction.