What to do when your child has a fever? What to do if a child has a high fever: reasons for the rise in temperature What to do in a child with a high fever

We bring to your attention a chapter from the book “200 Myths and Facts about Caring for a Baby,” in which famous American pediatricians discuss established opinions related to fever in a child.

Myth 1. The fever must be reduced

In fact: elevated temperature plays an important role.

Data

You've probably been told that children's temperatures rise higher than adults, and this is normal, but you still get scared when you see the thermometer creeping up: 38.3°C... 38.8°C. .. 39.4°C. Is it necessary to lower the temperature? It all depends on the specific case, but in principle it is better if the fever subsides on its own. Don't give in to "heat phobia" (more on that below).

If a child's body is struggling with flu or another, the temperature helps him. Some viruses and bacteria reproduce when normal temperature bodies. Fever helps get rid of intruders and is a signal that the body is producing more white blood cells, which fight viruses. By bringing down the temperature immediately or shortly after it appears, you prevent the body from getting rid of the infection, which would have passed faster without your intervention. High fever is not a disease. In reality she is.

Fever: when not to worry, and when is it time to call a doctor?

Depending on the age of the child, the words “normal temperature” can mean completely different things. For example, if the baby is not yet three years old, a rectal temperature of 36°C to 37.9°C is considered normal. You may get different results by taking rectal, oral, axillary, and tympanic (ear) temperatures. When talking with your doctor, do not forget to clarify exactly how you. Be aware that wax in the ear can affect the accuracy of the measurement, as can drinking hot or cold drinks. The AAP (American Pediatrics Association) recommends the use of rectal thermometers for children under three years of age.

A child may be more or less hot depending on external conditions, such as weather, clothing and physical activity. In addition, body temperature rises in the evening and drops again at night. Thus, there are several "normal" temperatures.

I suggest you practical advice, which will help you figure out when it’s time to call a doctor.

• If your baby is under 2 months old and has a rectal temperature of 38°C or higher, call your doctor immediately. This is very important because a fever can be a sign of a serious illness or infection.
• If your baby is 3 to 6 months old and has a rectal temperature of 38.3°C or higher, you should also call the doctor.
• In a child older than 6 months, a rectal temperature of 39.4°C is a reason to call a doctor.

Ask your pediatrician when to call the doctor for an older child. The pediatrician will give you appropriate recommendations depending on the age of the baby, how long the fever lasts and the presence of other symptoms. It's not just about the height of the column on the thermometer. Temperature - important symptom, but the appearance and well-being of a sick child are no less important. If a baby has a fever, this does not mean that he is seriously ill (some parents believe that if the temperature is high, the reasons must be more than serious, but this is not an axiom). When a child looks and feels unwell, the temperature should be checked. Special attention. So, call the doctor if your child develops following symptoms in addition to fever: sore throat or ear, persistent cough, unexplained rash, apathy, restlessness, unusual drowsiness, refusal to eat, repeated vomiting or diarrhea.

As mentioned earlier, for a baby aged 3 months to 3 years, the reason to call a doctor should be a rectal temperature above 38°C. When using a tympanic thermometer, this figure is 37.5°C. For children over three years old, an oral temperature of 37.2°C is considered high. (For children over three years of age, an electronic oral thermometer can be used.)

Some parents like electronic tympanic thermometers for babies, which measure the temperature in the middle ear, but their data is not always accurate due to sulfur plugs in the ears or incorrect placement of the thermometer in the ear. Be sure to tell the pediatrician how you measured your child's temperature. Do not use mercury thermometers. They are considered dangerous because the thin glass housing contains highly toxic substance, contact with which must be avoided. Although most modern thermometers do not contain mercury, glass is still best kept away from children.

Myth 2. Temperatures above 40°C can cause brain damage

In fact: a temperature of 40°C is indeed considered high, but it will not cause brain damage.

Data

You just learned that babies' temperatures can run much higher than adults', and that's normal, but you still can't stop worrying, especially if your baby is clearly not feeling well. The temperature may jump a couple more notches above 40°C until the child is truly at risk of brain damage. The fever that accompanies illness is beneficial. This is the body's response to infection. When a bad microbe (virus or bacteria) enters the body, white blood cells begin to produce the hormone interleukin, causing the body temperature to rise and the virus to die.

Even with the high heat that accompanies the infection, there is no risk of brain damage, but the high temperatures associated with being in a car on a hot day or overheating in the sun and a large physical activity, are very dangerous. Such extreme situations the body loses its ability to cool. Sometimes it can be due to an abnormal internal reaction of the body, but the most common cause remains external factor, for example, exposure to hot air or water. In case of heatstroke, the temperature can rise to 45°C, in which case emergency treatment is required. health care.

My child had febrile seizures. Is it dangerous?

Febrile seizures, a type of seizure caused by fever, occur in 4% of children from birth to 5 years of age. At the same time, the baby experiences convulsions, and his eyes roll up to his forehead, so it’s scary to look at him, but usually the attack goes away within 5 minutes and does not lead to any serious consequences. Although there may be a genetic predisposition to these seizures, most children do not have another seizure. Children who have had febrile seizures are no more likely to have problems intellectually and mental development or get epilepsy than everyone else. However, such children need to bring down the temperature, and parents should discuss this issue with their doctor. If your child has had a febrile seizure or any other seizure, with or without fever, tell your pediatrician immediately, but don't worry about any long-term consequences.

Myth 3. You can alternate between ibuprofen and acetaminophen to reduce your fever.

In fact: alternating medications is not only unnecessary, but also generally dangerous.

Data

Previously, pediatricians advised parents to alternately give their babies two antipyretic drugs - ibuprofen and acetaminophen - to quickly reduce the temperature. There is evidence that this method actually works, but pediatricians have finally come to a consensus. They believe that similar treatment does more harm to the child than good. It is very easy to confuse the sequence and dosage of medications, especially if the baby is prescribed other medications. Antipyretics are available in various forms: there are drops for babies, as well as syrup and chewable tablets for older children. If you give your child medicines various forms, the risk of making a dosage error increases.

Choose one fever reducer (don't give ibuprofen to babies under six months). Ask your pediatrician about its benefits. Some doctors recommend taking ibuprofen for temperatures above 39.4°C. Never give your child aspirin or medications that contain it (also called salicylate or acetylsalicylic acid") because it can cause Reye's syndrome, a very rare but dangerous disease, leading to liver and brain damage.

Besides drug treatment, consult your pediatrician about other ways to reduce fever, for example, in what cases are wiping with cool water (29.4-32.2 ° C) indicated. Do not use cold water. This is not only unpleasant, but can also cause the child to shiver, which will only increase the temperature. The body loses moisture from the heat, so give your child something to drink. Don't bundle him up, don't cover him with extra blankets, and keep the room temperature cool. Too many layers of clothing and warm air may make the fever worse.

Would you (or a doctor you know) suffer from “feverphobia”?

The ibuprofen/acetaminophen combination has gained popularity due to the misconception that fever is always dangerous and should be treated as a separate illness and that febrile seizures cause brain damage. The term "feverphobia" was coined in 1980 by Dr. Barton Schmit, who studied popular misconceptions related to temperature. And although we know that fever is a sign of certain processes occurring in the body, and at the same time defense mechanism in the fight against infection, many still suffer from this phobia today.

The parents in Schmit's study believed that even mild fevers could lead to seizures, brain damage, and even death, so they did their best to bring down the fevers by resorting to sponge baths and alternating medications. Many participants were confident that if they did not immediately bring down a fever caused by an infection, it would be very difficult to do so later (fever associated with infections does not exceed 40.5-41 ° C), or that the increase in temperature was caused by something then very serious (an exotic virus or rare disease), and also that if the fever is not brought down with the help of medications, the consequences will be terrible.

But parents are not the only ones who bear the blame for “inciting” heatphobia. We, pediatricians, also had a hand in this.

One study examined pediatricians' views on fever, and most agreed that high temperatures increase the risk of brain damage and death. This is indeed possible (if the temperature has risen very rapidly), but such cases are extremely rare. The researchers also asked pediatricians why they recommended alternating medications, and they responded that they did so because they followed the AAP's recommendations, even though they never made such recommendations.

Myth 4. Children with elevated temperatures should not walk outside.

In fact: child with low temperature Can walk both indoors and outdoors.

Data

If a child has a fever, we assume (wrongly) that it affects him in the same way as it does adults, and that he will feel better if he lies on the sofa or in bed and rests. In fact, lethargy and irritability, which we strongly associate with high fever, appear in many children only when the thermometer reaches 38.3°C. A sick child may behave completely normally and show interest in play and communication. If the weather is warm (but not hot) and the baby has enough strength and energy, a breath of fresh air while walking in a stroller or in the yard can bring great relief. more benefit than sitting in an apartment (where bacteria can breed). On a hot day, it's best to stay in a cool room because your baby's temperature may spike and cause heat exhaustion.

04.04.2011

Fever in a child is always a good reason for parental concern. And if we are talking about a baby, then excitement can develop into real panic. In fact, fever and fever are quite common symptoms of many diseases. Today we will tell you how to quickly and effectively cope with high body temperature in children of different ages.

Causes of fever in children

An increase in temperature occurs when exposed to children's body viruses, toxins or bacteria. Immune cells in response to the penetration of the “pest”, pyrogens are released - special substances that cause the body to heat up from the inside. This is provided by nature for a reason, because the immune system works much more effectively when the temperature rises to 38°C. But if the temperature begins to rise to 39°C and above, there is a load on the cardiovascular, nervous and respiratory systems.

High temperature in children (from 37°C to 40°C) occurs under the following body conditions:

• development of bacterial/viral infection;
• eruption of baby teeth;
• overheating;
• heat stroke;
• strong emotional experiences;
• fright, prolonged stress.

Often, sudden fever is the first symptom of a serious illness (meningitis, pneumonia, etc.). It may be accompanied by warning signs:

• Lethargy, inactivity, sleepiness.
• A rash in the form of blue “stars” and bruises appeared on the baby’s body.
• The child has stopped urinating or has become very infrequent, the urine has acquired a dark shade; the appearance of seizures.
• Impaired breathing (too frequent or rare), too deep or, conversely, superficial.
• The child's mouth smells of a specific odor (acetone).

If you notice the presence of one of the above points in your child, you should immediately call an ambulance.

On a note! If there is any increase in temperature in a child under 6 months, you should immediately consult your doctor.

What temperature should be lowered in a child?

A frequent question from young mothers: when can you reduce the temperature in children?

Pediatricians have established the following temperature limits, depending on which a decision is made to reduce the thermometer readings to optimal values:

1. mild fever - from 37°C to 38.5°C;
2. moderate heat - from 38.6°C to 39.4°C;
3. high fever - from 39.5°C to 39.9°C;
4. heat, life-threatening– from 40°C and above.

Doctors do not recommend giving antipyretic drugs up to 38°C if the child’s health is stable. You can bring down your temperature to this level without medication: they will come to your aid wet compresses, light rubbing of the skin. The child needs to be kept cool, drink plenty of fluids and rest.

Note! If the measures taken do not bring results, and the child’s fever does not subside within two hours, then it is necessary to give medicinal product to relieve fever, prescribed by the local pediatrician. If there is a sharp increase in the thermometer readings or “jumps” in temperature from 38°C to 39.5°C, regardless of the baby’s age, immediately call an ambulance.

Don’t panic – a healthy child has a fever

• Sometimes elevated temperature can be seen in a baby who is barely born. The thing is that in a newborn baby, the mechanisms of thermoregulation are not fully formed, so the body temperature is armpit can reach 37-37.5°C. In the evening, the temperature is usually higher than in the morning - new mothers should take this into account.
• Temperatures above normal during teething are a common occurrence that worries parents. But in this case the fever does not rise higher than 37.5°C, so to alleviate the child’s condition, you can stick to home remedies: more fluids, less warm clothes and no diaper at least while you are awake. If signs of fever appear (as well as signs such as nausea, vomiting, reluctance to drink) and the temperature rises, you should consult a doctor.
• There are also situations when a healthy infant without visible reasons Body temperature begins to rise, and quite significantly. This may be due to overheating (especially at low humidity in the room). This is possible when the mother diligently wraps up the baby and does not open the window in the children's room during the day. As a result, when changing a diaper, she discovers a hot baby who is breathing heavily and the divisions on the thermometer exceed 38°C.

Remember: a child should be dressed only 1 layer warmer than himself! Don't focus on your baby's cool hands and feet. If the baby has warm elbow and popliteal folds, as well as the back, then he is comfortable and does not freeze.

Let's go down: 4 steps to reduce fever without drugs

There is a special table upper standards temperature in humans depending on age:

If a child has a fever, the temperature must be reduced to 38.5°C as quickly as possible (rectal temperature to 39°C). What you need to do for this:

• Create an optimal environment in the room where the child is located temperature regime. The room should be moderately warm (about 23°C), but with access to fresh air and well ventilated.
• Choose appropriate clothes for your baby. If this is a child under one year old, then it is enough to put a thin blouse or a sleepsuit on him. While the child has a high temperature, it is better to remove the diaper: this makes it easier to control whether the baby is still urinating. Also, diapers retain heat, which is the basis for temporarily stopping their use while the baby has a fever.
• Place a cool compress from a cloth soaked in water on the child’s forehead; it is also worth wiping the baby with water. room temperature. The baby can be placed in a bath of water corresponding to normal body temperature (37°C). This will help to safely reduce the fever of a sore throat. Frequent rubbing makes it easier to cope with the disease. But rubbing with alcohol or vinegar is not recommended for young children - the skin of babies is very delicate and thin, it is easy for substances to penetrate through it, and the baby, in addition high temperature We risk getting poisoned in addition.
• Offer your child to drink a lot and often. If the baby is on breastfeeding, then provide him with round-the-clock access to the breast. Mother's milk is a treasure trove immune factors, which will help you cope with fever faster. If the baby is artificial feeding or has already grown up, then offer him plain boiled water. It is imperative to take at least a sip every 5-10 minutes to avoid dehydration.

Important! To check if your baby is getting enough fluids, count his urinations - a baby who drinks sufficient quantity, urinates at least once every 3-4 hours with light urine. If your one-year-old baby refuses to drink fluids or is too weak to drink on his own, immediately consult a doctor again.

How to bring down a child's temperature: folk methods

At high temperatures, the main task of parents is to ensure that the child’s body has the opportunity to lose heat. There are only two ways for this:

1. sweat evaporation;
2. warming the inhaled air.

Will help relieve fever and improve the child’s health traditional methods, which are distinguished by their simplicity, safety and the ability to resort to them in any situation.

Avoiding dehydration

If your baby has a fever and refuses to drink even a little, then this is a direct path to dehydration, which can only be dealt with with IV drips. In order not to bring it to an extreme state, be sure to replenish the fluid deficiency in the baby’s body.

What you can give to drink:

• infants: mother's milk, boiled water;
• from 1 year: weak green tea, decoction linden color, chamomile decoction, dried fruit compote;
• from 3 years: tea with cranberries/viburnum/currants, uzvar, mineral water without gas, etc.

If the fever is combined with vomiting and the fluid is not retained in the body, then to preserve water-salt balance you need to dilute the powder of the medicine Regidron according to the instructions and give the child a teaspoon.

Keeping you cool

If a child has a fever, then it is necessary to immediately rid him of clothes that retain heat, thereby overheating and increasing the baby’s painful condition. At any time of the year, ventilate the room for at least 10 minutes, starting Fresh air to the room where the child is resting. The flow of cool air has a beneficial effect on a small patient who has a fever. You can achieve this in the summer by temporarily turning on the air conditioner or fan (without directing the flow towards the child!).

Wet wrap

Wrapping with a wet cloth helps with extreme heat, improving the child’s condition in the first minutes. Can be used for wrapping plain water. To do this, you need to moisten a soft towel or gauze in water at room temperature and carefully wrap it around the baby’s body. Then lay the child down, cover with a sheet and carry out the procedure for 10-15 minutes. After an hour, if the body reacts well, you can repeat the wrap. For better effect You can make a wrap with yarrow infusion - 4 tbsp. freshly cut leaves, pour 1.5 liters of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, cool. Use healing composition needed within 24 hours.

Important! This folk remedy can only be used if the child is “burning”, he is very hot. If, on the contrary, the baby is freezing, this means that he has a vasospasm - in this case, the wrap cannot be carried out, but it is necessary to give an antipyretic.

Rubbing with vinegar

This is an age-old method of lowering body temperature. It can only be used in children over 6 years of age, and only with vinegar diluted with water 1:5. Use a solution of one part vinegar and five parts water to wipe the baby’s arms, legs, feet and palms. soft cloth. You can repeat wiping every 3 hours. If skin irritation appears after the procedure, do not resort to further treatment. this method relieving fever.

Therapeutic enema

An enema helps relieve fever and reduces high fever by at least 1 degree during the first hour after the procedure. It is carried out in children over 1.5 years old. Simple solution for therapeutic enema: 1 tsp. chamomile herb is poured into 0.2 liters of boiling water and left for an hour. Then the infusion is filtered through cheesecloth and is ready for use. You can also use saline solution for an enema, which is prepared quickly and is very effective: take 2 tsp per 0.3 liter of warm boiled water. fine extra salt and a few drops fresh juice beets. Mix everything thoroughly and the solution is ready.

Taking a bath

A cool bath will help when the thermometer rises higher and higher, but there are no medications at hand. You need to fill the bath with warm water, but not hot - use a thermometer and make sure that the water is no higher than 37°C. Place your child in the water and gently wash his body with a washcloth. Be careful, touching can be painful in hot weather - in this case, just gently pour water on the child from a watering can. After 15 minutes of bathing, the body temperature will drop by at least a degree and the child will feel better. After the bath, just lightly blot your skin without wiping it dry - the evaporation of water will also additionally have a slight antipyretic effect. You can repeat the procedure up to 5 times a day.

You will also find people's councils on reducing high temperatures in the cheat sheet below.

And now tips for reducing fever from pediatrician. Watch the video:

Antipyretic drugs: table by age

From the first days of life until adulthood, only a doctor can prescribe medicine to a child. Therefore, answers to the questions “how to bring down” and “how to bring down” a child’s temperature should be sent, first of all, to the pediatrician. Keep in mind that many of the medications do not begin to act immediately, but after a certain period of time, which can take from 20 minutes to 1.5 hours.

• Paracetamol The doctor prescribes it for children in two forms: suspension and suppositories. Most parents prefer it. The product helps to reduce the temperature not to the normal value of 36.6°C, but by about 1-1.5 degrees. A single “portion” of paracetamol is 15 mg per kilogram of a child’s weight. For example, if a baby weighs 4 kg, he needs to be given 60 mg of this drug.
• Ibuprofen (active remedy in medications such as Nurofen, etc.) refers to “reserve” drugs. It is actively used by mothers of children after one year, but not of infants. It is not advisable to prescribe it to children under 4 months of age. Pediatricians also discourage the use of ibuprofen if there is a risk of dehydration, since this medicine negatively affects the kidneys. For a single dose, you need to take 10 mg of ibuprofen per 1 kg of the child’s weight.

On a note! The combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol in medicine is recognized as unsafe - the drugs have shown in practice that they can enhance side effects each other. If possible, stick to medications with the same active ingredient when treating your child, or use long breaks between doses of different medications (at least 6-8 hours).

• Panadol has proven itself well as a remedy for fever with sore throat, group, ear pain(otitis) and ARVI. The bottle with the suspension is easy to use, the medicine tastes sweet, so kids take it calmly. The drug is used in children older than 3 months, before reaching this age - only as prescribed by a doctor.
• Tsefekon D- a drug produced in the form of suppositories, it is based on paracetamol. Candles are convenient to use while the child is sleeping, as well as in case of dehydration (nausea, vomiting, inability to take liquids and food). Cefekon D has not only an antipyretic effect, but also an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. The effect of the suppositories begins within the first 15 minutes, but also passes just as quickly, so a single use of the drug until the morning may not be enough.
• Drugs that should not be used to reduce fever in children: ketoprofen, nimesulide and other medicines from NSAID groups. Under no circumstances should you give your child aspirin - it can cause damage to the brain and liver.

Important! To lower the temperature to normal values, antipyretic drug therapy alone is not enough - it is necessary to combine them with more by safe means(by rubbing, airing, drinking plenty of fluids).

Tips for parents: what to do if your child has a fever

Always be attentive to your baby’s complaints about his well-being. Even if he mentions that he’s just hot, don’t be lazy to spend five minutes and look at the bar on the thermometer. Treatment started in a timely manner will help quickly identify the cause of the disease and prevent the development of the disease.

Before the list of tips, we recommend watching a short video on how to help a child with fever:

Don't lower your temperature prematurely

If the temperature does not exceed 37.5°C, and the child’s condition is satisfactory, then do not rush to give the child medication. Many pathogens die in the body at this temperature; this is a kind of immune defense, which is provided by nature itself.

Remember the rules of behavior when sick

Mothers will have to deal with fever more than once during their children’s infancy, so it’s worth taking note of all the recipes in advance so that they are at hand at the right time. After all, when the baby is sick, there is no time to waste precious time reading forums - it is much better if the cheat sheets are always in sight (you can print them out and leave them in the medicine cabinet).

Have fever medications in your first aid kit

Age-appropriate children's fever medicines should always be kept on hand just in case. home medicine cabinet. Fever can occur suddenly, at any time of the day, and it is best if you are prepared to help your child by giving a fever-reducing drug if necessary.

What should you not do?

• Allow a child at a temperature above 38.5°C to run, jump and otherwise express physical activity– for a speedy recovery, the child’s body needs peace and rest.
• Wrapping your baby in warm clothes, covering him with a warm blanket - trying to get the baby to sweat properly, you can achieve the opposite effect and provoke a new rise in temperature.
• Measuring the temperature by force is no new stress for a sick baby. If your baby resists and is afraid of the thermometer, try measuring his temperature after half an hour. Sometimes children are afraid to measure their temperature rectally, in which case there is a reason to use another method of measurement.

Not so fast. But colds, in which it is high, occur more often. Especially if the child goes to kindergarten at 2.5 years old or even earlier.

The mother must be prepared not only for frequent sick days, but also for the fact that she needs to be able to properly lower the baby’s temperature when it is high. But it’s even better if parents know how to prevent fever.

What temperature should be used to reduce the temperature in children aged 2 years?

First of all, according to the precepts of Dr. Komarovsky, it is necessary to reduce the temperature “with improvised means” from the very beginning of its increase, that is, from 37℃. For this we:

• We create a comfortable microclimate in the room - 18℃, humidity 45-70%.
• We dress and cover according to how we feel, so that the baby is neither hot nor chilly.
• We reduce the baby's activity.
• We drink a lot and often - this is the main basis for quickly lowering the increased temperature.

Medicines are used to reduce the temperature depending on the characteristics of the child’s physiology and the disease:

• From 37.5℃, more often from - with a tendency to febrile convulsions, chronic nervous, kidney and heart diseases. For such children with hyperthermia, monitoring by a pediatrician and a specialist is required, and immediate hospitalization as directed.
• From 38℃ after vaccination.
• From 38.5℃ almost always, since most children feel noticeably unwell with such thermometer readings.
• From 39℃ in any case, although some babies with such hyperthermia can still be cheerful and cheerful. But it’s better not to wait until this moment, to start at least with 38.7.

What antipyretic drugs can be used to bring down the temperature of two-year-olds?

First of all, you need to remember that a child at this age will not be suitable for any fever medication that you use yourself.

• It is strictly forbidden to use drugs containing aspirin. They can lead to Reye's syndrome - severe damage to the liver and other organs.
• Analgin is extremely undesirable. Only as part of injections given by emergency doctors to children over 1 year of age in critical situations. This is a highly toxic substance, banned in the USA and many European countries. It affects the hematopoietic system.
• Adult forms of nimesulide. Children can be taken only on the direct instructions of a doctor, and only when Paracetamol and Ibuprofen have not helped. Even the doctor Komarovsky admits this, which he writes about in his book " ORZ: a guide for sensible parents"But he strongly advises reducing the recommended doses and never starting to bring down a high fever with nimesulide. Use only when more safe medicines don't help.

Our main assistants in the fight against high fever are Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. Pediatricians all over the world recognize them as the safest. But for help to be effective and not cause harm, you need to:

• Make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids beforehand. Better rehydrating solutions: Regidron, Gidrovit. They can be given little by little, but often. If the child does not want to drink on his own, use a syringe. And alternate with sweet compotes, fruit drinks, juices, even soda. The antipyretic will only work if you have something to sweat.
• Choose the right one dosage form. For a 2-year-old child, this is a suspension or syrup, and suppositories at night. The higher the temperature, the more liquid the form of the drug should be in order to be absorbed faster. This means that the higher the temperature, the more warm water the child must wash it down. Tablets at 38℃ simply lie in the stomach due to spasm of its blood vessels. The same thing happens with suppositories due to spasm of the vessels of the rectum at febrile temperature.
• So that parents can correctly calculate the dosage. Paracetamol - 15 mg/kg body weight single dose, per day limit 60 mg. Ibuprofen - 10 mg once, 30 mg throughout the day. It is better to calculate in advance how much medicine needs to be poured into a spoon or cap with divisions, or drawn into a syringe based on your child’s body weight. The main thing is not to confuse milligrams and milliliters. Dosage is measured in milligrams active substance. The instructions always say how many fit in the included measuring device.
• The suspension must be shaken well before use so that the medicine is evenly distributed among the additional substances. Otherwise, you may measure the dose incorrectly.

How to take medications?

Before giving your baby an antipyretic, check the instructions for how to take it. Standard recommendations are:

• If possible, do not give medications on an empty stomach. This is especially important for Ibuprofen. For Paracetamol best time- an hour after eating.
• Wash down syrups and suspensions with plenty of warm liquid, preferably regular boiled water. This will speed up the absorption process.
• Place suppositories after the next bowel movement.

Paracetamol, Ibuprofen and Nimesulide are compatible with each other. Their strength increases in this order. Therefore, it is better to start reducing the temperature of a child at 2 years old with Paracetamol. If it doesn’t want to go astray, use Ibuprofen. It doesn't work - in as a last resort You can use Nimesulide. If, moreover, even higher does not go astray in 30-40 minutes, you need to call ambulance.

You should not take antipyretic medications for more than 3 days. If the temperature of a 2-year-old child does not begin to decrease on the fourth day, you need to call a pediatrician at home and find out the reason. This situation is an indicator improper treatment or complications.

What else do they knock down?

With white fever, when a 2-year-old baby has a body temperature of 38℃ or more, but cold hands and feet, pale skin, you need to call an ambulance. But while the doctors are traveling, you can help the baby by carefully warming his arms and legs with rubbing, heating pads, covering, and warm drinks. Antipyretic suppositories are ineffective for white fever. As prescribed by a doctor, sometimes in such situations the drug No-shpa is used to relieve spasms, but in a strict age-specific dosage.

Rubbing - no effective method reducing fever. If a child has red fever with pink skin, with hot hands and feet, you can gently blot your armpits, areas under the elbows and knees with a napkin moistened with water at room temperature. Under no circumstances should you rub your baby with vodka or vinegar. These are toxic substances that are quickly absorbed through the thin baby skin and increase the intoxication of the body.

Adults become very worried when a child's temperature rises sharply. After all, an increase in temperature is a sign of malaise, signals infections, inflammatory processes, about impaired metabolism. But if suddenly the baby suddenly has a fever, do the parents know how to behave? What medications should be given, and should it be done, and how should it be done correctly? All this requires clarification.

Why is fever necessary?
An increase in temperature, or in common parlance heat, fever, all this is a signal of the body’s defense system, which is triggered when viruses enter the body, harmful microbes, or allergens, anything that potentially harms the child. The body produces special protective substances that also have the properties of increasing body temperature, among other things. An increase of one or one and a half degrees in body temperature can almost completely stop the reproduction of viruses. And the immune system will get to them later. That’s why not every fever requires intervention and a decrease in temperature; sometimes the child’s body itself must begin to fight the infection.

What types of fevers are there?
As temperatures rise, temperatures can be divided into three types. Subfebrile, in which the temperature rises slightly and rarely exceeds 37.3, maximum 37.5. Then comes the febrile type of fever, when the temperature rises to 38-38.5, and if the body temperature rises to 39, and sometimes up to 40, then this is called pyretic fever.

Pyretic fever is the most dangerous for a child’s health, so intervention with the prescription of antipyretics is necessary. Low-grade fever, and in many cases, febrile fever, requires only child care and symptomatic measures.

What to do if your temperature rises
When the temperature rises, you need to calm down yourself and try to calm the baby; parental nervousness is transmitted to the baby and, due to crying, increases the fever. First of all, you need to accurately determine the temperature. Measure the temperature of a calm child, as screaming or crying a lot will cause the temperature to rise significantly. The best way to measure a child's temperature is during sleep. If the baby is under one year old or prone to seizures, then it is recommended to give an antipyretic when the temperature rises above 38 degrees, but if the baby is older and was healthy before, then an increase to 38.5 and a little higher, just observation and physical cooling is enough. In such cases, it is necessary to call a doctor to determine the cause of the fever. When it is impossible to call a doctor right away, you need to measure your body temperature every three or four hours, and then write it down on a piece of paper, indicating the time you took antipyretic drugs and what effect they had.

When should you call an ambulance?
There are situations when you shouldn’t wait for a doctor to come, but you need to call an ambulance. This must be done when a high temperature rises in children under three months of age, when a very high temperature in a child cannot be reduced by usual means, when a rash appears on the knees and shins, and it especially looks like hemorrhages.

Need to call urgently emergency assistance when the child is in an unusual body position, the neck is sharply arched and the head is thrown back, frequent and noisy breathing, the appearance of convulsions, severe lethargy and lethargy of the baby, or his sudden excitement, is accompanied by delirium. You will also need immediate medical attention if you have a fever with diarrhea and vomiting, if your child is unable to urinate for a long time or if their urine is an unusual color, if your child has serious chronic diseases liver, heart and other organs.

How to reduce temperature
If a child has a fever, then he needs fresh air and coolness; there is no need to wrap him in several blankets to make him sweat, this is dangerous due to overheating and deterioration of the condition. When a child has a fever, he sweats a lot and breathes quickly, his lips and nose become dry, and he needs to use a humidifier and drink frequently.
Walking and sleeping on the balcony during a fever are canceled, the baby is not bathed, but wiped with a damp towel or napkin to reduce the high temperature and for normal skin breathing.

Attention!
You should not wipe your child with alcohol, vodka or vinegar; they greatly cool the skin, causing chills with increased fever. When a child inhales the vapors of these substances, they cause irritation, nausea, and toxicosis with poisoning.
You should not put mustard in your socks, as this will cause skin burns and increase fever. It is also forbidden to rub the baby’s skin with vodka, rub goose fat, interior lard, and other folk remedies. This disrupts skin respiration and worsens the condition.

Medicines
Many parents easily use antipyretics, considering them safe, but this is not the case. Paracetamol is medicinal substance, if you increase the dosage of the drug, the liver will be affected, and ibuprofen can cause a sharp drop in temperature, even below normal. Aspirin, analgin, and nimesulide are generally prohibited for children; they can cause stomach ulcers and disrupt blood composition.
Therefore, when taking antipyretics, it is recommended to follow the dosage and strictly use children's forms. You should not give paracetamol more than four times a day, or ibuprofen three times, even when you think they are not helping. Counts effective reduction temperature by one to one and a half degrees, with high fever, temperature to normal, it is not recommended to bring it down; we must remember the protective role of temperature in the development of infection.