It's okay to feel worried when your little one has a fever, but don't be careless in handling it. Ato be calmer in the face of situation this and the handling steps indo it right, come on, First, consider the following important facts about fever in babies:.
Babies are said to have a fever when their body temperature reaches 38 degrees Celsius or more. So even though his body feels warm and his skin looks red, but if the thermometer shows a number below 38 degrees Celsius, your little one is actually not having a fever.
Important Facts About Fever in Babies
There are 5 important facts for mothers to know about fever in babies. The following are the five facts and their explanations:
1. Pengukuran body temperature through the anus more accurate
You may feel reluctant to do so. But in fact, the most accurate way to detect your little one's body temperature is through the anus. Measurements through the armpit, forehead, or even the ear are not as accurate as through the anus. The recommended type of thermometer is a digital thermometer.
When taking a baby's temperature, make sure the thermometer is thoroughly washed before use. Grease the thermometer with petroleum jelly, then insert the thermometer into the anus about 2.5 cm and let stand about 2 minutes until the thermometer beeps. After that, slowly remove the thermometer.
2. Fever not only caused byinfection
Fever is not a disease, but a sign or symptom of an illness. The most common cause of fever in infants is a viral or bacterial infection. The high body temperature of the baby which is indicated by the symptoms of a fever is actually a good sign that the baby's immune system is trying to fight off the invading germs.
The nature and treatment of fever caused by bacterial infection is not the same as fever due to viral infection. The differences are as follows:
- A viral fever occurs when the body tries to fight off a disease caused by a virus, for example ARI or diarrhea. This type of fever cannot be treated with antibiotics and will usually subside on its own within 3 days.
- Bacterial fever occurs when the body is fighting off a bacterial infection, such as an ear infection, urinary tract infection, or bacterial pneumonia. This type of fever should be more careful, because it can cause serious complications if not treated properly. The treatment is with
In addition to viral and bacterial infections, an increase in your child's body temperature can also be caused by various other things, including:
- Hot air temperature
- Wearing clothes that are too thick or covered up
- Immunization
- Teething
- Autoimmune disease
3. Focus on the symptoms, not the fever
Many parents believe that the higher the child's body temperature, the more severe the illness. That's not the case though. Babies with a body temperature of 37.9 may feel comfortable and still actively playing, while those with a body temperature below that are fussy and look lethargic.
Babies who seem comfortable even though they have a fever don't actually need fever-reducing drugs. On the other hand, children who become more fussy, inactive, lethargic, or do not want to eat and drink should be treated immediately, even if the fever is not too high.
There are several ways that parents can do to make their baby feel more comfortable when they have a fever, including:
- Give him breast milk or formula more often. For babies aged over 6 months, can be given water or special baby electrolyte drinks. This is to prevent the baby from becoming dehydrated.
- Bathe him with warm water to help lower the heat. Immediately lift your little one out of the water when he starts to shiver.
- Wear comfortable clothes on your little one and cover his body with a thin cloth, rather than a thick blanket.
- Compress the forehead and armpits with a towel that has been soaked in warm water.
4. The right time to give medicine fever reducer
If the fever doesn't go down after being compressed, you can give your little one a special fever-reducing medicine for babies, for example those that contain paracetamol. But remember, giving paracetamol Infants under 3 months of age should consult a doctor first.
Give the drug according to the dose stated on the package. Do not give aspirin to your child, because this drug can cause serious side effects in infants and children, namely syndrome Rey which can be fatal.
In addition, the fever-lowering drug ibuprofen should also not be given to infants, because of the risk of causing digestive and kidney disorders.
5. Danger dfever in infants less than 3 months of age
A body temperature of more than 38 degrees in a baby younger than 3 months is an emergency and should be taken to the doctor immediately. There are at least two reasons why this condition cannot be ignored.
The first is because the protective layer between the blood vessels and the central nervous system of babies less than 3 months old is still very thin. If the fever is caused by a bacterial infection, this condition can make it easier for the bacteria to spread throughout the body.
The second reason is because babies less than 3 months old do not yet have a strong immune system, so they are very susceptible to infection. Therefore, infants less than 3 months old who show signs of infection, including fever, need to be immediately taken to the doctor for treatment.
Mothers also need to immediately take your little one to the doctor if he doesn't want to eat, has shortness of breath, has seizures, vomits, diarrhea, a rash appears, looks lethargic, is very fussy, or his fever lasts more than three days.