How to reduce a baby's fever - 3 safe first aid remedies

An increase in temperature in a baby is a serious cause for concern for parents. But should you panic if the thermometer shows a little more than 37 degrees? When and how to lower the temperature? Let's figure it out.

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In newborn children (especially children under 3 months), the body's thermoregulation system is imperfect. The first few days after birth, the baby’s temperature can remain at 37-37.4 degrees.

Don't panic! Up to a year, slight fluctuations in temperature are considered normal, especially if the child has just eaten or has been naughty.

The way the baby is dressed can also affect the temperature: infants very easily overheat or, on the contrary, become hypothermic. Lack of drinking can also cause a slight rise in temperature in a child under one year old.

Antipyretics for adults and children

High and prolonged fever has a negative effect on the patient's body. As a result, antipyretic drugs are indicated. Their purpose is recommended:

• Adult patients suffering from flu or colds with a fever of 38.5°C or higher.
• Children, pregnant women or people who cannot tolerate high temperatures of 38 °C or higher

Antipyretic drugs are characterized by the same mechanism of action. They block the synthesis of substances that cause fever. The main properties of the group of antipyretic drugs include:

• Anti-inflammatory;
• Painkillers;
• Antipyretic:

One of the most serious side effects of paracetamol is hepatotoxicity. It can develop with an overdose of paracetamol. Contraindications for paracetamol include:

• Hypersensitivity to the drug;
• Liver or kidney failure;
• Alcoholism;
• Deficiency of the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

Ibuprofen is another member of the class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It is part of the following popular products - Nurofen, Ibuklin, Miga, Faspika.

Like aspirin, ibuprofen has a negative effect on the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, irritating it and thereby causing side effects such as nausea, vomiting, heartburn, etc.

Ibuprofen should not be taken for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, aspirin-induced bronchial asthma, urticaria, rhinitis caused by taking aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, bleeding disorders, diseases of the optic nerve, blood diseases, severe renal and liver failure, severe heart failure.

A febrile state in a baby is a common and important symptom of various diseases. Worried parents immediately run for medicine, trying to help their child.

According to doctors, the use of drugs is not always advisable. It all depends on the cause of the fever and the mark opposite which the mercury column of the thermometer stopped. In order not to harm the health of the baby, loved ones need to know exactly at what temperature to give the antipyretic to the child.

Actions at different temperatures

Temperature 37 degrees

With good activity, excellent appetite and normal bowel movements, this indicator should not cause any cause for concern. It is possible that this is an individual characteristic of the child, as a result of which there is no need to resort to additional treatment, given that children under one year have not yet acquired the function of thermoregulation. Its absence leads to rapid overheating and hypothermia.

Temperature 38 degrees

Here we can talk about turning on the protective function of the body. Most often, the child tolerates it well, maintaining activity, a good appetite, warm hands and feet. Parents can give the baby a warm drink or prepare a herbal decoction to maintain the baby’s general condition. There is no need to try to bring down the temperature, since this temperature range from 38 to 39 degrees allows you to use the body’s protective functions. The main thing is that the baby remains in a good mood and condition, which will allow him to avoid taking medications.

Temperature 39 degrees

The temperature may be accompanied by lethargy in the baby, who refuses to eat food. The child has irritability, blurred vision, the baby’s hands and feet have become cold, the heartbeat has increased and breathing has become difficult. Such symptoms require immediate medical attention.

Fever as a defensive reaction

Fever is the body’s “response” to the action of pathogens. Changes occur in the mechanism of thermoregulation of the body, which are manifested by an increase in temperature. This restructuring activates the natural reactivity of the body.

The biological significance of fever is stimulation of the immune system. In a feverish state:

• phagocytosis increases;
• the synthesis of interferons increases;
• lymphocytes are activated and differentiated;
• Antibody genesis occurs faster.

Elevated temperature is an obstacle for viruses, cocci and other pathogens, preventing them from multiplying.

Why does a baby’s runny nose not go away after 2 months?

What is the correct treatment and what does it depend on? There is no clear answer to this question. A common runny nose occurs in several stages:

• Elementary. It lasts from several hours to several days. The baby is bothered by pain and burning.
• Serous discharge. Continue for 2-3 days. This causes swelling and clear mucus.
• Purulent discharge. Lasts 2-3 days. The discharge becomes purulent, the color ranges from light yellow to green.
• Restorative. At this stage, the functionality of the nose is restored. After that, he begins to do his job normally. This happens within 3-4 days.

Thus, the disease lasts 7-10 days. If it lasts longer, then perhaps:

• therapy is carried out incorrectly;
• low immunity;
• allergies to medications;
• foreign body;
• inconsistency of therapy with the cause of the disease, for example, when allergic rhinitis is treated with antiviral drugs.

Parents need to reconsider all the means used and seek help from a specialist. In this case, the doctor will be able to prescribe the correct treatment tactics.

Fever: causes of appearance

Many scientists have devoted their research to the problem of fever. They proved that fever is caused by viruses, inflammatory processes, allergies, and neurogenic disorders.

The body of most impulsive children quickly reacts to the state of the nervous system and muscle activity. The thermometer will rise to 37.70 or 38.10 after screaming, active games or strong emotions.

At this temperature, there is no need to give the child an antipyretic. It is worth sitting him down and calming him down. Everything will stabilize on its own. The last resort is to wrap the baby in a sheet soaked in a weak aqueous solution of vinegar for 1-2 minutes.

Multiple infections are the most common cause of fever. With the help of medications, parents try to alleviate the patient’s condition and calm down themselves.

According to statistics, 20% of schoolchildren have a so-called low-grade fever of non-infectious origin. Over the course of 3 weeks, the thermometer rises to 37º or 38º and no medication can change the situation.

A temperature of up to 37.4º is normal for a baby. Its daily fluctuations are caused by physiological changes in metabolic levels. The thermometer will jump by 1º if the baby is overheated and crying a lot. The fever is observed for 15-30 minutes. When there are no other alarming symptoms, a child should not be given an antipyretic at this temperature.

Therapy for rhinitis in infants

If a 2-month-old baby has a runny nose, what to treat should be determined by a specialist. Treatment of rhinitis at this age has particular difficulties. They consist in the impossibility of using many drugs that are prescribed to older children. However, babies at this age do not know how to blow their nose.

First of all, the baby's nose is freed from secretions. What can be used to treat a 2-month-old child:

• Various aspirators.
• Douches or small enemas. It is best to choose them with a wide tip. Before the procedure, the syringe is disinfected and the tip is lubricated with petroleum jelly so as not to injure the baby’s mucous membranes. It is injected shallowly, thereby avoiding injury.
• Electronic devices. They are battery operated and have an attractive shape.

To treat rhinitis, solutions for rinsing and moistening the nose can be used. The opinions of pediatricians in this case are quite contradictory. One group of doctors is sure that rinsing is absolutely necessary. Others warn that if done incorrectly, there is a risk of infection in the middle ear. If there is a fever and purulent nasal discharge, parents should not rinse the baby's nose.

If light mucus and crusts occur, it is allowed to carry out the procedure with the following solutions: “Humer”, “Aqualor”, “Salin” and others.

For a 1-2 month old baby, parents should not prepare the saline solution themselves, since there is a high probability of going too far with its concentration. This can lead to irritation of the delicate mucous membranes.

Inhalation with a nebulizer is one of the possible procedures at this age. Steam inhalations are prohibited for use in infants.

If snot appears in a baby at 2 months, the pediatrician should determine how to treat it at home. It is best to carry out inhalations with a nebulizer with a decoction of herbs. However, such a procedure should only be done as prescribed by a pediatrician.

What drops can be used for a runny nose in a 2 month old baby? These include “Protargol”. They are based on colloidal silver. The product is approved for use by children if they are not allergic to the main active ingredient.

Other drugs (vasodilators, antiallergic) are prohibited for use at this age.

When is it necessary to lower the temperature?

All children react differently to fever. Many children from the second half of the year to 4-5 years old feel cheerful at 38.5º and above. Some feel bad already at 37.1 - 37.5º. The condition of children will not be the same even if the causes of fever are the same. If the baby tolerates an increase in temperature normally, parents have the opportunity to control his well-being; there is no need to interfere with the natural healing process.

Situations in which, if the temperature rises, it is necessary to give an antipyretic to the child before the pediatrician arrives:

1. An initially healthy baby over 2 months old with a temperature exceeding 38.5º. Younger children are given medicine already at 38º.
2. If a child with a diagnosed central nervous system disease, congenital heart defect with circulatory disorders, or a hereditary metabolic abnormality has a temperature rise above 38º.
3. The thermometer rose above 38º and the child had previously experienced convulsions due to fever.
4. Any fever accompanied by a painful syndrome, obvious malaise, or impaired consciousness.

Parents need to realize that antipyretic medications are not a cure. They simply bring down the temperature - a specific symptom of the disease. Irrational use of drugs will lead to a longer and more protracted course of the disease.

According to the recommendations of WHO (World Health Organization) experts, antipyretics should not be given to healthy children at a body temperature below 39°C.

BUT. the decision on the need to use antipyretics for ARVI should not be based only on “thermometer readings.” You can’t rely only on the temperature level! The child's well-being must be assessed. It is important to understand how a child tolerates a fever, whether his behavior, psycho-emotional state, physical activity, and appetite change.

If at a high body temperature the child’s well-being does not suffer much - he does not refuse to drink, his skin is moist, pink, and his palms and feet are warm - “pink type of fever” , then you can refrain from prescribing antipyretic drugs. In this case, you can limit yourself to physical methods of cooling - uncover the child, wipe the body with warm water or 50% alcohol, apply cold to large blood vessels (on the neck, groin area, liver area) or do an enema with cold water +8-10°C.

However, if a child has a fever (even below 38°C), chills, headache, muscle pain, aching joints, poor health, pale and dry skin, cold palms and feet - “ pale variant of fever” , antipyretics should be prescribed immediately!

Important. For children in the first 2 months of life, children with febrile convulsions, children with diseases of the nervous system of the heart and respiratory system, antipyretics are prescribed when the body temperature is above 37.5 ° C.

When the temperature rises

It is known that the normal temperature of a baby does not have to be 36.6°C. For a newborn, the acceptable range is from 36.2 to 37.3 ° C, which can be observed during the first weeks of life. Therefore, to the question of what temperature an infant should have, each mother answers herself, taking daily measurements of this indicator at approximately the same time of day.

An increase in “degree” usually indicates the development of an acute respiratory disease. But it can also serve as a symptom of other diseases: bacterial inflammation, intestinal infection, overheating of the baby, etc., and therefore always requires contacting a pediatrician. However, usually the baby gets “hot” in the evening, and you can’t get to the doctor until the next day, so it’s extremely important to know how to bring down the temperature in an infant and when to start doing it.

How to reduce a child’s high temperature - recommendations for parents

Fever in itself is not an indication for lowering the temperature. You should not strive to reduce it to normal; it is enough to reduce it by 1-1.5°, which is accompanied by an improvement in well-being.

At high temperatures, sufficient fluid should be administered (in the form of a water-salt solution, juices, fruit drinks, water, etc.), its total volume with food should be at least 120-150 ml/kg.

In case of severe fever, the child should be undressed and wiped with water at room temperature; This is often enough to reduce body temperature. If chills or trembling occur, an antipyretic should be administered.

It is necessary to avoid regular (course - 4 times a day) prescription of antipyretics; it has no advantages over the introduction of a repeated dose upon reaching a temperature level considered as an indication for its reduction. With this tactic, the effect of antipyretics is no lower than with a course of treatment, but this does not distort the temperature curve and reduces the total dose of the antipyretic.

The most common reason for prescribing antipyretics is acute respiratory infections, the duration of fever in which in 85% of cases does not exceed 1-2 days. The need to continue taking antipyretics for 3 days or more may indicate the presence of a bacterial infection, which requires re-examination.

The simultaneous administration of antipyretics and an antibiotic should be avoided - this makes it difficult to assess the effectiveness of the latter.

With the development of “pale” fever associated with impaired microcirculation, antipyretics are required, along with other measures (rubbing the skin, administering vasodilators, and in severe cases, droperidol into a vein).

A significant part of the population has developed pyrophobia - a fear of elevated temperature, which forces parents and doctors to look for “powerful” antipyretic drugs. And this is despite the fact that fears regarding damage to the brain, heart, development of coma, and especially death due to fever have not been confirmed. Nevertheless, antipyretics (for example, for acute respiratory viral infections) are prescribed to 95% of sick children.

The use of antipyretics aims to create more comfortable conditions, therefore the use of paracetamol as a first-line drug is fully justified. In this regard, the ongoing search for “more effective” schemes for reducing temperature is surprising: using alternation of drugs. Such studies only support pyrophobic sentiments and mislead doctors regarding the tactics of using antipyretics.

Attention should be paid to the following points:

• temperature is a protective reaction; it should be reduced only when indicated;
• Adequate fluid administration to a febrile child is more important than reducing the child's temperature;
• in antipyretics, it is not “strength” that is important, but safety; to improve the patient’s condition, it is enough to reduce the temperature by 1-1.5 ° C;
• paracetamol is the safest drug, it is important to adhere to the recommended single and daily dosages;
• Antipyretics should not be prescribed in a “course” to prevent a rise in temperature, since the development of a bacterial infection can be observed;
• for the same reason, you should not use antipyretic drugs for more than 3 days without consulting a doctor;
• You should try not to give an antipyretic to a child receiving an antibiotic, as this makes it difficult to assess the effectiveness of the latter;
• if a “pale” fever develops with spasm of skin vessels, the administration of an antipyretic drug should be combined with vigorous rubbing of the child’s skin until it turns red and call a doctor immediately.

No matter how strong a child’s immunity is, no one is immune from a rise in temperature due to a cold or after vaccination. Despite the fact that the use of any medications should be carried out strictly as prescribed by the doctor, parents should know at what temperature it is necessary to urgently begin to reduce the indicators in order to prevent critical conditions.

First of all, you need to remember that you need to act strictly according to the situation. Despite the fact that many children's antipyretic drugs are considered universal, their dosages often depend not only on the age of the baby, but also on the type of pathological factor causing the fever. Give your child fever relievers only to support him until the doctor arrives. Such remedies do not treat the causes of the disease, they only provide temporary relief and prevent the development of more serious problems (for example, dehydration).

What to do in case of high temperature

• It is necessary to provide the baby with plenty of fluids. First you need to prepare a herbal infusion that will help reduce fever.
• If a woman continues to breastfeed her baby, she should put it to the breast as often as possible to replenish the fluid deficiency in his body.
• It is necessary to ensure that the clothes on the child correspond to the temperature conditions of the room, since an additional layer of clothes will only increase the temperature of his body, causing overheating.
• Experts recommend giving your baby air baths. To do this, the child must be left naked for 10-15 minutes.
• You can place a cool cloth on the baby's forehead.

Antipyretics for babies

The main requirement for medications that reduce fever is safety and effectiveness. It is best, according to experts, to use paracetamol (Efferalgan, Panadol, which can be supplied in the form of syrup, suppositories and suspensions), as well as Nurofen (ibuprofen and ibufen). They have passed safety tests and are therefore approved for use by children from the first months of life.

There is no need to give children aspirin, which can cause various complications for the child’s body. If a child develops a high fever for the first time, you should not self-treat. It is better to consult a pediatrician.

Rules for the use of antipyretics in childhood

Before lowering the temperature of children, it is necessary to understand the cause of the phenomenon and assess the general condition of the little patient. It may turn out that the symptom does not require treatment and even has a positive effect on the health of the little one. When the question arises about making an independent decision about the treatment of your baby, it is necessary to evaluate the following points:

• At temperatures above 37ºC, the body begins to fight some kind of inflammatory process. Indicators within 38-39ºС signal an attempt by the immune system to stop the process of reproduction and spread of pathogenic microorganisms, even to destroy pathogens. By offering the child an effective antipyretic at this very moment, parents are doing him a disservice, literally forcing the body to refuse to effectively fight the disease.

Advice: Despite the fact that an increase in temperature during viral diseases indicates the proper functioning of the immune system, it is worth drawing the pediatrician’s attention to this point if the phenomenon occurs too often. Such high reactivity may be a sign of excessive sensitivity of the child’s body to external factors and in the future lead to the development of allergies to many irritants.

• When it is obvious that the body is struggling with an inflammatory process, the parents’ task is to maintain the baby’s strength and prevent the development of dehydration. For this purpose, you can give the patient warm drinks as often as possible. The creation of an optimal microclimate has a good alleviating effect. The air should be dry and cool. It is strictly forbidden to wrap the baby in order to increase sweating. It is better, if necessary, to give him compresses with warm water at regular intervals.
• With all this, at elevated temperatures, a situation may arise in which antipyretics become a necessary part of therapy. Despite the fact that, in general, a temperature of 39ºC does not threaten children, there are moments that radically change the situation and the universal rules do not apply to them.

It is possible and necessary to give children means to eliminate fever in the following cases:

1. When the numbers rise to 39ºС and above, no matter how old the child is.
2. When signs of hyperthermic syndrome (excessive increase in temperature with metabolic disorders) or pale fever (severe chills and whitening of the skin) appear.
3. Some children are given specialized medications already when the numbers approach 38-38.5ºC. Provided that the baby has been diagnosed with a serious disease of one of the body systems, he is under 3-5 years old and has a history of febrile convulsions.

In addition, it is customary to give antipyretics to infants under 2 months of age at any elevated temperature (they suffer fever much more severely than everyone else). Sometimes it doesn’t even matter what age the baby is or what caused the pathological phenomenon. Profile products can be offered if the child’s general condition deteriorates sharply, he complains of severe headaches or muscle pain (the newborn cries and behaves restlessly).

What is the danger of rhinitis?

In infants, due to the structure of the nasal passages, prolonged lying on the back leads to negative consequences. As a result, the inflammatory process spreads to the underlying sections and ears.

A child at a tender age is not able to blow his nose on his own, so the contents stagnate and prevent him from sleeping and eating. The baby becomes restless and capricious, and the parents also begin to worry. Against this background, his temperature rises.

If rhinitis is a common disease for an adult, then for an infant it is a serious problem that leads to complications.

If a 2-month-old baby has snot, what should the mother do? In this situation, parents should not take pathology lightly, but immediately take appropriate measures.

Optimal antipyretic drugs for children

Even the most proven and safe drugs, according to experts, should not be given to children too often. Practice shows that side effects of some products appear several years after therapy. For example, a long course of paracetamol before the age of 1.5 years increases the risk of developing bronchial asthma in children. Only a doctor can determine how much, in what form and for how long to give a profile drug to a small patient.

But parents should also remember the following points:

1. For fever in children, it is common to use drugs based on paracetamol or ibuprofen. The first is considered the safest in childhood and can reduce readings by 1.5 degrees for 2-4 hours. The higher the temperature, the shorter-term its effect will be. For very high data, ibuprofen can be used (if age allows). The effect occurs within a few minutes and is more pronounced and lasts longer.
2. Products such as Antipyrine, Amidopyrine and their analogues are not used in pediatrics due to obvious toxicity.
3. Aspirin can only be used when the child is 15 years old. Otherwise, the product may cause side effects that are incompatible with life.
4. Analgin is not recommended for children, because has a wide range of side effects, including a decrease in temperature to too low numbers, anaphylactic shock, and allergic manifestations. Only intramuscular administration of the drug is permissible strictly under the supervision of a physician.

Particular attention should be paid to the choice of pharmacological form of the drug:

• Syrups and solutions begin to act within 20-30 minutes. But they contain sweeteners that can cause allergies.
• Candles give effect approximately half an hour after placement, but have a longer and more pronounced effect. They are indispensable when a child is vomiting or is unable to take medicine. They are best placed at night, when the baby has already gone to the toilet.

It is strictly forbidden to exceed the dosages specified in the instructions for the product or as stated by the doctor. If the product does not give the desired effect, it will have to be changed, but only with the permission of a specialist. Parents should remember what reaction which drugs cause in their child in order to simplify the process of prescribing therapy in the future.

Effective medicines

What medications should be taken to combat fever in a child? Most antipyretics contain a considerable amount of active substances of synthetic origin.

It is not recommended to give them to children, as they can cause multiple side effects:

• headache;
• drowsiness;
• anxiety;
• vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• loss of appetite;
• hives;
• irritation of the gastric mucosa.

What medications will be the safest to treat a child? Effective and low-toxic drugs include:

• Nurofen is an effective medicine that contains ibuprofen. The drug is available in the form of rectal suppositories and suspensions for oral administration. The former help eliminate hyperthermia in a child within 40-50 minutes, and the latter – within 15 minutes;
• "Viburkol" is a homeopathic medicine available in the form of rectal suppositories. They can be used to treat infants and preschool children. "Viburkol" has an antiviral effect, so it helps fight ARVI;
• “Panadol” is an effective remedy that can not only reduce the temperature, but also fight pain in the nasopharynx due to inflammatory processes in the mucous membrane.

Temperatures above 38.5-39 degrees are dangerous to health, so it simply needs to be brought down. But, if hyperthermia is moderate, you can limit yourself to traditional methods to combat it.

Temperature with a cold

When a child has a cold, pronounced symptoms appear - runny nose, cough. Usually, with a cold, the temperature does not exceed 38.5. However, carefully monitor the baby’s condition and offer him water more often. If there is no vomiting, you can offer juice or yogurt. Children with hyperthermia refuse to eat, so ensure they are hydrated.

Important! Always monitor your baby's behavior. If his condition is acceptable, the temperature should not be lowered. If the child looks depressed, you can shoot him down right away.

Vomiting due to hyperthermia is considered a dangerous condition. In this case, you can put antipyretic suppositories, since the child will vomit or regurgitate the medicinal syrup. First, vomiting dehydrates the body - it needs to be stopped. Secondly, heat in the body also dries out internal moisture. Therefore, before the ambulance arrives, give your baby some water more often, a little every half hour.

If a child does not tolerate hyperthermia well and is prone to febrile convulsions, the fever goes down immediately. Convulsions are a very dangerous condition, indicating the body’s intolerance to hyperthermia. How many years does this condition last? Usually, after the age of six, the pathological reaction to a rise in temperature disappears. Febrile seizures can be a symptom of a central nervous system disease, so the baby should immediately be shown to a neurologist.

Note! The temperature should be measured using a knocked down mercury thermometer - achieve a mark of 35 C. Electronic and other types of thermometers do not need adjustment.

The next dangerous condition for a baby’s health is nasal congestion due to a cold with hyperthermia. The danger is oxygen starvation (hypoxia) due to improper breathing. The baby breathes through his mouth, the oral mucosa dries out - the infection can be localized in the bronchi and lungs. In this case, hyperthermia can cause severe complications - it must be reduced.

Hyperthermia without cold symptoms

If the fever appears due to the eruption of baby teeth, this condition is not dangerous. You can try to do without antipyretics. For example, wiping the child’s body with a moistened sponge or sanitary napkin helps a lot. Moisturizing the skin helps eliminate fever. Remove the baby's diaper - this is an additional source of body overheating.

If the fever appears due to overwork of the baby or overheating of the body, antipyretics should not be used either. Try moisturizing the skin with wipes or bathing your baby in a warm (not hot) shower. If you have a fever after vaccination, do you need to lower it? Fever after vaccination indicates the activity of immune cells, which means the development of immunity.

Note! Hyperthermia within 38-39 degrees is acceptable if the baby feels well.

Dysbacteriosis, intestinal infections and viruses always cause heat in the body. Until the doctor arrives on call, keep an eye on the child. If his condition is alarming, give him an antipyretic suppository or medicinal syrup (Panadol). If you have diarrhea, you should not use candles. Diarrhea along with vomiting requires hospitalization in a hospital, so before the ambulance arrives, prepare the necessary things for the hospital.