Temperature during coronavirus in children: what temperature is 37-39, how long does it last during Covid?

What is the temperature during coronavirus in children? It all depends on the severity of the infection in the child. It can remain within normal limits throughout the pathology. Or rise and fall several times a day, worsening not only the physical, but also the psycho-emotional state of a small child or teenager. Hyperthermia is a non-specific symptom, so the primary diagnosis is made based on a combination of clinical signs, the most informative of which is a dry cough. It is possible to get rid of high fever using an integrated approach to the treatment of coronavirus infection.

Infectious diseases

An increase in temperature up to 39 degrees or more is acceptable during the flu period, if catarrhal symptoms have not yet made themselves felt. And only on the 3rd day do specific signs appear, such as a runny nose, hoarseness, coughing, and pain in the throat. And the child also has a fever for a week due to inflammation of the urinary tract. If a baby has a fever, there is a possibility of developing childhood diseases: rubella, measles, chickenpox, diphtheria, whooping cough, etc. These diseases also have an incubation period (1–2 days), during which the main symptoms appear: redness and rashes on the skin, cough, itching, etc.

What tests will help determine the cause of chronic low-grade fever?

To determine the reasons for a prolonged increase in temperature, you may need to:

general urine analysis;
clinical and biochemical blood tests;
stool analysis for worm eggs;
videolaryngoscopy;
otoscopy;
tuberculin tests;
hormone analysis;
ECG;
Ultrasound.

If there is a regular increase in body temperature in the evening, the doctor will refer you for fluorography or chest x-ray.

Related services: Pediatrician consultation

Caring for a child with a high fever

Doctors advise feeding a sick baby simple food that is easily digestible. For a while, exclude meat from the menu, especially fried meat, fatty and sweet foods, as well as canned food.

If the child’s fever lasts for a week, then give the baby plenty of warm drinks. This allows you to “wash out” harmful toxins from the body that were formed during the life of microbes. It is best to give your child warm tea with lemon, raspberries, milk with honey (if there are no allergies). Fruit drinks, compotes, and juices that include vitamin C will be extremely useful. It is allowed to give the child mineral water, decoctions of medicinal herbs, and fruit teas.

Regularly ventilate the rooms, and especially the room where the child is most often. Try to humidify the air. To do this, you can place a 3-liter jar of water in the room and hang a wet, clean towel over it. The air temperature in the room should not exceed 21 degrees.

What to do if you have seizures

If children start having convulsions or the temperature rises to 40 degrees, immediately call an ambulance and give the child an antipyretic until it arrives.

Try putting the kids to bed or just resting. Read a fascinating book, watch colorful cartoons, play calm games. However, it is best for a child with a high temperature to sleep and gain strength.

How to dress a child in this condition

You should not dress your child “like a cabbage” or wrap him too much in warm blankets. Such actions on the part of parents can cause heat stroke if the body temperature increases to a dangerous level. Dress the patient simply and lightly, cover him with a diaper or an air blanket so that excess heat can escape freely.

There is no need to wipe children with vinegar, alcohol, or cover them with ice hot water bottles. Alcohol is quickly absorbed through delicate skin and can cause poisoning. If the child’s temperature persists for a week or more than 3–4 days after the start of treatment, the pediatrician should be called again in order to adjust the treatment.

The danger of elevated body temperature

What is the root cause of this condition? An increase in temperature in a child during the week is a response of the immune system to infection entering the body and inflammation. The blood is saturated with heat-increasing elements that are actively produced by pathogens. This stimulates the child’s body to independently produce its own pyrogens. Metabolism is significantly accelerated at the same time. This makes it easier for the immune system to fight the disease.

In most cases, a child can have a fever for a week as a secondary sign of some illness. For example, with colds in children, characteristic symptoms may appear - fever, sore throat, coughing, rhinitis. With simple colds, body heat can reach +37.8 degrees. Therefore, if the elevated temperature lasts 1-2 days, it is important to seek help from a pediatrician.

Why does the temperature rise

The gateway for coronaviruses to enter the body is the upper respiratory tract. They settle on their mucous membranes, and the spikes located on the crown are perceived by cellular receptors as molecules useful to the system. Following them, RNA viruses are introduced, and their reproduction program is launched. While coronaviruses penetrate the mucous membranes, the immune system behaves as usual. It is activated only at the replication stage. This is explained by the fact that the child’s body temperature remains within normal limits in the first days after infection.

But soon the immune system discovers that foreign proteins have invaded the body. It begins to intensively produce special bioactive substances to destroy coronaviruses. Under their influence, the temperature begins to rise in adolescents and young children. This is a protective reaction of the body aimed at limiting the growth and reproduction of infectious pathogens as much as possible, preventing their spread to the lower respiratory tract.

How to bring down a child's fever

It is believed that if a child has a fever for 37 weeks, it is more dangerous than a fever in an adult. At a temperature of 39 degrees in children, the likelihood of developing seizures and other serious complications increases. If the temperature rises rapidly up to 39 degrees, you should immediately call a pediatrician who will determine the cause of the fever. If the temperature reaches 39.1–39.2 degrees and does not stop rising, then you need to call an ambulance.

In order to avoid the development of various pathologies against the background of prolonged fever, it is necessary to prevent a subsequent increase in body temperature. Before the doctor arrives, you need to give your child an antipyretic medicine. As such, it is better to use children's Paracetamol or Panadol, which can be purchased in the form of tablets, suppositories and syrup.

The doctor needs to describe in detail what preceded the baby’s fever, tell what medications you gave before the doctor arrived. The doctor will ask about previous illnesses, surgical interventions, allergic reactions and injuries. In addition, it is important to talk about whether the child had contact with animals, whether he swam in the pool, what he ate, and where exactly he walked.

When to shoot down

If the child feels well and does not refuse to eat, despite the temperature being between 37-38 °C, then there is no need to bring it down. It indicates that the immune system independently copes with infectious pathogens. Many doctors do not recommend reducing it even at 38.5°C, but only if the child’s physical and psycho-emotional condition is normal.

The exception is small children. They may not experience significant discomfort even with prolonged hyperthermia, but a sudden convulsive syndrome is possible. This is a nonspecific reaction of the child’s body to irritants, which is characterized by sudden attacks of involuntary muscle contractions. Convulsive syndrome in children occurs with the development of partial or generalized seizures with or without loss of consciousness.

What to do if the high temperature cannot be brought down?

If the temperature of 39 degrees cannot be brought down, and it persists for several days, then this may indicate the development of pathologies (for example, pneumonia worsens, the educational process begins, etc.). This can be caused by an incorrect diagnosis or ineffective drug therapy. For example, in the case of a bacterial infection, an antibiotic may be prescribed incorrectly. In this case, you should immediately contact your family doctor or pediatrician. If a child has a high fever without symptoms for a week, then you should definitely call an ambulance.

How many days does it last

Since hyperthermia is a nonspecific protective reaction of the body, it can persist throughout the entire period of reproduction of coronaviruses. Once the threat has passed, it begins to decline naturally. The duration of hyperthermia with subfebrile values often serves as a parameter of the severity of the pathological condition in children.

How long does the temperature last:

1-5 days - the child easily tolerates the disease, the immune system suppresses the viral attack well;
more than a week - it is necessary to take antiviral drugs and immunomodulators to prevent the progression of pathology;
more than 2 weeks - there is a high probability of developing bacterial pneumonia, requiring immediate hospitalization.

Within 3-7 days after the destruction of coronaviruses circulating in the systemic bloodstream, the body temperature in children may be below normal. This is explained by a loss of strength, a violation of the water-electrolyte balance, and a temporary disruption of the functioning of almost all vital systems. Due to the high speed of regeneration processes in childhood, recovery proceeds very quickly.

If a child has been in contact with an infected person and his temperature begins to gradually rise, the doctor should be informed about this. Doctors also recommend recording measurement results in a journal. Studying them and tracking their dynamics will help the doctor quickly decide on therapeutic tactics.

How long can a high temperature last?

With ARVI or influenza, a temperature of 39 degrees can remain for 2-3 days. But the presence of a bacterial infection and the development of similar complications in the form of pneumonia, otitis, sinusitis and tonsillitis, high fever can remain for a long period, for example, for 7 days.

The duration of fever directly depends on the patient’s immunity. If you are in good health, even in the case of a viral infection, your temperature will return to normal faster. Therefore, a high temperature can persist for a longer period in a small child as an immune defense.

Possible causes of low-grade fever

In humans, normal body temperature (BT) is maintained by special thermoregulation mechanisms. There are known physiological fluctuations in TT during the day, called circadian rhythms. The difference between morning and evening body temperature reaches 0.5-1.0 °C. What is low-grade fever? This is an increase in temperature that persists for a long period. Isolated cases of TT rising above 37.1 °C are not considered low-grade fever. A distinction is made between low subfebrile condition (up to 37.1 °C) and high subfebrile condition (up to 38.0 °C).

Possible causes of low-grade fever in adults:

bacterial infections that cause upper respiratory tract diseases, pneumonia, typhoid fever and others;
viral infections: influenza, ARVI, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS;
urinary tract infections: cystitis, urethritis;
allergies – such as hay fever;
response to drug therapy. Some drugs can cause fever, known as drug fever. When you stop taking the drug, hyperthermia disappears;
inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs;
hyperthyroidism;
appendicitis;
tuberculosis. A constant low-grade fever is observed in a difficult-to-detect form of tuberculosis;
hormonal changes. Low-grade fever in women can be observed in the second half of the menstrual cycle, during PMS, pregnancy and menopause;
inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
lymphoma and other types of malignant neoplasms;
intense physical activity;
eating;
emotional tension and stress;
exposure to external heat (for example, when staying in a sauna, hot shop).

Chronic low-grade fever should be taken seriously and be sure to consult a doctor.

"Panadol"

The medicine is recommended by the World Health Organization to relieve pain and reduce high fever in the following conditions:

colds;
influenza and childhood infectious diseases;
pain with ordinary otitis media;
sore throat;
pain that occurs in a child during teething.

Pediatricians recommend Panadol if a child’s fever persists for a week after vaccination. The drug can be given to babies from three months. According to the instructions for use, children's "Panadol" quickly copes with fever and fever.

It is important to note that children's "Panadol" does not contain such components as:

sugar;
alcohol;
ibuprofen;
acetylsalicylic acid.

According to the instructions for use, children's Panadol should not be used if the child is allergic to the components of the drug.

"Ibuprofen"

One of the safest medications that is used to lower fever in children. The product begins to act 40 minutes after taking it. The medication is prescribed according to the following regimen: no more than 2-3 times a day (no more than 20 mg per day). Doctors do not advise taking Ibuprofen if you have aspirin-induced asthma or if you have an individual intolerance to the components of the drug.

Features of providing assistance to a baby with a high temperature

It is recommended that children under 2 years of age be given antipyretic drugs in the form of rectal suppositories. It is much easier with older children, since they can already take antipyretics in the form of a syrup or suspension. It is necessary to use only antipyretics intended for children. This means that giving children drugs such as Aspirin, Salicylic acid and other drugs is prohibited.

It is important to know! If your baby experiences febrile convulsions, you can give him half a No-shpa tablet. This will reduce the fever and prevent serious complications.

For children, you can use antipyretics such as Ibuprofen, Nurofen, Paracetamol. You can start using them from 3 months of age. Paracetamol-based drugs can be used from the age of 1 month, but only as prescribed by a doctor.

It is important to know! With the development of febrile convulsions, the child may experience a recessed tongue, so at the first signs of this phenomenon, it is necessary to open the baby’s mouth with a spoon or other improvised objects.

In case of febrile convulsions, you must call an ambulance, informing the dispatcher of the baby’s age and the reasons for calling the ambulance. You can give an antipyretic only after the seizure has stopped.

At high temperatures, children have no appetite, so you should not try to give him food. If the baby asks to eat, then you can give him easily digestible food, which should not be hot. Significant first aid methods for a child with a high temperature are:

The use of antipyretics, which can be given several times a day at intervals of 4-6 hours, and also if their further use is necessary.
Drink plenty of fluids, as a result of which you can speed up the process of removing harmful microorganisms from the body, as well as eliminate the development of dehydration. The child should drink 1 to 2 liters of liquid per day. Moreover, the liquid can be presented not only in the form of ordinary water without gases, but also in the form of juice, jelly, compote. It is important to resort to the use of a medication called “Regidron”.
Change clothes. There is a high probability that a child's clothes will be wet at high temperatures, which will lead to signs of chills and the development of febrile seizures. The more often wet clothes are replaced, the better for the child.
Providing comfortable conditions in the room. In the morning and evening, it is recommended to ventilate the room where the baby is. Parents should also monitor the humidity and temperature in the room.

If your baby’s temperature continues to rise, then you should not wait for complications to arise. It is necessary to immediately show the little one to a specialist who will assess his condition and prescribe the necessary, and most importantly, correct treatment.

Each child is individual and tolerates an increase in temperature differently.

There are children who continue to play quietly even when the temperature rises to 39 degrees. But there are kids who, even when it rises to 37.5 degrees, sometimes even lose consciousness. For this reason, it is impossible to give any universal advice on how to behave with a child in such a situation. The most important thing is that if a child’s temperature does not subside for a week, everything should be done, without exception, so that the child’s body can “dump” excess heat. This is done in two ways:

give plenty of fluids so that you have something to sweat with;
provide a flow of fresh air into the room (optimally 16–18 degrees).

It makes sense to reduce the temperature with medications in the following conditions:

Poor temperature tolerance.
There are concomitant diseases of the nervous system.
Body temperature is above 39 degrees.

Until the end of the 19th century, the opinion that high temperature (fever) healed was held by almost all doctors in the world without exception. However, when aspirin was invented in 1897, its antipyretic properties were advertised too hostilely and over 100 years of history, a fear of high fever developed. Meanwhile, doctors have discovered that temperature reduces the duration of the disease and reduces the likelihood of developing all kinds of pathologies. Heat reduces the negative effects of infection, which can be contagious to surrounding people. In addition, high temperature rids the body of toxins. Thus, you need to deal with fever wisely - without risking the child’s health in any way.

Source: fb.ru