What to do if your child’s fever does not subside. What to do if a child has a high fever: reasons for the increase in temperature Fever in a 3-year-old child, what to do

A high temperature that does not subside for a long time in a child causes concern for parents. Attempts to bring down the fever do not bring success, the baby is capricious and does not feel well. Why doesn’t the temperature drop and what should parents do in this situation?

What temperature should be lowered?

There are temperature rise standards that should not be reduced. For children under one year of age, fluctuations in thermometer readings from 36 to 37.5-38 degrees are considered acceptable. In the first year of a baby’s life, a thermoregulation system is formed. The body adapts to environmental changes by responding to them by changing body temperature. Therefore, if the baby has a slight fever, but there are no signs of illness, you should not get rid of it.

In children under three years of age, thermometer readings below 37.5 degrees are considered normal. This temperature is called low-grade and can vary depending on external factors: overheating, nervous tension, post-vaccination state. Fever above 38 degrees must be reduced if the child is not feeling well or has a history of severe heart disease.

Hyperthermia with readings above 38 degrees in older children suggests the presence of an inflammatory process. Fever signals the beginning of the body's active fight against the infection. When heated, protective mechanisms are developed, interferon appears, and pathogenic viruses and bacteria are destroyed. Pediatricians recommend that parents monitor the condition and not reduce the fever without a good reason.

Reasons why the temperature does not drop for a long time

If the need nevertheless arises to get rid of the fever, and it remains at the same level, most parents panic. Why does this happen and what should parents do to alleviate the child’s condition?

Hyperthermia has a physiological origin.
1. The body itself launches a defense mechanism, trying to destroy harmful bacteria that have gotten inside.
2. Thermoregulation changes, the level of heat content increases.
3. The higher the temperature, the faster the process of decay of pathogenic bacteria begins: staphylococci, streptococci, pneumococci.
4. Phagocytosis is activated: blood cells capture and destroy pathogens.
5. As a result, the production of interferon increases and overall immunity increases.

Important! With severe inflammation and attempts to reduce the temperature to more than 38 degrees, the opposite effect occurs. The more parents try to bring down the fever, the faster the child’s body restores the increased level of heat content, trying to defeat the disease. Therefore, attempts to reduce the fever are useless.

Despite the benefits of hyperthermia, if the thermometer readings are close to critical (39-40 degrees), they must be reduced by all available means. High temperature is dangerous, first of all, due to rapid dehydration. Children also have a hard time with this condition, complaining of body aches and headaches.

If you can't control the temperature, don't worry. There are many methods that can be used individually or in combination. They act quickly and help improve your well-being.

Ways to relieve fever

The most common and quick solution is to take antipyretic medications. Pediatricians advise using drugs based on ibuprofen or paracetamol. To achieve the best effect, alternate medications with different active ingredients. According to the instructions, most of these medications are allowed to be given to children once every eight hours. In practice, no drug reduces fever for a long period. Therefore, doctors allow taking antipyretics at intervals of four hours.

Depending on the age of the child, use different types of antipyretics:
Candles are suitable for newborns and infants,
For children under three years of age - medicines in the form of syrup,
After three years, you can give tablets.

Please note: antipyretic suppositories act faster than tablets, but medications in tablet form have a longer lasting effect.

If the temperature above 38 degrees does not drop after taking the medicine, try a drug with a different active ingredient. Each organism has its own individual characteristics. A medicine that is suitable for one baby may not have any effect on the condition of another.

Handy remedies to combat fever

In addition to antipyretics, there are physiological methods. They can be used as an addition to medication or as an independent way to combat fever. It should be noted that physiological methods cope with fever worse than pharmaceutical drugs. But they can be a good help to parents whose medicine cabinet does not contain the necessary medications.

1. Rubbing. Prepare warm water and a soft towel. Dry the baby's body with the dampened towel, avoiding the heart area. Then put on lightweight clothes for your baby. Do not use alcohol or vinegar, they have a toxic effect on the child's body. Rubbing should not be done if you have chills or severe fever.
2.Cooling the air in the room. Ventilate the room, reduce the air temperature to 18 degrees. Fresh air makes breathing easier and helps kill bacteria. When ventilating, avoid drafts.
3.Replenishment of fluid losses. Give your baby more water. With its help, toxic substances are removed from the body and the risk of dehydration is minimized.

If the child's extremities remain cold despite the fever, give a medicine that dilates the blood vessels. No-shpa helps a lot. This method quickly normalizes thermoregulation and becomes an “ambulance” for long-lasting high temperatures. It is better to do this only after the recommendation of a doctor.

When medical help is needed

If a child’s temperature remains above 38 degrees and does not return to normal, despite taking antipyretics, it is better to consult a doctor or call an ambulance. Medical intervention is also necessary in cases where the child’s fever persists for a long time, up to six months, convulsions appear, and the skin becomes dry to the touch.

Do not try “adult” methods of reducing fever on children. They are strictly prohibited from alcohol rubdowns, cold compresses on the forehead, putting on wet woolen socks, or self-injections of the lytic mixture. Only doctors can give antipyretic injections without harm to the child’s health.

If your child develops a prolonged fever, do not be alarmed. Try to act quickly and as efficiently as possible. If the temperature above 38 degrees does not respond to antipyretics, alternate medications with different active ingredients. Use physiological methods together with medications. For a baby under one year old, be sure to call a doctor. With older children, after the condition has normalized, also visit a pediatrician to clarify the diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.

Adults become very worried when a child's temperature rises sharply. After all, an increase in temperature is a sign of malaise, signaling infections, inflammatory processes, and 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, harmful microbes, or allergens enter the body, 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.

It is necessary to call urgently emergency help 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 its sudden agitation, is accompanied by delirium. You will also need immediate medical attention for fever with diarrhea and vomiting, if the child cannot urinate for a long time, or if his urine is colored in an unusual color, if the child has serious chronic diseases of the 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, goose fat, 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 a 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. It is considered effective to reduce the temperature by one to one and a half degrees; in case of high fever, it is not recommended to bring the temperature down to normal; we must remember the protective role of temperature in the development of infection.

First, let’s understand that each of us has a temperature and normally it is not necessarily 36.6 °C. This is a “hospital average” because in a healthy person it can range from 36.1 to 37.2 °C and even change throughout the day. For example, it increases after eating or heavy exercise.

When we say “The child has a fever,” we mean fever - a condition in which the body temperature is elevated, that is, the thermometer under the arm shows more than 37.2 °C.

If you place a thermometer rectally (in the rectum) or measure the temperature in the ear, the values are usually higher Fever: First aid. Then the fever is more than 38 °C. When measured orally (in the mouth) - above 37.8 °C.

Why does the temperature rise

Fever is a protective reaction of the body, usually to various infections. At high temperatures, it is more difficult for bacteria and viruses to survive, so the body starts a process that destroys dangerous microorganisms, and at the same time activates the immune system Fever.

Children's temperature rises more often due to respiratory viral infections, what we call colds. But this is not necessary: fever occurs with many other diseases. In addition to infections, injuries, overheating, cancer, hormonal and autoimmune diseases, and even some medications that have side effects can be to blame for fever.

Adults notice a high temperature based on special symptoms:

Weaknesses.
Headache.
Feeling chills and trembling.
Loss of appetite.
Muscle pain.
Sweating.

Children who can already talk may complain of discomfort. But the temperature also rises in infants who cannot describe their condition.

The reason to measure the temperature is the child’s unusual behavior:

Refusal to eat or breastfeed.
Tearfulness, irritability.
Drowsiness, fatigue, passivity.

You can't talk about a fever based on a kiss on the forehead. Only the thermometer shows high temperature.

When and why to lower the temperature

An elevated temperature is a sign of a proper immune response when it comes to infections. Therefore, it should not be reduced so as not to delay recovery Advice for managing child fever. It usually makes sense to give antipyretics after the temperature has risen. On the safe use of antipyretics in children up to 39 °C - these are rectal measurements. When the temperature is checked under the armpit, doctors recommend lowering it after 38.5 °C, but not earlier. Don't worry, the fever itself is not that bad.

Many people fear that high temperatures will damage brain cells. But, according to WHO, it is safe for children until it reaches The Management of fever in young children with acute respiratory infections in developing countries 42°C.

Fever is not an independent disease, but only a symptom of it. When the temperature is reduced with medications, the external manifestations of the disease are removed, but they are not cured.

In rare cases, too high a temperature in children leads to febrile seizures - involuntary muscle contractions. It looks creepy and makes parents faint, but mostly the attacks stop on their own and have no consequences Fever. Call the doctors and make sure that the child does not injure himself: lay him on his side, hold him, open his thick clothes. There is no need to put anything in your mouth, this only increases the risk of injury.

But everyone experiences fever differently: someone can read and play even at 39 °C on the thermometer, someone lies down at 37.5 °C and cannot move. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the temperature for the sake of convenience and improvement of the child’s well-being.

If the child feels normal, then there is no need to do anything about the high temperature.

The simplest, fastest and most effective way is to give your child antipyretics based on ibuprofen or paracetamol. They are produced in forms that are convenient for children: sweet syrups or candles. Be careful if you give your child syrup: flavorings and dyes can cause allergies.

Do not under any circumstances exceed the dosage of the medication. It is usually calculated based on the weight of the child. Children, especially preschoolers, can vary greatly in weight even at the same age, so focus on the number of kilograms, not years.

Remember that medications take time to act: from 0.5 to 1.5 hours. So don’t rush to take your temperature 10 minutes after taking the pill.

Use the measuring cups, spoons and syringes that come with the medicine. Do not take medicine in the dark or into a teaspoon by eye: you should always know how much and what medicine you gave your child.

To avoid overdose, do not give your kids combination medications for cold symptoms. They already contain paracetamol or another antipyretic drug, so it's easy to miss the point of overdosing if you give multiple medications at the same time.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be taken on the same day Paracetamol for children, but don’t get carried away and don’t give your child everything at once. If, for example, you gave paracetamol and it didn’t help much, then when it’s time for a new dose of the antipyretic, give ibuprofen (or vice versa).

Do not give aspirin and analgin: they can cause serious side effects in children.

There are also physical methods, although they are ineffective: wipe the child’s palms and feet with a damp towel, put a cool compress on the forehead. Just don’t use ice for this, just soak a towel with water at room temperature.

When to call the doctor

Experienced parents know that mild ARVI can be dealt with independently, at home. In such cases, the doctor is needed only to issue a certificate or sick leave for the parents. But you still need to see a pediatrician if:

You need to get a doctor's advice and calm down. Or you just think that the child needs medical attention.
A child with a fever is less than three months old.
The child is less than six months old, and the temperature above 38 °C lasts more than 1 day.
The child is less than a year old, and the temperature above 39 °C lasts more than 1 day.
The child developed a rash.
Along with the temperature, there are severe symptoms: uncontrollable cough, vomiting, severe pain, photophobia.

When to call an ambulance

You need to urgently seek help if:

The temperature has reached high values (more than 39 °C) and continues to rise after taking antipyretics.
The child has a confused consciousness: he is too sleepy, he cannot be woken up, he reacts poorly to the environment.
Having difficulty breathing or swallowing.
Vomiting was added to the temperature.
A rash appeared in the form of small bruises, which does not disappear when you press on the skin.
Convulsions began.
Signs of dehydration have appeared: the child rarely goes to the toilet, he has a dry mouth with a red tongue, he cries without tears. In infants, the fontanel may become sunken.

How to help a child with a fever

The main thing we can do to help fight fever is to eliminate its cause. If the problem is a bacterial infection, they are needed (only as prescribed by a doctor). If other diseases are to blame, they must be treated. And only viruses go away on their own; you just need to support the body, which will destroy these viruses.

Let's have a warm drink

At high temperatures, the moisture that is in the human body evaporates faster, so there is a risk of dehydration. This is especially true for children: they are small and they need very little to lose 10% of fluid. With a lack of water, the mucous membranes dry out, it becomes more difficult to breathe, the child has nothing to sweat with, that is, he cannot lose heat on his own. Therefore, warm drink at temperature is very, very important.

Give your child juices, compotes, tea, water more often, and persuade him to drink at least a few sips. Breastfeeding should be offered to breastfeeding babies more often, but if the baby refuses, it is better to give him water or a special drink than to wait until he returns to breast milk.

Buy a humidifier

In order not to increase fluid loss with breathing (and we exhale steam, which contains a lot of moisture from the mucous membranes), humidify the air in the room. To keep relative humidity at 40-60%, it is best to buy a special humidifier. But you can also try.

Get out

Every day, wet clean the room: wash the floors and collect dust. This is again necessary to make breathing easier. Don't be afraid to open the windows and ventilate. Fresh air is especially necessary for a person whose body is fighting an illness, because ventilation is one of the ways to disinfect a room. An open window won't make it worse, but hot, dry air full of germs will.

By the way, you can bathe your child if he has a fever.

Of course, when the baby wants to sleep and lie down, there is no need to drag him to the bathroom. But if the general condition is normal, the child moves and plays, he can wash himself.

Follow a diet

Feed your child healthy food: do not give kilograms of candy just because he is sick. If the baby has no appetite, there is no need to force him to eat. A forced lunch will not help you cope with the infection. It’s better to cook chicken broth and feed it to your child: it’s liquid, food, and helps fight inflammation.

What not to do if your child has a fever

The best way to survive an unpleasant period of illness without problems and losses is to provide your child with good care. For some reason (by tradition, by the advice of grandmothers, by advice from forums), many harmful actions are considered mandatory when treating fever. How to avoid making mistakes:

Don't wrap your baby up. If the temperature is high, then warm clothes and two blankets will only aggravate the process. Better persuade him to drink another cup of warm compote.
Do not place a heater near your child. In general, if the temperature in the room is above 22 °C, you need to reduce it. For a child with a fever, it will be better if the room is 18–20 °C: inhaling such air will not dry out the mucous membranes.
Don’t steam your feet, don’t force them to breathe over a pan of something hot, don’t put mustard plasters on: These treatments have no proven effectiveness, and the risk of burning and overheating is higher than any possible benefit. Besides, these are unpleasant activities, and the child is already feeling bad. If you really want to help your baby, it’s better to figure out how to entertain him when he’s having a hard time.
Do not rub your child with vinegar and vodka. These methods help little, but they are very toxic for children.
Don't put your child to bed if he doesn't want to go there. The patient will prescribe bed rest for himself. If he has the strength to play, then that’s good.

What to do if the temperature rises after vaccination

Some vaccines cause temporary reactions in the body - redness at the injection site, irritability, and a slight increase in temperature. These are not complications, everything will go away on its own in 1-3 days.

You can eliminate unpleasant symptoms in the same way as in the case of any other temperature: antipyretics and a suitable regimen.

Usually the temperature after vaccination is not higher than 37.5 °C. But if the fever increases, consult a doctor.

Body temperature in children can rise above normal for various reasons. Most often it increases against the background of a disease, viral or bacterial. Children from 6-8 months may begin teething, and this process is often accompanied by high fever and sometimes vomiting. While the baby is breastfed, he has a fairly strong immune system, and diseases bypass him. As the baby grows, especially after he goes out into public places (kindergarten, playground, school), fever, runny nose, and cough will become frequent unwanted guests in the life of a little person. At the first unpleasant symptoms, you should consult a doctor. But sometimes it is impossible to quickly get to the hospital when a child has a fever and you need to help him somehow.

Causes of high temperature in a child

Normally, an increase in body temperature is a protective reaction of the body to any infectious or non-infectious diseases or damage. Infectious agents entering the body produce toxins that cause an increase in body temperature. The body, in turn, also produces substances that contribute to fever. This mechanism is protective, since against the background of high temperature all metabolic processes are accelerated and many biologically active substances are synthesized more intensively. But when the fever becomes too severe, it itself can cause various complications - for example, febrile seizures. Why does a child develop a high temperature: infectious diseases (ARVI, “childhood” and intestinal infections, other pathologies); non-infectious diseases (diseases of the nervous system, allergic pathology, hormonal disorders and others); teething (this is one of the most common causes in young children); overheat; preventive vaccinations. There are other causes of fever in a child. These also include many emergency conditions and acute surgical pathologies. Therefore, if your child has any increase in temperature (especially above 38oC), you should immediately consult a doctor.

How to correctly measure the temperature of a small child

Rules for measuring temperature in children: the child must have his own personal thermometer, which is treated with warm water and soap or alcohol before each use; during illness, the temperature is measured at least three times a day (morning, afternoon, evening); The measurement should not be carried out when the child is heavily wrapped up, crying or excessively active; high room temperature and taking a bath also increase body temperature; food and drinks, especially hot ones, can increase the temperature in the oral cavity by 1-1.5oC, so measurements in the mouth should be carried out an hour before or an hour after eating; temperature determination can be carried out in the armpit, rectum or inguinal fold - with any thermometers; measurements in the mouth are carried out only with the help of special dummy thermometers.

Methods for reducing temperature

To reduce the temperature in children at home, medications, rubdowns, and folk remedies are used. The methods listed above should be used if the child’s condition is stable and there are no seizures. Otherwise, you should immediately consult a doctor. Each of the home methods for reducing fever has its own characteristics, however, when using any of them, it is important to adhere to several important rules:

the sick child should be kept in bed,
the air in the children's room should be cool, fresh,
When it is hot, the child should be dressed in light clothing made from natural fabrics,
It is important to remember that frequent urination speeds up recovery, so the child should be given plenty of liquid, warm tea and compotes are suitable.

Some features of the use of various dosage forms: medications taken orally begin to act faster - 20-30 minutes after administration; the effect of suppositories occurs after 30-45 minutes, but lasts longer; if the disease is accompanied by vomiting, it is better to use suppositories; Medicines in suppositories are convenient to use when the child’s temperature rises at night; preparations in the form of syrups, tablets and powders contain flavorings and flavoring additives, and therefore often cause allergic reactions; if it is necessary to use different dosage forms of drugs (for example, syrup during the day, suppositories at night), choose products with different active ingredients to avoid side effects; re-use of antipyretic drugs is possible no earlier than 5-6 hours after the previous dose; If the temperature does not decrease sufficiently, or if it increases again in a short time, you should not experiment - it is better to immediately contact a specialist for additional help.

Analgin (Spazmalgon)
Paracetamol (Panadol, Efferalgan)
Ibuprofen (Nurofen)
Viburkol suppositories

Medicines not used in children

Medications that are not used in children include:

Currently, drugs such as amidopyrine, antipyrine or phenacetin are not used as antipyretics due to the large number of side effects.
Medicines based on acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin) are practically not used in children because of their ability to reduce the number of platelets in the blood, cause bleeding, allergic reactions, as well as a very serious complication characteristic of children - Reye's syndrome.
Analgin and other drugs containing metamizole sodium as an active ingredient also have a large number of side effects, such as inhibition of hematopoiesis, severe allergic reactions, excessive decrease in temperature with loss of consciousness.

How to reduce a child's high fever without medication

Ice compresses and rubdowns will help reduce a child’s temperature without pills. These methods are simple and effective, but have a number of contraindications. Thus, it is not advisable to use ice to combat hyperthermia in children under 1 year of age. The best way is to wipe the baby with water, which will lower the body temperature. Rubbing with alcohol and vinegar is also effective, but doctors have conflicting opinions about them. Before the procedure of alcohol or vinegar wiping, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician.

With ice

Careful use of ice can relieve a child's condition during fever.

To prepare ice compresses, you will need ice, a bubble, cold water, a towel or diaper.
Contraindications: age up to 1 year
Preparation for the procedure: fill the bubble to half the volume with crushed ice, add cold water to 2/3 of the volume, tightly close the ice bubble and wrap it in a towel (diaper).
Performing the procedure: a bubble wrapped in a diaper is applied to the area of the crown, elbow joints, popliteal fossae, and groin. To avoid hypothermia, the compress is periodically removed; the time of continuous exposure should not exceed 5 minutes.
The procedure can be repeated after 15-20 minutes.

Rubbing with vodka and vinegar

It is necessary to take measures to reduce the temperature if:

temperature above 38 degrees;
have diseases of the nervous system (epilepsy, cerebral palsy);
previously experienced convulsions due to high fever;
there are problems with the cardiovascular system; the child is in a delusional state;
there is shortness of breath, heavy breathing, etc. You can quickly and effectively reduce a child’s high body temperature at home with vodka and vinegar.

To prepare the tincture, mix vodka, vinegar and warm water in equal proportions. Water is added so as not to burn the skin. After preparing the mixture, you need to take a piece of gauze or a piece of cotton wool, moisten it in the prepared product, squeeze it out, and then wipe the baby’s forehead and body. Care must be taken to ensure that the solution does not get into the child’s eyes. Many pediatricians are against rubbing a child with vodka and vinegar, as they believe that vodka, which penetrates the pores of the skin into the body, can cause poisoning. But, as the practice of many parents of young children shows, this is practically the only remedy that can reduce the temperature before going to the hospital or calling an ambulance. Vodka and vinegar can also be used to rub adults at high temperatures. It is not recommended to use the solution for children under one year of age.

Folk remedies for reducing fever in children

It is possible to reduce a child’s temperature using folk remedies if the child is over 3 years old, has no serious illnesses and generally tolerates high temperatures well. How to lower a child’s temperature at home if he is very small? You just need to give him as much fluid as possible. Infants can be given breast milk, and older children can be given warm water, compote, juice or tea with chamomile. The baby should drink a lot, since a lot of fluid is lost at fever, especially if there is vomiting or diarrhea.

Chamomile enema

In an effort to reduce the temperature of a child under 1 year old, mothers have a limited number of methods: as a rule, these are medications and enemas. The use of decoctions and other home recipes internally for children under 12 months is not possible. If you want to overcome a high fever without medication, you should use an enema with chamomile infusion.

Preparation for the procedure: pour 3 tablespoons of chamomile into a glass of water, boil for 15-20 minutes, strain, cool, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Performing the procedure: fill a clean rubber bulb with liquid (30-60 ml), remove excess air, lubricate the tip with Vaseline, insert the bulb into the child’s anus, carefully squeeze out the liquid.

Raspberry decoction

Drinking plenty of fluids and consuming raspberry decoction cause increased sweating, which reduces fever. After a good sweat, the baby will certainly feel better. You cannot replace the consumption of water and tea with raspberry decoction alone, however, a tasty and healthy drink will significantly diversify the composition of the liquid consumed. Raspberry broth is prepared according to many recipes, here are the most famous of them.

Ingredients: dry raspberries (2 tablespoons), a glass of water.
Application: pour boiling water over the raspberries, leave for about 30 minutes, strain. Drink 1 glass of raspberry broth 2-3 times a day.

A decoction of raspberries, oregano and coltsfoot

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of dried raspberries, coltsfoot, 1 tablespoon of oregano, water.
Application: pour the mixture of herbs and raspberries with water, pour boiling water for 20 minutes, strain. Drink the decoction several times a day, 1/3 cup.

Oranges

Salicylic acid contained in oranges helps reduce a child's fever. Fresh fruits, decoction with peel, and juice effectively combat heat. To prepare a delicious, effective orange drink you will need: 100 ml orange juice, 100 ml lemon juice, 100 ml apple juice, 75 ml tomato juice. The listed ingredients are mixed and consumed immediately after preparation. You need to drink an orange drink 3 times a day, not forgetting about other liquids - tea, water.

Consequences of high fever in a child

One of the most common complications of high fever in a child is febrile seizures. They usually occur in children under 6 years of age with a temperature above 38oC. Often this reaction to fever appears in children with diseases of the nervous system. Signs of febrile seizures in a child: convulsive muscle twitching, which can be either pronounced (with throwing back the head, bending the arms and straightening the legs) or small, in the form of shuddering and twitching of individual muscle groups; the child stops responding to his surroundings, may turn pale and blue, and hold his breath; often, convulsions may recur during subsequent increases in temperature. When the temperature is high and the child has convulsions, you must immediately call “03”. Urgent measures at home will be: lay the child on a flat surface and turn the head to the side; if there is no breathing after the end of the convulsions, begin giving the child artificial respiration; you should not try to insert a finger into a child’s mouth, a spoon or other objects - this will only cause harm and injury; You should undress the child, ensure the room is ventilated, use rubbing and antipyretic candles to reduce body temperature; You should not leave your child alone during an attack. Children who have had seizures need observation by a neurologist, as well as a full medical examination to exclude the onset of epilepsy. Therefore, you should not wait for your child to have a high fever for a week. Contact your doctor promptly for diagnosis and treatment. Before use, you should consult a specialist.

The use of antipyretic drugs will temporarily reduce the baby’s body temperature, but will not cure it. Parents should remember that lowering the temperature is not a cure. With a sore throat, especially a purulent one, it is very difficult to bring down the temperature in young children. First you need to get rid of inflammation in the throat. At home, you can prepare a solution of baking soda and salt for your child and let your child gargle. For small children under one year old, you can (as a last resort) wipe the mouth cavity and the edge of the neck by wrapping a piece of gauze around your finger and moistening it in water and soda. The product is effective, but it must be used with great caution. Sometimes body temperature can be a symptom of a dangerous disease, such as pancreatitis, appendicitis, etc. Therefore, if it is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, pain in the stomach or navel, you should immediately consult a doctor.

High temperature is not a disease that must be dealt with. On the contrary, an increase in temperature is an active reaction initiated by the body itself to the invasion of pathogens. With its help, the body increases the effectiveness of its defenses. In childhood, most diseases are caused by viruses. There is still no universal cure against these pathogens. Except for one thing – high temperature! Countless studies show that elevated temperatures greatly inhibit the growth of viruses, as well as some types of bacteria. Moreover, at high temperatures, the body produces interferon, an autogenous protective substance against viruses, and also releases enzymes that can inhibit their reproduction. The production of so-called immunoglobulins also increases. In addition, at temperatures above 38.5°C, many viruses reproduce much less actively.

Thus, high temperature is an important warning sign, but it is not dangerous in itself. Therefore, if a child has a temperature that he tolerates without any problems, there is no reason to use all means to lower it. The main recommendation: you should treat the disease itself, and not try to reduce the thermometer readings!

Acetylsalicylic acid

Acetylsalicylic acid is a biologically active substance in aspirin, the oldest medicine. Today this substance is also sold under other names. It lowers temperature, especially during colds, and is also used to relieve pain. It acts 15-25 minutes after administration, for three to five hours.

Acetylsalicylic acid, along with paracetamol, is the best-tolerated painkiller. However, it can cause ailments such as burning, nausea, and vomiting. Children with asthma are especially likely to be hypersensitive to this drug.

In addition, several years ago there was a suspicion that taking acetylsalicylic acid was somehow connected with the appearance of the so-called Reye's syndrome. This is an extremely rare but life-threatening disease of the liver and brain, accompanied by vomiting, blackouts, convulsions, and fatty liver.

Therefore, young children and adolescents with a high fever should be given aspirin only as directed by a doctor.

Bacteria

Sometimes high fever is caused not by viruses, but by bacteria. The temperature during bacterial diseases often rises to 41°C (in infants in the first two months of life - over 38°C). Typical infections that cause a sharp rise in body temperature are purulent inflammation of the middle ear (otitis), purulent inflammation of the meninges (meningitis) and abscesses. Acute inflammation of the kidneys or renal pelvis is also accompanied by high fever. As a rule, bacterial diseases are very successfully treated with antibiotics.

Viruses

The most common cause of fever in children is various viruses, which the child encounters regularly - most often in the form of an upper respiratory tract infection - until school age.

As a rule, this kind of disease is harmless and goes away on its own in three to seven days. Less commonly, the cause of fever is bacteria or fungi. It happens that children develop a fever after vaccinations - it is caused by weakened pathogens that are used in vaccines.

Inflammation of the cecum (typhlitis)

Body temperature can serve as an important indicator of whether a child has inflammation of the cecum. The increase in temperature usually remains moderate (less than 38°C), and rectal temperature helps to clarify the situation (the readings of the thermometer in the anus and under the armpit vary markedly).

Hyperactivity

Many children develop fevers due to increased physical activity, such as on the playground. Possible provoking factors: recent illness, obesity, too warm clothing, high humidity, overfeeding. If you measure a child’s temperature after half an hour of rest, it most often turns out to be normal.

Hypothalamus

The body's thermal regulator, a kind of distribution substation of the “bodily air conditioner,” is located in the diencephalon, more precisely in the hypothalamus. This part of the brain organizes metabolism and ensures that the body receives as much nutrition and fluid as it requires. The hypothalamus is responsible for hunger, thirst, fear, pleasure and rage. When the outside temperature is too high, the “thermostat” in the hypothalamus takes care of the dilation of blood vessels, allowing heat to escape. Sweat glands secrete fluid to lower the temperature through evaporation. If it is cold outside, the blood vessels narrow, the skin tightens, and so-called goosebumps appear - “goose bumps”.

When pathogens enter the body, during the fight against them, pyrogens appear - substances that cause an increase in temperature. They switch the "thermostat" control. Now normal temperature acts like cold. Therefore, the hypothalamus begins to warm up the body: heat transfer to the outside decreases. The skin becomes dry and cool, the child shudders. Convulsive muscle movements during chills are another attempt by the body to increase the temperature.

When the internal temperature rises to the maximum possible level, the action of pyrogens stops and the “thermostat” is switched to lower mode. At the height of a fever, the child is hot, he sweats, and as a result of heat removal, heat radiation and evaporation of fluid, the body cools down again.

Fever

This is the name given to the body’s reaction to harmful agents, which is expressed in an increase in body temperature and has a protective and adaptive value. Based on the degree of temperature rise, fever is subfebrile (not higher than 38°C), moderate or febrile (within 38-39°C), high or pyretic (39-41°C), hyperpyretic or excessive (above 41°C).

The reasons causing it can be very different.

Growing fever. Rapidly growing children may experience increased blood sugar and fever. Active growth fever easily passes with changes in climatic conditions, for example in the mountains.

Fluid deficiency. Children who, for any reason, get very little fluid or lose too much through diarrhea or vomiting may develop what is called low-fluid fever. This danger is greater the younger the child. The baby should be given more to drink (slightly sweetened tea or fennel tea).

Cry. Infants who feel unwell, have bloating, or cry a lot for any other reason may have a higher temperature. However, high fever during crying in the vast majority of cases is not considered a symptom of the disease.

Excitement. This type of fever - nervous excitement and internal tension before any test - operates according to the rules of thermoregulation (see "Hypothalamus"): when a student is called to the board, fear of the teacher's questions switches the "thermostat" in the hypothalamus to increase. The child's skin becomes pale and cold, he trembles, and his body temperature rises. The survey ends and the body temperature drops again - the student sits down, experiencing some exhaustion.

Rheumatic fever. Most often observed between the ages of six and fifteen years. Its cause is almost always a previous and not fully cured infection caused by certain streptococci, for example, tonsillitis (tonsillitis). Symptoms of rheumatic fever: high temperature (up to 40°C), initially persisting for a long time, unusually rapid pulse, sweating. All joints: knees, elbows, as well as hips, shoulders and hand joints are very painful, and the pain often moves from one joint to another.

Many children experience rheumatic inflammation of the heart muscle - the most common cause of acquired heart defects. Patients are recommended strict bed rest and intensive therapy with penicillin and antirheumatic drugs, and hospitalization is often necessary. At the end of the acute phase of the disease, the child usually needs more or less long-term follow-up treatment to prevent possible relapses.

In case of injury or damage. After more or less serious injuries and operations, an increase in temperature is often observed: the body fights the toxic products of tissue breakdown formed in the wounds.

Three-day fever. A typical viral disease of the first years of life. Three to seven days after infection, the temperature suddenly rises sharply to around 40°C. In some children this is accompanied by vomiting or seizures. The temperature remains high for two (sometimes four) days, then suddenly drops. At the same time, a rash appears, similar to the rash of rubella or measles, which spreads throughout the body within a few hours. Due to the high temperature, this fever usually causes serious concern among parents, but it almost always turns out to be a harmless disease without complications, after which lifelong immunity remains.

Medicines

To reduce high fever in children, primarily antipyretics such as acetylsalicylic acid and paracetamol are used, either in tablets or in the form of syrup or suppositories. They interrupt the chain of reactions between the release of pyrogens and the switching of the “thermostat” in the hypothalamus: the temperature decreases, but at the same time the body turns off other useful protective measures. Therefore, you should resort to medications only when the temperature is excessively high and on the recommendation of a doctor. It is also important to keep in mind the following: almost all medications, even those designed to combat high fever, under certain conditions can themselves cause an increase in temperature. Penicillin, sulfa drugs, and anticonvulsants can provoke such an “adverse reaction.”

Plaque on the tongue

A coated tongue is often a sign of some disease. Characteristic changes occur in the tongue during such a serious infectious disease as scarlet fever: first, a coating appears on the tongue, then the coating disappears, the surface of the tongue clears and becomes very bright red. After treating a bacterial infection with antibiotics, the tongue may turn dark brown. However, a change in the “color” of the tongue is not always a sign of illness. It happens that the tongue takes on an unusual appearance in the complete absence of any diseases.

Body rubdown

For many children with fever, wiping the body with lukewarm or cool water relieves the condition. There is no need to be afraid that the child may catch a cold, since the cause of fever lies not in the air temperature, but in the causative agents of the disease. After the procedure, you need to rub the child with a dry towel and put him to bed. Rubdowns can be done several times a day and at high temperatures.

Cloth

How to dress a child at high temperatures depends on how his skin feels to the touch - warm or cold. If your baby (especially in the initial stages of the disease) is chilly, cover him with a woolen blanket or warm him up with a heating pad. For hot skin, light clothing is recommended.

Paracetamol

This mild analgesic and antipyretic substance is considered, along with acetylsalicylic acid, the most easily tolerated analgesic in childhood. When used properly (only when necessary), side effects are rare. Sometimes allergic reactions such as skin rashes occur. However, an overdose can cause complications: severe, sometimes life-threatening damage to the liver and kidneys. This danger also exists with constant use of paracetamol for a long time. The measure of the correct dosage is the child’s weight. A single dose should not exceed 20 mg per kilogram of body weight, and the maximum amount per day (three separate doses) is 60 mg per kilogram of body weight.

Overheating of the body (hyperthermia)

Overheating of the body as a result of external influences is a completely different process than an increase in temperature “from the inside” due to illness. Severe overheating, unlike fever, causes inhibition of the protective reaction, for example, with heat stroke it leads to heat accumulation. Symptoms: headache, weakness, dizziness and vomiting. The skin becomes bright red, dry and hot. Possible loss of consciousness. The main ways to help in this case are cold compresses on the forehead, back of the head and chest, as well as lowering the temperature using calf compresses. The child should be given more tea with glucose, older children should also be given a saline solution (one teaspoon of salt per glass of water). And you should definitely call a doctor!

Nutrition

Children with a high fever usually have no appetite and a real aversion to foods that are rich in protein. However, patients require a lot of fluids. It is best to give them fruit juices with vitamin C, mineral (non-carbonated) water and tea sweetened with glucose during illness. Children do not tolerate dairy products so well, except perhaps yogurt or yogurt with fruit. Infants are given fennel tea between feedings. A tried and tested home remedy is chamomile tea sweetened with honey (not for babies!). Both chamomile and honey have a healing effect on inflamed mucous membranes, and also soften the cough that often accompanies high fever.

The food of a child with a high temperature should be light and not too burdensome for the body: grated apples or mashed bananas, as well as light and fluffy puddings, cottage cheese dishes, yogurt or soup are useful.

Temperature drop

As long as the child does not feel too sick, there is no need to take any measures to reduce the fever. The goal is to keep the temperature under control to avoid possible complications. Therefore, for mild or moderate fever, tried and tested home remedies such as chest compress, body rub, diaphoretic wrap, or calf compress are sufficient. To a lesser extent, alcohol compresses and dousing with cold water are recommended.

Only at high temperatures and after consultation with the doctor should the child be given antipyretic suppositories. In this case, it is necessary to ensure compliance with the dosage. Such suppositories should be used only at night, since they often combine sleeping pills and antipyretic components. When used during the day, they can negatively affect the child's attention and mobility, causing an accident. After antipyretic suppositories, the child should lie in bed!

Sweatshop wrap

Serves as an effective way to reduce fever. First, the child is given hot tea with linden blossom or elderberry. A sheet soaked in warm water and wrung out is placed on a large woolen blanket spread on the bed. The child is completely wrapped in a damp sheet (excluding the head) and then a blanket. Under no circumstances leave him alone during the procedure. If the child becomes ill, you must immediately turn him around. If everything is fine, he can remain in the blanket for about 30-60 minutes from the moment he starts sweating. Sudorific wrapping places a heavy strain on the blood circulation, so it is only suitable for strong children with a healthy cardiovascular system, starting from about two years of age.

Temperature rise rate

Most parents think that high fever can have serious consequences, for example, causing cerebral hemorrhage, seizures, and in the worst case, coma and death. Therefore, many already give children antipyretics at a temperature of 37-38°C.

It is not right. According to the latest evidence, temperatures below 41°C are generally harmless. The danger of heat stroke and seizures occurs at temperatures close to 42°C. Beneficial reactions of the body to the invasion of pathogens occur at temperatures ranging from 39° to 40°C. Thus, phagocytes that neutralize bacteria “work optimally” at a temperature of 39°C.

Convulsions

Some children experience seizures when their temperature suddenly rises. The child loses consciousness for a while, rolls his eyes, clenches his teeth, and convulses. In this case, the expression “convulsions at high temperatures” is not always correct, since it happens that such a reaction of the body is observed even before the temperature rises, so many doctors prefer to talk about “convulsions during infection.” Parents fear that seizures may leave their child with some kind of brain damage. However, according to the latest research, such seizures do not have any effect on the mental development of the child. The transition of seizures at high temperatures to epilepsy is extremely rare. The most important thing is that when seizures begin, call a doctor immediately! He must use medications to stop the seizure, identify its causes and achieve a decrease in temperature. If a child reacts to an infection with convulsions, this may recur in the future. Therefore, parents should pay attention to the very first signs of a new infection and, even at temperatures above 38°C, try to reduce it with the help of medications.

Temperature measurement methods

In infants, the temperature should be measured in the rectum (rectal) and only in older children - in the oral cavity (there is a danger of chewing the “measuring device”). The temperature in the armpit is measured in babies only in exceptional cases (readings are too inaccurate). It is important to know: the maximum thermometer readings are obtained when measuring in the anus; in the oral cavity, the temperature is usually three divisions lower, and in the armpit even six.

When measuring rectal temperature, the thermometer must be inserted carefully in the direction of the sacrum. Usually the thermometer does not need to be lubricated - excessive lubrication can distort the measurement results. The child should lie on his back, his legs should be raised and kept in this position throughout the procedure.

The depth of the thermometer is also important: at a depth of only three centimeters, the temperature may be lower than at a depth of five centimeters. The thermometer must be held with your hand; under no circumstances should the child be left alone.

You should also be close to older children when they measure their temperature.

A rectal measurement should last a minimum of five minutes, and a longer measurement in the armpit or under the tongue should take 10 minutes. You can quickly find out the temperature using new electronic thermometers, which also do not contain dangerous mercury.

Antipyretic compresses

Calf

Dip two towels in water at room temperature, wring them well and wrap them around each leg from the ankle to the popliteal cavity (not too tightly). Then wrap with dry woolen scarves. Change compresses every 5-15 minutes until the temperature drops by one or two degrees. If the child is shivering, then calf compresses should not be done. The whole body should be warm: both hands and feet. Properly applied compresses remove body heat downwards and thereby relieve the head. Restlessness, numbness (blurred consciousness) and headaches are alleviated or disappear completely.

On the chest

Dip a folded towel or diaper into warm water, wring it lightly and wrap it around the baby's chest. Cover the top with a flannel or woolen scarf so that it completely covers the damp fabric. After 20-30 minutes, remove the compress and thoroughly rub the child with a terry towel. You can safely do this compress several times a day. After removal, the compress should be warm to the touch. Never let it dry on your body. And one more thing: you can’t make a compress outdoors and leave it on the child’s body overnight!