2023-05-01 03:00:50
Fever in babies: everything you should know, and when is the right time to go to the emergency room
Fever in babies is without a doubt one of the most stressful things for new parents, and it floods many questions, among which what medicine should be given? What do you do in such a situation? And when should you go to the hospital? Precisely for this, we have compiled all the relevant information for you
The baby starts to get hot, the cheeks are red, the eyes are shiny – and the parents’ anxiety level increases. But before you go to the emergency room, you should know that fever in children is a reaction of the immune system against viruses and infections. The increase in body temperature, in fact, improves the work of the immune system and makes the white blood cells work more efficiently. Therefore, heat treatment is very age dependent.
Parents of babies always wonder when the body temperature is considered normal, and when it is not. It is important to know that a normal body temperature ranges between 36.5 and 37.5 degrees Celsius. Besides the fever, other signs can appear such as sleepiness and apathy, relative lack of appetite, breathing problems and relatively little contact with his immediate environment.
What medicine should be given?
In general, paracetamol can be given every four hours and Norofen every six hours. Still, you should check the instructions of each bottle because different preparations are more concentrated with other instructions. Nurofen is not recommended to be given to children under the age of six months, and in general, one is not more recommended than the other.
It is important to emphasize that until the age of one month it is recommended not to use antipyretic drugs before consulting the attending physician. Second, if a fever appears, our course of action as parents depends on the level of fever. If there is a fever above 38 degrees (not a forehead test, but a rectal temperature test) you should go to the emergency room without delay. No referral needed. In the emergency department they will conduct a full investigation and perform a blood test. If the temperature is lower than 38 degrees, you can contact your family doctor or the nearest HMO branch where you are being treated for a comprehensive examination.
Between 2 and 4 months
At this stage, the child is probably already vaccinated, so you can be more relaxed. Sometimes, fever can also appear as a byproduct of the vaccinations they received, assuming it is a few days after the vaccinations. However, some of the children in this age range are in daycare and there they are exposed to a host of different diseases. If a fever appears, it is better not to wait and treat with antipyretic drugs, and of course contact the attending physician for clarification.
Over 4 months old
It should be checked whether at the same time the child is vital and eating? If so, you don’t have to run immediately to the health fund and you can treat it at home. If, for example, he does not want to eat, does not urinate, is sleepy, these are alarming signs that require investigation and medical intervention.
Important Information
About 2% of babies and children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years may suffer from convulsions due to high fever, or due to other reasons. During the convulsion, the child may lose consciousness, roll his eyes, lose control of his sphincters and flap his arms in involuntary movements. In case of convulsions, with or without fever, urgent evacuation to the emergency room by ambulance is required.
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