Some important information you should know
1. What is the fever?
Fever is a symptom when body temperature is higher than normal level. Toddler gets fever when his temperatureis :
• above 38oC (100.4F) in the bottom (rectally)
• above 37.8oC (100F) in the mouth (orally)
• above 37oC (99F) under the arm (axillary)
• above 38oC (100.4F) in the ear(This way is not exactly for children under 6 months)
Besides, you can check baby’s temperature by your hand because you can feel how high temperature your child is. This way is more effective than we think. But in the serious case, you should use thermometer to find out exactly your child’s temperature.
The normal lever temperature in the mouth is 36.5oC (97.6F). This temperature often changes from 36.5oC (97.6F)down to 35.5oC (95.8F) in the morning or up to 37.5oC (99.4F) in the evening. The temperature increases lightly (from 38oC to 38.5oC or from 100.4F to 101.3F) because there are some reasons like running around, wearing many layers of clothes or the hot weather. Food or drinks could be the reasons make his temperature higher. If you worried about some abnormal symptoms, you should check your child’s temperature in 30 minutes per once.
1. What causes a fever in your child in toddler stage?
Fever is a symptom, not be a disease. It’s a normal sign of toddler’s body when there are some infection of bacteria and viruses. Fever makes the high temperature environment to fight againstthese infections by startingthe body’s immunity. All of the fever from 37.8oC to 40oC or from 100F to 104Fthat your toddler gets often is not dangerous. Most of the reason is by the flu or cold viruses. The other cause is the illness like sore-throat or urinary tract infection. Especially,toddler teething is not a one of reasons to get fever as we though.
2. How long will the fever end?
Most of the virus fever lasts about 2 or 3 days. Normally, how high the temperature doesn’t relate to how serious the disease is. The truth is your toddler’s behavior decides dangerous the level of disease. The fever doesn’t last a long time and brain damage happens when the body’s temperature is higher than 42oC (108F).
3. How to make the temperature go down to normal?
Your baby should drink plenty of water and wear lightweight clothes: Help your child drink water because water in the body will lost most of by sweating. You don’t bundle up your child with blankets or many layers clothes because this make the temperature go higher and prevent the vaporization of the skin. If your toddler trembles, you just use one lightweight blanket to bundle.
4. Which medicine to make fever go down?
Remember the fever makes your child fight against the illness and infection. Use medicine when the fever effect to your child’s behavior .That means at that time your child gets temperature higher than 39oC (102F).
Most of medicine starts working after 30 minutes and lasts 2 hours after have it. Medicine helps the fever go down 1oC or 1.5oC (2F or 3F) Medicine couldn’t make the temperature go down the normal level. Always checking the dosage of medicine suits the state of fever. The fever will go up or down until it ends. If your child sleeps, do not wake him up to have medicine.
Acetaminophen: The under 3-months of age baby can have acetaminophen (Tylenol).It last about 4 or 6 hours. You must give a right dose for your child’s weight because dosage of acetaminophen is based on the weight. Examples: 15-20 mg per 1 kilogram. Do not use acetaminophen above 5times per day.
Ibuprofen: ibuprofen (advil, motrin) is used for above 6 months of age baby.Ibuprofen will last longer than acetaminophen from 4 to 6 hours. That means it will last 6 or 8 hours. The child’s weight will determine the dosage of ibuprofen. Examples: 5-10 mg per1 kilogram.
Warning: Each medicine is different the right dose. Do not use the same dose for all of medicine.
Do not let your child use aspirin. This is so rare but aspirin can make your child a potentially fatal disorder.
5. Sponging your child to make the fever fall down.
Sponging your child is not necessary to make the fever fall down. Never sponge him before having medicine like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Sponging your child if the fever is higher than 40oC (104F) and make sure you always check how high the temperature is after having acetaminophen or ibuprofen 30 minutes.
If you sponge your child, you should use lukewarm water (about 29 - 32oC or 85 – 90F) . Sponging him is more effective than give him a lukewarm bath – let him sit in bath to make his skin wet. He feels more comfortable because of vaporization .If he has chill, we control the heat higher or stop sponging him until acetaminophen or ibuprofen works.
Do not reduce a fever by sponging your child with alcohol. Alcohol could be absorbed into his bloodstream through the skin. It makes cool him quickly, which can actually raise the temperature.
6. When should you call a doctor?
Call immediately in one of these cases:
• Your child is under 3 months of age.
• The body temperature is above 40oC (104F), after 2 hours havingmedicine to make the fever go down but the temperature doesn’t change.
• Your toddler’s behavior is abnormal (the fever often makes him get headache ,vomit ,.. ).
Call within 24 hours in one of these cases:
• Your child is from 3 months to 6 months of age (unless he gets fever because of vaccines)
• Your child gets fever in 24 hours and he doesn’t have any clearly signs of illness.
• Your child’s fever lasts more 3 days
• The fever end and come back in 24 hours.
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