Child has a fever: When should I take my baby to the doctor?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Nguyen Thai Ngoc Chau - Neonatologist - Pediatrics - Neonatology Department - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital.
Children with fever can have many causes, the most common being a respiratory infection. In some dangerous cases, parents should take the child to the doctor immediately for proper and timely treatment.

1. Fever in children

Fever is quite common in young children, especially children under 3 years old. Fever is not a disease but a symptom of other illnesses. That means when the body is attacked by bacteria or viruses, the immune system will kick in, which in turn, causes the body temperature to rise and cause fever. In that way, fever is completely beneficial for the body.
In fact, when a child has a low fever, the only thing we need to do is monitor the symptoms and take proper care, possibly using fever-reducing medicine if needed. In case the child has a high fever but is still playing, acting quickly, etc., it is only necessary to take fever-reducing or cooling medicine. If you need to use antibiotics, follow your doctor's orders.

2. Causes of fever in children

Some main causes can cause fever in children such as:
Infection or virus: Some common diseases that cause fever are sore throat, tonsillitis, ear infection, typhus, urinary tract infection,... Fever can also be one of the signs of dangerous diseases such as: Pneumonia, bronchitis, malaria, dengue fever, meningitis, encephalitis, sepsis,... Immunization: Infants Babies and young children sometimes develop a low-grade fever after vaccination. Overdressing: Young children, especially infants, are very susceptible to fever if they are in a hot environment or are incubated too tightly. The reason is that children cannot regulate their own body temperature. Teething can also raise body temperature, but only mildly. If the child's temperature is higher than 37.8 degrees Celsius, the cause is not teething.

3. When to take your baby to the doctor right away?

In some cases, parents need to use temporary cooling measures and take the child to a medical facility. Because, having fever in babies is extremely dangerous.
For many young children, fever, if not handled promptly, can cause convulsions. It is common in children from 6 months to 5 years old and often recurs. Convulsions can cause suffocation by secreting a lot of phlegm, blocking the airways in children and can cause lack of oxygen, causing brain damage.
Therefore, a child with a fever should be examined immediately if:
The child is less than 2 months old. Fever over 40 degrees Celsius (especially for babies under 3 months old) or fever below 38.5 degrees Celsius but persists for several days due to any cause. The child is sick but has an abnormally high temperature or has a fever that has dropped to below 36.5 degrees Celsius. Fever-reducing medicine has been taken as directed by the doctor, but the fever has not improved. Children have seizures. Children 2 - 4 months of age (unless fever occurs within 48 hours of diphtheria - pertussis - tetanus vaccine and the child has no other severe symptoms). Fever subsided for more than 24 hours and then the fever recurred. Babies cry uncontrollably or get too upset, cry when they move or when their parents touch people. Children lying dormant, difficult to wake up. Stiff neck. Have any skin rashes. The child has difficulty breathing, and does not feel better even after cleaning and decongesting the nose. The child cannot swallow food or is unable to suckle, vomiting everything out. Blood in stools, vomiting blood. The child looks very weak and tired. Child has pain while urinating.

Children have fevers for many reasons, so it is not enough to just give them fever-reducing drugs, but also not arbitrarily give them antibiotics to reduce fever.
Parents need to pay attention to observe the child's signs of illness to take the child to the doctor in time. In addition, because children are sensitive subjects, combining with care and hygiene for children during fever is extremely necessary, playing an important role in the child's recovery.
As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of top doctors and nurses in Pediatrics : Consists of leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), rich experience, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108,... The doctors are all well-trained, professional, conscientious, and knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. upon reaching adulthood. Advanced techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - craniofacial surgery, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.

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