Notes when using fever reducer for children

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Master, Doctor Vu Quoc Anh - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
Fever is a manifestation of the immune system's response to infectious agents such as bacteria or viruses. Timely use of antipyretic drugs for children helps to avoid dangerous complications such as convulsions, delirium,...

1. What is fever in children? When to treat fever?

Fever is a condition in which a child's body temperature is higher than normal. Bacterial infections are the most common cause of fever. Bacterial and viral diseases such as diarrhea, flu, ear infections, acute laryngitis, bronchiolitis... are the leading causes of fever. Some vaccines can also cause fever. The duration of the fever is short or long depending on the vaccine used.
In most cases, fever can be monitored and treated at home. Parents need to look at their child's behavior to know when to give fever-reducing medicine and when to see a doctor. Normally, parents should send their children to the doctor in the following cases:

Children under 3 months of age with a fever of 38oC. Children over 3 months of age have a fever of 38oC for more than 3 days, they are restless, uncomfortable, refuse to feed,... Children have a fever of 40oC. Children have high fever, convulsions. The child has a recurring fever. The child has a fever with a rash. Children with underlying diseases: cancer, lupus, cardiovascular or sickle cell,...

2. What to do when the child has a fever?

Parents should follow the guidelines below when their child has a fever:

2.1 When the child has a low-grade fever

Dress the child in cool clothes, remove some clothes, monitor the child's temperature every 4 hours and give him plenty of water to drink.

2.2 When the child has a moderate fever

Take off some clothes, let the child wear thin, loose clothes to allow heat to escape. Let the child rest in a cool place, reduce the room temperature. Give your baby plenty of water to drink. Give your child a fever reducer. Wipe the baby cool with warm water: use 5 small wet towels, place 4 towels in 2 armpits, 2 groins and 1 towel used to wipe water all over the body. Parents should change towels every 2-3 minutes. Caregivers stop wiping when the baby's body temperature drops below 38.5oC or 30 minutes after wiping. Finally, dry your baby and dress him in light clothes. Parents can bathe the child with warm water, the temperature is 2oC lower than the child's body temperature.

2.3 When the child has a high fever or very high fever

Parents use the above measures to temporarily reduce fever and immediately take the child to a medical facility.

3. Note when using fever-reducing medicine for children

Because fever is a beneficial and beneficial response to the body, doctors recommend that parents only use fever-reducing medicine for babies when the child's fever is above 38oC. There are many drugs on the market that can be used for children, of which Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are the most common and safest, making them more comfortable and reducing body temperature by 1-1.5oC.
Some important notes when using fever reducers for children:
Do not use Aspirin for children because it can cause many serious diseases such as Reye's syndrome (cause swelling in the liver and brain). The dosage of Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen should be based on the child's weight, not age. Acetaminophen can be used at a dose of 10-15mg/kg/time, every 4-6 hours. If the child's temperature is still high and the child is over 6 months old, parents can replace or combine Ibuprofen with a dose of 5-10mg/kg/time, orally every 6-8 hours. Do not combine many antipyretic drugs for children because it will increase the risk of stomach irritation, gastrointestinal bleeding, ... Antipyretic drugs are used only when necessary and stopped when there are no symptoms.

4. Some notes when taking care of children with fever at home

Prevention of dehydration and nutritional supplementation: when a child has a fever, water and salt are lost through sweating. In addition, the baby's body also loses energy and water-soluble vitamins. Therefore, it is advisable to compensate for the lost substances by giving children plenty of water, milk, and fruit juices rich in nutrients, especially vitamins of group B and vitamin C. Besides, parents should give them to children. Breastfeed and eat several times a day to prevent dehydration and weight loss. Rest: Parents should encourage children to rest if they are still tired. If the child is getting better, parents can let the child play outside but need to avoid the time of the sun or bad weather. When a child has a high fever, convulsion: parents need to know how to handle it to avoid the risk of the child suffocating or lacking oxygen to the brain, brain damage. The treatment steps are: normal breathing (for the child to lie on his side, suction of mucus to avoid airway obstruction), insert an anal antipyretic (Paracetamol dose 10mg/kg/time), cool down to reduce fever. All children with seizures after first aid must be taken to a medical facility for timely diagnosis and treatment. Don't: keep the baby warm; wipe people with ice cold water, alcohol, vinegar; Squeeze lemon, pour medicine into the child's mouth while convulsing because it is easy to cause suffocation. When using fever-reducing medicine for children, parents need to strictly follow the doctor's instructions to avoid dangerous complications. If the child has any abnormal symptoms, parents should take the child to a medical facility for timely examination and treatment.
Pediatrics Department at Vinmec is one of the few multi-specialty hospitals with a full range of doctors specializing in neurology, cardiology, gastroenterology, nutrition, psychology, endocrinology, hepatology, helping to handle it quickly and in a timely manner. when diseases are discovered during the examination. As a key area of ​​Vinmec Medical system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of leading pediatricians: including leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All are well-trained, professional, with a mind - range, understanding 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. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood 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. To register for examination and treatment with Pediatricians at Vinmec International General Hospital, please make an appointment on the website for service.

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