| Mrs. Kumar gets tense every time her three year old | | | | A child, who is otherwise playful and active will |
| son, Rohan, gets fever. She knows that she is in for a | | | | become quiet, and will cling to the mother, or remain in |
| tough time, as Rohan becomes almost unmanageable | | | | bed, when she gets fever. Also, when the body |
| when this happens. He stops eating, tends to throw up | | | | temperature rises, a lot of anti-inflammatory and |
| and keeps whining the whole day. | | | | anti-infective substances like antibodies are thrown out |
| He won't leave his mother, sticking to her like a leech. | | | | by the body into the blood stream, to fight the infection. |
| He doesn't sleep, and also has a tendency towards | | | | |
| fever-induced convulsions. The combination of all these | | | | The Dangers Of Fever In Small Children: |
| factors is enough to drive Mrs. Kumar up the wall at | | | | The first worry about fever is that it could signal a |
| the thought of her son getting fever. | | | | serious infection, and if the fever is very high and is not |
| Hers is not an isolated case; almost all mothers dread | | | | improving in two or three days, then a doctor should |
| fever in their child, for they know that ensuing week is | | | | be consulted, to ascertain the cause of the fever. |
| likely to be completely crazy. | | | | Some of the infections that come with high fever, and |
| Fever is the commonest symptom that indicates that | | | | can be harmful include typhoid, malaria, dengue, |
| the child is unwell. All of us know what fever is, and | | | | pneumonia, urinary infections and brain fevers. So, |
| are acquainted with it. But while managing an adult with | | | | fever worries us because it may be part of some |
| fever is one thing, a child with fever can challenge the | | | | serious disease. |
| best of parents. a tough few days ahead of you. Let's | | | | The second consideration is that some children are |
| take a look at fever in children. | | | | prone to fever induced convulsions, as mentioned |
| What Is Fever? | | | | before. Such children need to be closely observed |
| Fever is the hot sensation that we feel when our body | | | | every time they get fever, and will need to be given |
| temperatures are raised, above the normal limits. | | | | anti-fever medicines every four to six hours, till the |
| Whenever our body temperature, as measured by a | | | | fever subsides, along with sponging the body with |
| thermometer, is above 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 36.9 | | | | water. Children who have convulsions many times |
| degrees Centigrade, it indicates that we have fever. | | | | may need anti-convulsive medication, usually for a |
| The definition of fever is the same whether you are | | | | period of two years or so. |
| an adult or a child. | | | | |
| What Is The Normal Range Of Body Temperature? | | | | What Causes Fever In Children? |
| The normal range of temperature can be anywhere | | | | Common causes: |
| from 95 or 96 degrees to 98 degrees F. Normally, the | | | | 1) Viral fevers |
| body temperature is lowest in the early morning and | | | | 2) Ear, nose and throat infections |
| keeps rising slowly. It peaks at 2 am in the night, and | | | | 3) Urinary infections |
| then starts to fall. Hence, if you were to measure your | | | | 4) Stomach infections |
| child's temperature in the morning, it might show 96 or | | | | 5) Pneumonias |
| 96.5 degrees. In the evening, it might show 98. This is | | | | 6) Typhoid fever |
| the normal pattern. | | | | 7) Malaria and Dengue fevers |
| How Is Fever Caused? | | | | 8) Tuberculosis |
| Our body temperature is controlled within the normal | | | | 9) Fever following vaccinations |
| range, by an area of the brain, called the | | | | Uncommon causes: |
| Hypothalamus. This structure is responsible for | | | | 1) Brain fever and meningitis |
| maintaining our body temperature in the normal range. | | | | 2) Bone and joint infections |
| When there is an infection, the germs that cause the | | | | 3) Infections of kidney and liver |
| infection act on this structure and temporarily change it, | | | | 4) Cancers, including blood cancer |
| so that it raises the body temperature. This leads to | | | | 5) Autoimmune diseases |
| fever, with the child's entire body feeling hot. If the | | | | 6) Pus collections anywhere in the body |
| germs are weak, the fever is mild; if the germs are | | | | How To Treat A Fever: |
| powerful (like Malaria or Typhoid germs), then the | | | | Though a mild fever can be left alone without |
| fever is also very high. | | | | treatment, high fevers will need to be treated with |
| When we administer a drug, like Paracetamol, to the | | | | anti-fever medicines like paracetamol. Also, sponging |
| child, in order to reduce fever, the medicine acts on the | | | | the entire body of the child with tepid water and |
| same structure in the brain, and brings about the | | | | keeping strips of cloth soaked in water over the |
| opposite action that the germs do, and makes the | | | | forehead help to lower the temperature. |
| fever come down. | | | | A child with fever should be made to wear as less |
| When the effect of the medicine wears off, the fever | | | | clothes as possible and these too should be light loose |
| rises again. This process goes on till the germs are | | | | fitting cotton clothes. Covering a child with heavy |
| eliminated from the child's body, either by the body's | | | | blankets or sweaters is not the right thing to do, though |
| own immune system, or by antibiotic medicines that | | | | most mothers are taught to do this, during fever. |
| doctors administer to the child, along with fever | | | | The insulation that results because of woolen |
| reducing medicines. | | | | garments prevents the heat of the fever from being |
| It is a normal observation that when fever is rising, the | | | | conducted to the atmosphere. Woolen clothing can |
| child starts to feel cold, and may shiver. When | | | | actually increase the fever by a degree or two, and a |
| medicines are administered and the fever reduces, the | | | | mild or moderate fever can become severe, due to |
| child starts sweating. Sweating often tells us that the | | | | tight, warm clothing. |
| fever is reducing. | | | | This needs to be avoided. Using a fan or an air |
| Is Fever Bad, Or Does It Have Any Benefit? | | | | conditioner is permitted for a child with fever, as it |
| Fever, apart from making the child lose his appetite | | | | helps in cooling the body faster. |
| and sleep, and making him irritable, can also cause | | | | Fever, by itself is rarely harmful. However, it often |
| convulsions in small children, as Mrs. Kumar discovered. | | | | becomes necessary to find out what is the cause of |
| Once, when her son got high fever, he had a | | | | fever, and to treat it accordingly with the right |
| convulsion, and become unconscious. He had to be | | | | medicines. |
| rushed to the hospital, and was admitted for a couple | | | | Only when the infection is eliminated, either by the |
| of days. Only when his fever came down, and all the | | | | body's own immune processes or by medicines does |
| tests were normal, was he discharge from the hospital. | | | | the fever go away, permanently. Though parents need |
| Though fever is a sign of infection and signals that the | | | | not panic every time the child gets fever, they should |
| child is sick, it has some advantages. Fever makes the | | | | consult their doctor if the fever is very high, or if it not |
| child compulsorily take rest, which is required in any | | | | gone after three to five days. |
| illness. | | | | |