Guidelines for fever checking in children
Guidelines for checking fever in children
We are republishing an earlier intervention of the president of the Hellenic Pediatric Society, professor, Mr. Andreas Konstantopoulos, about childhood fever that was published on the company's website e-child.gr.
For safe measurements of children's fever, you can look for the special children's thermometers with figures of animals from the German House BEURER
Guidelines for checking fever in children
Parents should know that a high fever (40°C) only causes the child to have more breathing, more contractions and does not feel well. No other harmful effects are caused by the fever. Do not be afraid of high fever. High fever is our ally and inhibits the multiplication of viruses. We lower the fever only to make the sick person feel more comfortable. To reduce the fever, we use simple natural measures on the one hand and antipyretic drugs on the other.
The physical measures are as follows:
1) We do not cover the child with blankets and quilts except when he is shivering. Otherwise, we do not cover it, so that the body temperature escapes to the environment.
2) We don't put a lot of clothes on the child. We dress him as much as possible in light clothes and not many layers that act as an insulator, and prevent the fever from falling. If it is not cold, leave it completely naked or with a tank top.
3) Take a bath in the bathtub, leaving the child in the water for 10-20 minutes, and it would be good to refresh him when the water warms up.
The shower does not reduce the fever, because the water passes instantly through the child's body and there is no exchange of temperature between the body and the water.
If you apply these measures the fever from 40°C is reduced by 1-2°C and the child feels better and there is no need to give antipyretic medicine.
In case we need to give antipyretic drugs, paracetamol and ibuprofen derivatives are available in syrup in everyday practice.
With these simple ways you can deal with fever, as long as you realize that fever is not dangerous no matter how high it rises.
Hellenic Pediatric Society
THE PRESIDENT
PROF. ANDREAS KONSTANTOPOULOS
