Fever in baby

introduction

Fever is common in children and occurs in the context of infections, but also with stress stimuli such as "teething" etc. on.
The normal body temperature of a toddler is between 36.5 and 37.5 ° C. The smaller the children, the higher the body temperature. A baby is usually not called a fever if it is below 37.7 degrees C in the morning or 38.2 degrees C in the evening.
In pediatrics, temperatures of up to 38.3 ° C are referred to as “elevated temperature”. The normal value is slightly dependent on age and time of day: For example, infants can have temperature values ​​of up to 37.8 ° C in the afternoon or evening without being sick straight away. The fever occurs from a temperature above 38.3 ° C and by definition goes up to 39.8 ° C. Above this body temperature one speaks of a high fever.

General information about fever in babies

Many parents fear that their children will develop a fever. The main concerns are permanent damage or, for example, a febrile seizure. In most cases, fever is harmless and a natural, sensible reaction of the body to invading pathogens. At higher temperatures, some chemical reactions can take place more quickly.

Some viruses and bacteria are significantly inhibited in their growth at temperatures of 38.5 ° C. Adults and older children suffer from a fever much more than young children. Many of them still feel surprisingly good despite temperatures of up to 40 ° C.

Doctors prescribe lowering the fever if the affected child has additional symptoms such as whining, difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, pain, or not wanting or being able to drink (especially in small children). A fever of up to 41 ° C only leaves permanent damage to the body if there are other pre-existing illnesses that complicate the situation. These include heart defects, epileptic convulsions or rare metabolic diseases.

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Diagnosing fever in the baby

The only reliable method is the rectal measurement, i.e. in the buttocks. All other methods are not much more inaccurate, but the rectal method is preferred by paediatricians, as it shows the more precise measured values ​​even if there is any inflammation inside the body. The simple measurement in the ear using an ear thermometer is mostly only used for orientation and requires correct handling.

A baby in the first 6 weeks of life must be presented to a pediatrician immediately if the temperature rises above 37.8 ° C in the afternoon. It would also be sufficient if the baby behaved significantly differently than usual. The child should be presented to a doctor up to the fourth month of life if the temperature is consistently above 38.5 ° C. After that, it is not the level of the fever that is decisive, but the child's symptoms.

Read more on the topic: When should I see a doctor with a fever?

Febrile seizures in the baby

Children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years may have a seizure with loss of consciousness due to a high fever. The cramps almost always occur when the fever rises, and the rate at which the temperature rises is important.

The height of the fever does not play a decisive role. As a result, a febrile seizure is at the very beginning of a febrile infection. The first occurrence is therefore unpredictable and therefore hardly avoidable. The most important measures for the first febrile seizure are:

• call the emergency doctor
• lowering the body temperature (cold compresses, opening clothes)
• and give fever suppositories

Fortunately, most febrile seizures end on their own after a few minutes. The children should still be presented to a doctor, where they will be fully examined so that no risk factors that favor the occurrence of convulsions are overlooked. Emergency medication is also provided.

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Fever after vaccination

A total of five to six vaccinations are given in the first year of life. These often consist of so-called combination vaccinations, i.e. immunization against various pathogens through one vaccination. The best-known example of this is MMR, a vaccination against mumps, measles and rubella.

As a result of the vaccination, the body reacts with an increase in body temperature in 20-30% of cases. The fever can last for several days and rise to 39 ° C. This represents a physiological reaction to the vaccination, i.e. a reaction provided by the body. During a vaccination, the body is exposed to certain parts of a pathogen and begins to work against them, mainly through the production of specific antibodies. As part of this immune reaction, it is therefore normal for a slight increase in temperature to be recorded. As a parent, you don't have to worry. If the fever rises above 38.5 ° C, however, you can think about an adequate therapy with antipyretic agents such as paracetamol.

An increased body temperature can occur not only after the MMR vaccination, but also after the various child vaccinations and, as described above, is mostly harmless.

Whether you should contact your pediatrician or go to the hospital depends on the temperature and how the child behaves during the fever.

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When does one speak of a fever?

At temperatures above 38.5 ° C one speaks of fever. The fever is a natural defense mechanism of the body. At high temperatures, bacteria and other pathogens cannot multiply and are thus prevented from spreading in the body by the fever.
It is therefore a sensible reaction, which is why your baby's fever should not always be lowered directly. In addition, the body temperature can be subject to fluctuations in the daytime and can thus result in higher readings in the evening than in the morning. Fever does not always indicate a serious illness, which is why it is not necessary to see a doctor every time your baby has a fever.

Above all, their own experiences and feelings play a major role here. See a doctor if your child is younger than three months and has temperatures above 38.0 ° C. Children up to two years of age should see a doctor if they have a fever for more than a day, and older children if they have a fever for more than three days. If the temperature cannot be reduced in spite of already implemented fever-lowering measures or if the fever could be lowered, but your baby is still listless, this is also an occasion to see a doctor!

If your baby shows other symptoms besides the fever, such as vomiting, diarrhea, pain, skin rashes, or if the baby is in an unusually poor general condition with unwillingness to drink and weakness, you should also seek help. Even with the already mentioned febrile seizure, if it is your baby's first seizure, a medical evaluation should be carried out. Another point that you should always keep going to the doctor when your baby has a fever is your own concern and concern. The most important and helpful for the doctor are their own observations regarding the behavior of their child.

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Therapy of fever in babies

What to do if the baby has a fever

In general, babies and young children develop a fever faster than older children and adults.
This is mainly due to their still incompletely mature regulation of body temperature by the control centers in the brain traced back. It can happen that strong thirst or blankets that are too warm trigger a fever in your baby.
The other way around, however, the fever can also be absent despite the infection. A baby's normal body temperature is between 36.5 to 37.5 ° Celsius.

From 38.0 ° C one speaks of increased values, from 38.5 ° C of fever, and values ​​from 39 ° C of high fever.

Your baby's fever is a sensible response of the body to ward off disease, which is why not every fever needs to be lowered directly. Your baby's reaction is more important than the temperature.
Laziness to drink or eat, weakness, crying and whimpering, apathy or other unusual behavior should set the alarm bells ringing for you; because your baby is really not doing well then. If so, or if you are scared and unsure yourself, look always see a doctor! However, you can rest assured as long as your child behaves as usual despite a fever.

Otherwise, the following measures can be helpful if your baby has an uncomplicated fever:

• Avoid unnecessary heating of the apartment
• Do not wrap your child too thickly, instead use light clothing and thin blankets
• make sure that the rooms are sufficiently cool and well ventilated.
• a lukewarm bath can help your baby's body lower the temperature a little
• Make sure your baby is drinking enough. Lots of fluids help the body defend itself and prevent dehydration due to the high temperatures. Offer your baby breast milk, milk formula, fruit juices, teas or soups.

Once your baby's fever has reached its peak, fever-lowering measures such as traditional leg wraps can be used. People who have a fever usually sweat a lot too. You should therefore change your baby's bed linen and clothes several times a day. If the baby feels otherwise well in addition to the fever, it is not necessary to be strict bed rest and Food leave to be observed.
Take short walks in the fresh air and eat light meals. It is necessary to check your baby's fever with a thermometer several times a day. (please refer: Measure a fever)
There are various measuring devices, including the so-called Infrared – Ear thermometerthat the heat radiation from the eardrum and the surrounding tissue of the Ear measure or electronic thermometers that are inserted into your baby's bottom.

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Tip: Lay your baby on its side and hug its stomach. Place the fingers of one hand between both feet and bend them slightly. Then insert the thermometer about an inch deep into your bottom. Glass thermometers filled with mercury are no longer recommended these days.
If your baby has a very high fever and is in poor general condition, this can be a major burden for your child. If so, consult a doctor! According to the condition and behavior of your baby, if necessary antipyretic drugshow the classic paracetamol suppositories are administered to lower fever.

Attention! Aspirin to lower fever is not suitable for children under the age of twelve as it can cause a severe liver - brain dysfunction called Reye 's syndrome. Febrile seizures can rarely occur in babies. The decisive factor here is the rate at which the fever rises. For parents who are experiencing a febrile seizure for the first time in their baby, this is a terrible event.
The cramp usually lasts around 20 to 30 seconds and then stops by itself. The children roll their eyes, involuntarily twitch or stop breathing, appear pale, are unresponsive or spit. The febrile seizure is presumably due to an immaturity of the brain and is basically nothing dramatic.
The children also don't notice anything.

Important! Does your child have such a febrile seizure keep calm. Make some space so it doesn't hurt itself, don't hold onto it, and try too Not give something to the child during the spasm. It could choke on it! Children often suffer from such a febrile seizure only once. If this is the first time, you should see a doctor and have the cause clarified to rule out other diseases of the brain and nerves. You should also consult a doctor if your child has temperatures above 38.5 ° C in the first year of life or a fever for more than one or two days, or if your baby is generally in poor condition and behaves abnormally. Otherwise, be patient and give your sick baby a lot of comfort, care and peace.

Actions to be taken if a baby has a fever

The kids just should lightly dressed and covered with a thin blanket. The room temperature is also to be regulated, you should not set it too warm. During the day not higher than max. 22 ° C, at night 17 - 18 ° C. If the child is not cold or frozen chills the child can be bathed with lukewarm water. Parents should be on adequate hydration the child with cool drinks.

Medicines for children against fever should be given if the child suffers from whining, difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, as well as pain from the fever. When the temperature above 40 ° C increases, or Feverish fantasies or States of confusion occur, one should resort to antipyretic medication.

Lowering the fever in the baby

To that Her baby's fever there are different options to lower Home remedies on.

Put cool damp washcloths on the forehead and calves of their little ones. The cool water removes heat from the body. You can also take a bath, the water temperature should be about one degree below the body temperature of your child. Gradually you can add cold water until the temperature of the water is about ten degrees below the body temperature of your baby. Then take your child out of the tub and take the body temperature ten minutes later.
This process can be repeated as long as your child is not cold. You can also wipe the parts of your baby's body that feel warm or hot with a cool sponge. The water evaporates on the skin and has a cooling effect. Give your baby plenty of fluids if they have a fever. In addition, cool dishes such as ice cream or yoghurt can be offered. Also make sure that your child is not wrapped up too warm. Put on light clothing and change clothes and bed linen several times a day.
To keep the room air a little cooler, in which your baby can relax, you can set up a fan. Do not point the fan directly at your feverish child, but set it up aside in the room to get the air to circulate. You should take these steps when your baby has reached the peak of his fever.
At the beginning, when the fever is still rising, the babies and children show the typical chills: For this time frame, it is advisable to cover the child and put something warm on them.

Homeopathy to lower fever in babies

You can find out more about homeopathic remedies from your treating pediatrician or homeopath Her baby's fever to lower gently. When making the selection, it is important to individually adapt the medicine to the symptoms and complaints of your baby in order to achieve improvement and relief. If your applied actions do not have any effect after a maximum of three doses, you should discontinue treatment with this drug and, if necessary, switch to another drug.

The most common are the dilutions D6 and D12 in the form of so-called Globules, small, sugar-like globules that the children can simply melt in their mouths or administered as a drop solution. The drops often contain alcohol, which is why you shouldn't give your child this pure. Put about five drops in a cup of lukewarm water. The alcohol dissipates due to the heat.
You can then give your baby a spoonful of the prepared solution. As long as the effect lasts, no further administration of the agent is necessary. When it subsides, give the remedy again.
However, your child has very high temperatures of over 40.5 ° C you should consult a doctor and resort to other antipyretic drugs and measures! In the following, some homeopathic substances are presented that are used in different forms of fever:

1. Belladonna, better known as deadly nightshade, is used in cases of high fever accompanied by cold hands and feet and a bright red face. In a dilution of D6 to D12, five drops are mixed in half a glass of water, of which a teaspoon is given to the sick child. Most of the time, the fever is caused by a lot of sun or excitement and is made worse by exposure to light.
2. Aconitum, also known as monkshood, which is used in the case of a sudden fever worsened by cold, fright or anger. The fever is often accompanied by great thirst. Aconitum can be administered in the dilutions D4 to D12.
3. - the Schüßler salt no. 3, Ferrum phosphoricum, is used for fever caused by infections with dry, hot skin and shivering at the same time. The complaints peak in the early hours of the morning. It is administered in the form of globules in the potency D6 to D12.
4. Pulsatilla ("Pasque Flower") is used when the fever is variable. The children are mostly indifferent and lazy to drink.

Together with your doctor, try to find a suitable homeopathic remedy for the fever of your baby, suitable for the respective symptoms and aim to change the healing substance if the desired effect is not achieved or even the course of the fever has changed during the treatment .

Calf wrap on the baby

Calf wrap are a proven home remedy for lowering fever. However, calf wraps should not be used on cold hands or feet.

These traditional wraps can be used well with children from the age of one. They are less suitable for children under one year of age, so it is advisable to rub the skin with lukewarm water instead. Leg wraps reduce symptoms such as restlessness and drowsiness and increase your baby's wellbeing.
A temperature reduction of about half a degree to one degree can be achieved with them. Use cotton or linen towels for the outer wrap and a simple tea towel or cloth diaper for the inner wrap. Put the inner cloth in lukewarm water, wring it out briefly and then wrap it tightly around your child's calves. The outer wraps are then placed around them.
Make sure that the water is not too cold. Otherwise, the cold will narrow the blood vessels and make the heat worse. Important! Stay with your child and watch during the swaddling. If it freezes, remove the compress immediately! If your child gets along well with the leg compresses, leave them on for about five to fifteen minutes. The initial cold stimulus activates the metabolism and blood circulation and enables the body to release the heat to the environment. If the wrap is as warm as the skin, it should be changed and fresh calf wrap applied again after a few minutes.

What to do if my baby has a fever while teething?

That Babies teething Getting a fever is not unusual. However, it usually does not rise to temperatures above 38 ° C and subsides again after a few days. If the temperature rises a little higher, you should first try that Child with a wet cloth. The water should not be too cold here, as babies can cool down very easily. If the fever persists or rises at night, parents can ask Administration of Nurofen® resort, which is usually very effective and soon lowers the fever. If the fever remains consistently high for several days, you should think about a visit to the pediatrician to rule out possible infections as the cause.

What to do if my baby has a fever and diarrhea

The simultaneous occurrence of fever and diarrhea suggests that it is an infection. Here is now above all important that the child drinks enoughto replace the fluid loss from diarrhea and sweating. This is best suited for this cold tea with a little sugar. Carbonated drinks should be avoided as they would further irritate the intestines. To reduce the fever, you can gently dab the baby with wet towels. You should also make sure that the water is not too cold, as babies cool down very quickly. If this doesn't help, you can give the child a few drops Nurofen® give. If the symptoms persist for several days or get worse, see a pediatrician.

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Drug therapy for fever in babies

Paracetamol as a suppository (dose: 125mg to 10.5kg body weight, 250mg to approx. 25kg, in addition 500mg per dose or a corresponding amount as a juice or tablet) is most often prescribed.

The administration of a fever medication should not exceed three times a day respectively. Alternative to medicine Paracetamol is the same with children Taking ibuprofen possible. ASS (aspirin) can also be given from the fourth month of life, but only if the above drugs are not effective.

In addition, ASS never with a fever associated with chickenpox are given. Furthermore, a fever medication should be used for fear of the side effects not underdosed become.

Fever suppositories

Fever suppositories are a well-proven remedy for fever of unknown, but also known, cause and are therefore often used in the treatment of small children and babies in everyday clinical practice. Will be in Germany mainly fever suppositories with the active ingredients paracetamol and ibuprofen are used. These drugs are usually very well tolerated by children.However, it must be noted that Ibuprofen only for small children from 6 months may be used.

Depending on the child's body weight, there are different fever suppositories with different amounts of the respective active ingredient. It can be administered up to 4 times a day. When it makes sense to use fever suppositories depends, among other things, on the age of the child. Use in babies is justified from a temperature of 38.5 ° C, as higher temperatures are very exhausting for the young body. In addition, it is advisable to use it from 38 ° C in children who have already suffered from one or more febrile seizures in their lifetime. If these exceptions do not apply, a temperature of approx. 39 ° C to use fever suppositories. One should not forget that a fever is a natural reaction of the body to an infection in order to inhibit the growth of the pathogen.

The most common side effects include skin rashes, gastrointestinal disorders, and liver damage. In general, however, the active ingredients are very well tolerated and the described side effects only occur in very rare cases. What is important to know is the fever suppository does not require a prescription and can even be bought in the pharmacy. However, if a prescription is given, most health insurance companies will cover the costs for children up to 12 years of age.

At what temperature do I have to see a doctor with my baby?

Healthy children have a body temperature of around 36.5 ° C to 37.5 ° C. Up to a temperature of 38.5 ° C one speaks of an elevated temperature. First from a temperature higher than 38.5 ° C one speaks of real fever, from 39 ° C of high fever.

Fever is a natural reaction of the body to an existing infection or other circumstance. Therefore, a Temperature rise up to 38.5 ° C is also absolutely tolerable. However, if the body temperature continues to rise, this can restrict some functions in the body and become a great burden. So you should try to lower the fever from 38.5 ° C.

For this, wet towels in the form of forehead flaps or calf wraps come into question. If this does not help, suppositories with antipyretic agents or the administration of Nurofen juice can be used. A visit to the pediatrician is only advisable if these first measures are ineffective. In addition, is a A visit to the doctor makes sense if the fever lasts longer than a day or other symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting occur. Also if you have febrile seizures due to an increased body temperature, a visit to the pediatrician is strongly recommended.

When should the baby be given a suppository?

Don't lower your baby's fever too soon Medication; because small children in particular often tolerate high temperatures better than adults.

It is not the temperature that is decisive here, but the condition of your baby.

If your baby is in poor general condition, is suffering severely, is in pain or is unable to sleep due to the fever and is very restless, then the use of medication can be used to reduce the fever. In babies and toddlers, fever is common Fever suppositories or -juices prescribed by the doctor.
Such a drug cannot treat the causes of the fever, only the symptoms. The most commonly prescribed pain relievers and antipyretic agents for children weighing three kilograms or more are Paracetamol or Ibuprofen. Your doctor will tell you when and how much of each medication is needed to lower the fever. The most important thing here is the correct dosage, depending on the individual case, for the respective age and body weight.

Attention! The antipyretic medication should not be administered for more than three days at a time. If your baby has a febrile seizure, it is important to break the rapid rise in fever. The therapy of choice here is the early lowering of the fever with medication, for example with paracetamol.

Duration of fever in the baby

How long the fever lasts in babies due to infection very variable. Essential it depends on the type of infection. In the case of mild infections, the fever can only last one to two days and then subside again. Other diseases like that Three-day fever, generally follow a clear pattern in terms of duration.

Furthermore, that also plays age of the child a major role. The immune system reacts differently to certain pathogens depending on the age. Also must fundamentally differentiated between different types of fevers become. A distinction is made between long-lasting, constant fever (continua), relapsing fever (remitting), which fluctuates between 38 ° C and 39 ° C, and fever that alternately rises to high temperatures, but falls between normal values ​​of 37 ° C. It is very difficult to make general statements about the duration of fever in young children. For some diseases, however, this is relatively specific (see for example three-day fever) and can be used to make a diagnosis.