Fever in Children

FEVER IN CHILDREN

Overview

Fever in children has been so much concern for the parents that most of the children brought to the emergency of the hospitals due to fever. Normally, body temperature over 100.4 F is considered as fever.
There are many bodies which differ in normal temperature. The threshold for fever for such bodies may go on to 101.4 F.

Causes

The most common fever causes are given below: -

(i)                 Illness related to heat exposure

(ii)               Viral infection

(iii)             Bacterial infection

(iv)             Illicit drugs

Symptoms

Symptoms of fever are given below. It is said that younger the child, more easy to diagnose.

(i)                 The child that can’t speak may be irritable, fussy, lethargic, quiet, cry, breath rapidly and feel warm.

(ii)               The child that can speak will tell you that he/she is feeling heat or cold than the others, body aches, headache or feeling difficulty in sleeping.

Diagnosis

When you bring your child to hospital the nurse will determine how quickly the child should be seen by the doctor. If condition of the child is very serious than the child will be taken to emergency immediately otherwise the child will be held in line ahead of less ill patients.

When your turn comes the doctor will ask for the history from the mother and the child and after examining may ask some tests like: -

(i)                Chest X-Ray: -

                                  It will help in examining the condition of chest, lungs, heart. This sort of test is recommended by the doctor in situation when the child has chest pain, cough or difficulty in taking breath.

(ii)               Complete Blood Count (CBC): -

                                                                               It is useful in diagnosing bacterial blood infection and determination about the working condition of Immune system.

(iii)           Urine Test: -   

                                               It is recommended for meninsitis which is a brain infection.

Take care at home

When you are taking care of your child at home, you want to achieve three goals. These are: -

(i)                 Control of temperature

(ii)               Dehydration

(iii)             Serious or life-threatening situation

It is tried to keep the temperature under 102 F through thermometer, medications and proper dressing.

Dehydration is controlled by encouraging the child to drink more fluid, by avoiding tea and urinating light-colored urine about every four hours in case of proper hydration.

Prohibition

We can avoid fever by washing our hands with soap or water, handling food with clean hands, covering nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing, properly immunizing your child, eating diet which includes fruits and vegetables and in the last sleeping well.

By following above mentioned few pre-cautions you can keep your child away from fever. You will have a child with good healthy body, good healthy mind and will perform actively in the upcoming life.

Prognosis

Sometime, prognosis is good for your child in case when the illness period is between 3 to 7 day, in some situations when bacterial infections can’t be handled at the home and child needs hospitalization, in some cases meningitis and bacterial blood infection have more serious prognosis than the common viral infection.