In most cases, children do not feel well when the temperature rises: they begin to be capricious, feel sleepy and irritated. Therefore, the first step is to measure the temperature and, if it is higher than 38.5 ° C, then it is necessary to put the child to bed. If you find it difficult to calm him down, then, as an option, you can put your baby in for watching a cartoon.

If the temperature is above 38.5 ° C, then the child should be given an antipyretic. The rate of the medicine will help to determine by. For convenience, the packages of children's antipyretic syrups contain measuring spoons or syringes for. Instead of syrup, you can put a medicinal suppository in the anus. The candles are slightly slower, but they reduce the temperature just as effectively.

The child's temperature should be measured at intervals of half an hour to monitor how it changes. The result of each measurement must be written down on a piece of paper to show later to the doctor.

If the child is cold, then cover him with a blanket, if it is hot, then undress him and do not cover him. It is important to know that antipyretic drugs begin to act faster and more effectively in conjunction with plenty of drinking. Therefore, give your child a drink as often as possible. Even if he refuses to drink, drink him with a spoon. Let's drink in small portions, but often. Water, sweetened tea, berry juice can be used as a drink.

Nutrition of the child when the temperature rises.

If the baby has no appetite, then you should not force-feed him. During an illness, all the forces of the body are directed to fight the virus. Nothing bad will happen if the child does not eat well in the first days of the illness. The main thing is that he drinks a lot of liquid.

What to do at low temperatures.

If the child's temperature does not rise above 38.5 ° C degrees, then you can not give him antipyretic. If the child is naughty, apply a cool compress on his head. Use room temperature water for the compress (not cold!) With the addition of a couple of drops of vinegar essence. A vinegar compress will relieve headaches.

Wiping the child's body with cool water can reduce the temperature. You can also soak the sheet in water and wrap the entire baby in it. Such a procedure can alleviate poor health. An enema with cool water (37 degrees C) can lower the temperature, but more often children do not like this procedure, they start crying, which can worsen their well-being.

The site provides background information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. A specialist consultation is required!

The child has a fever.

What to do?

An increase in temperature is one of the most common signs of a wide variety of ailments in babies.
What to do if a son or daughter has heat body?
First of all, you should urgently make an appointment with a pediatrician or call a doctor at home. You can not hesitate in those cases when the body temperature has risen in the crumbs under three months of age, or in the case when the increase in temperature is combined with any disease.

If the body temperature is increased significantly, and also causes pain in the muscles, measures must be taken to reduce it. Among the medicines used for these purposes, paracetamol is widely used. Under no circumstances should your child be given aspirin. This drug can harm health when the baby suffers from a viral disease. It is strictly forbidden to treat children under the age of twelve with aspirin. How much to give a child antipyretic is the competence of the doctor. If the amount of the drug is too high, it can cause a lot of dangerous phenomena for the child's body. And if it is too low, the effect will not come.

In the event that the baby is in a fever, he should be given warm milk, dressed warmly or put under a blanket. It is undesirable to use tea in such situations, it contains caffeine, which activates the excretion of urine, which means that it accelerates the elimination of fluid from the body. It is best to drink brewed rose hips, chamomile, or fruit juice at high temperatures. If the baby is not in a fever, it should not be covered with heat and dressed so that the body is cooled naturally.

Cooling baths can be used instead of antipyretics. The water temperature in such a bath should be thirty-five to thirty-six degrees Celsius. Do not use alcohol wipes to lower the temperature in babies. Alcohol enters the bloodstream through the pores, which threatens to poison the baby. For such procedures, you should use ordinary table vinegar, diluted in half with water. In addition, you can make cool compresses in the armpits, on the back of the head, in the groin. Here, powerful blood arteries run close to the skin. It is imperative to control changes in body temperature and prevent it from increasing more than thirty-nine degrees in the rectum or more than thirty-eight and a half degrees in the armpit.

When to see a doctor

If none of the methods mentioned here helped to reduce body temperature, you should immediately visit a doctor. During the period of increasing temperature, you should water the baby as much as possible in order to prevent tissue dehydration. This dangerous condition is manifested by desiccation of mucous membranes, skin, the baby does not urinate, cries without emitting tears, he may be too nervous or, on the contrary, passive. If any of the above symptoms appear, this is a reason to immediately call a doctor or ambulance. You should also do the same if the baby does not want to drink or vomits.

A high fever in a child or hyperthermia is a common occurrence. If you have already learned the happiness of becoming parents or are just getting ready, then sooner or later you will face this problem. In this article I will talk about the algorithm for providing emergency care for hyperthermia in children. I will focus on the age of the child, because there are differences in helping children 1 - 2 years old, 3 and 6 years old. After reading the article, the high temperature will not catch you by surprise and will not cause panic, you will calmly bring it down at home and alleviate the suffering of your child.

What is high body temperature or hyperthermia

I want to say right away that an increase in temperature is a pathophysiological process, as a result of which the body mobilizes defense processes, activates the immune system to fight viruses and bacteria. This increase is necessary, therefore you have repeatedly heard that it is undesirable to bring down the temperature to 38 degrees.

Types of body temperature in children

These definitions apply not only to children, but also to adults:

1. subnormal - 35-36 ° C. It usually occurs in elderly people or severely weakened children, a prognostically unfavorable sign;
2. normal - 36-37 ° C. Although in many Western countries, including America, temperatures up to 37.5 are considered normal;
3. subfebrile - 37-38 ° C. This is the temperature that in most cases does not need to be brought down. Below I will tell you in what cases it is necessary to reduce this temperature in a child;
4. increased - 38-39 ° C;
5. high - 39-40 ° С;
6. excessively high - above 40 ° С.

What is "white" and "red" fever in children

Depending on the mechanisms of occurrence and course, the increased temperature (fever) in children is conventionally divided into red and white. The tactics of treating the baby depend on the type of fever. With red fever, the child's skin is red, the limbs (arms and legs) are warm, the ears and nose are red color pink and also warm to the touch. The general condition of the kinder is satisfactory, he is active, plays, eats, despite the fact that the thermometer shows disappointing 38.5-39.0 degrees.

With "white" - cold and pale limbs (hands and feet as cold as ice) are noted, despite the high temperature. Face skin, nose, ears too white, with a bluish tinge. This occurs due to spasms of peripheral vessels, as a result of which normal heat transfer does not occur. The general condition of the child is moderate or severe. He is lethargic, pale, he is cold, he does not want to do anything. This high temperature option is more dangerous. What parents should do with such a fever, I will write below. ...

Emergency care for hyperthermia in children - an algorithm for providing at home

If your child is several months old from birth, 1, 2, 3 years, 6 years old or older, and you do not know what to do at high temperature, then this algorithm will help bring down the temperature without medication.

How to bring down a temperature of 39 without medication

If your baby's skin is pink, hands, feet, and nose are warm or hot. If the kinder is active, and the thermometer has an awful 39, then these rules will help you to bring down the temperature yourself at home.

With the correct implementation of the above algorithm, the child's temperature decreases by 1 - 1.5 degrees, providing a comfortable 37 - 37.5 ° C, which is needed to activate the immune system. These rules cannot be ignored. They are more difficult to fulfill than just giving an antipyretic agent, but medicines are medicines, they have certain toxic effects on organs. Plus drugs that bring down the temperature won't work with dehydration when the body is low on water.

All these actions can be performed only with the so-called "red fever".

Remember, if the temperature lasts more than 3 days, you need to see a doctor (pediatrician, family doctor). If you are not yet a year old, you must contact immediately after the temperature rises.

If your baby has any congenital malformations or concomitant diseases, previously had febrile seizures, head injuries, then in this case - only call an ambulance or a doctor at home.

White fever in a child - what to do

If your child has a high temperature of 39 - 40 ° C, and at the same time his hands and feet are cold as ice, he himself is pale, then in this situation it is necessary to perform the following actions and call ambulance or seek help from a doctor (parents should understand that "white fever" is very often manifested in severe viral or bacterial infections):

1. give the child hot tea. Hot tea will warm the child and relieve vasospasm in the periphery;
2. put a bottle of warm water on your feet. In this situation, the baby needs to warm up his arms and legs so that the blood vessels expand and begin to give off heat. Put on socks and cover with a blanket;
3. give one tablet of no-shpa (drotaverine) or papaverine. Antispasmodics are needed to relieve the same vasospasm;
4. give antipyretics (ibuprofen or paracetamol). Read about the calculation of the dosage of paracetamol and ibuprofen by the weight of the child in a separate article devoted to the drug treatment of high fever in children;
5. wait for the doctor to decide on further treatment.

All these actions allow you to translate "white" fever into "red" or, as it is also called, "pink". If you managed to do this, the above is a list of actions for pink (red) fever.

Fever is not a disease. And the numbers on the thermometer do not always indicate the severity of the condition. This is just a symptom of both dangerous and commonplace viral infections. Knocking down the temperature does not mean getting better. Parents should remember that reducing it by any means, to put it mildly, is harmful.

Moms and dads should understand the reasons for the rise in temperature, ways to reduce it, and also competently solve the issues of when it should be reduced.

What is a fever?

Fever is a protective reaction of the body aimed at fighting infectious agents in the form of an increase in body temperature.

The temperature of the internal environment of the body is set at the center of thermoregulation. It is located in a section of the brain - the hypothalamus. When a person is healthy, the center is set to a temperature of 35.5-37.5. The infectious agents that enter the body - viruses, fungi, protozoa and bacteria - are pyrogens (from the Greek ru - fire, heat and gennao - to create, produce), that is, factors that can cause an increase in temperature.

The microorganisms themselves, or the products of their vital activity and decay, act through biochemical reactions on the thermoregulatory center, and it increases the body temperature in order to destroy pyrogens. The fever persists until the complete destruction of all that caused it.

There are also non-infectious pyrogens. These can be different chemicals that enter the human body from the outside, or are formed in it during, trauma, hormonal disruptions. In these cases, the elevated temperature will be called non-infectious.

In the vast majority of cases, the causes of a high temperature in a child are bacteria and viruses.

According to the degree of temperature rise, they are distinguished:

• subfebrile fever, in which the temperature rises to 38 degrees;
• febrile, with an increase from 38 to 39 degrees;
• high - 39-41 degrees Celsius
• hyperthermic when the temperature rises above 41 degrees.

The normal temperature in a child and an adult may well be 37.5 degrees, if there are no signs of an infectious disease and deterioration of health.

If, during a rise in temperature, the child is hot from head to heel, his skin is normal or bright pink, and his state of health is slightly disturbed, this type of fever is called "red". It proceeds favorably.

If the thermometer shows high numbers, and the child's limbs are cold, he is frozen, the color of the skin has changed to pale or cyanotic, then this is a "pale" or "white" fever. It affects the well-being of the baby and requires certain measures.

Fever refers to the system of nonspecific, or congenital, immunity that any person possesses from birth to death. As the temperature rises, antibodies are produced to fight infection. And bacteria and viruses themselves are destroyed under its influence. It is thanks to the fever that the body's defenses are mobilized and are able to work adequately.

In infants of the first months of life, the thermoregulation center is not yet able to adjust the body temperature, therefore, under the influence of any external causes the temperature can rise easily. Most often these are overheating and lack of fluid. But it is important to monitor the well-being of the child. If he is active, gladly sucks on a breast or a bottle, does not spit up, then there is no reason for panic. It will be enough to ventilate the room, adequately dress or feed the child again.

When does fever become life-threatening?

A normally functioning thermoregulatory center will never raise the temperature above 41-42 degrees. It is with such a fever that the process of destroying a person's own cells starts, and protein, the main building material of our body, begins to break down (denature).

The body knows perfectly well in what cases and to what extent it is necessary to increase the temperature. Such a protective mechanism was developed in the course of evolution. Overcoming the border of 42 degrees is possible in the event of a "breakdown" of the thermoregulation center during trauma and brain tumors, or in case of general overheating from the outside.

With some diseases of the central nervous system and cardiovascular system in a child, serious complications can be caused even by a temperature above 37.5 degrees, so it is important not to allow it to rise.

When do you need to measure the temperature?

Caring parents put a thermometer on the baby, most often focusing on a hot forehead. In this case, the child can behave as usual: play, be naughty and have fun. It can overheat due to high physical activity, warm clothing, and high temperature in the room. There are certain indications for measuring temperature.

The main guideline when it is necessary to measure the temperature is a violation of the baby's well-being. Hot skin is not an indicator of trouble and illness.

Children under three months of age especially need to measure their temperature when their well-being deteriorates. In such babies, its increase is almost always a sign of trouble and a reason for an urgent examination by a pediatrician.

How to measure the temperature correctly?

Not all parents know how to do this so that the indicators are not overestimated or underestimated. Temperature measurement is most often done in the armpit according to certain rules.

1. The kid should be calm.
2. The armpit skin should be dry.
3. Before measuring the temperature, the mercury thermometer must be wiped dry and shaken so that its column is below 36.6 degrees.
4. The mercury-filled tip must be completely submerged in the fold of the skin.
5. The generally accepted time for measuring the temperature in the armpit is ten minutes.

An alternative to a mercury thermometer is modern electronic, infrared, and special strips, which are convenient to take with you on a trip. All of these instruments can also be used to measure temperature. It is important to carefully read the instructions for them to obtain reliable results.

Few parents know that when using an electronic thermometer to get correct results, after the beep, you need to hold it in the armpit for another three to four minutes. In this case, its readings will be comparable to the readings of a standard mercury thermometer.

Parents' actions when the temperature rises

In all cases, if the baby has a fever, you need to adhere to a number of rules.

1. Do not panic.
2. Provide the room with an optimal temperature of 18-22 degrees, ventilation and supply of fresh cool air.
3. Make your child a tasty drink and drink constantly. The volume of fluid required by the baby when the temperature rises is approximately 100 ml per kilogram of body weight per day. For drinking, you need liquid or the temperature of the baby's body. So it is absorbed faster in the intestines.
4. Dress code when the temperature rises: T-shirt or T-shirt, panties, socks. And that's all. The child should not have any diapers and extra clothes at the time of the fever. No need to wrap up. Better to cover with a blanket.
5. You can wipe your baby with water at a body temperature. Vinegar and alcohols should not be added to the water. Baby's skin is tender - there may be irritation. And because of the increased permeability, you can easily poison the crumb.
6. If the child has chills, rubdowns are prohibited. First you need to warm it up: rub the limbs or apply a heating pad, give a hot drink, cover it with a blanket, only then start to lower the temperature.

Moms and dads first of all need to assess the condition of the child. The classic indication for lowering the temperature is the mark on the thermometer 38.5 degrees. But if the child is at the same time active, mobile, his skin is of the usual pink color, then you can wait. In this case, the rise in temperature is not a threatening condition.

If the baby has a heart defect or brain diseases, such as hydrocephalus, epilepsy, then in order to prevent serious complications, the temperature will have to be lowered even before it rises to 38 degrees Celsius.

When the temperature rises in healthy children, one should focus not on the numbers on the thermometer, but on the state of health. This "golden" rule should be learned by all parents.

There is nothing so harmful about an increase in temperature that you can immediately take medicine if you feel normal. If the parents cannot catch up with the child with 38.8 in order to inject the medicine into him, then there is no need for treatment.

If, when the temperature rises, the child is active, but behaves strange and unusual - excitement is not associated with the game, answers inappropriately, and the like - it is better to immediately show him to the doctor. It is important to distinguish between ordinary mobility and psychomotor agitation, which can occur with a complicated course of infectious diseases.

If the child is ill, he is lethargic, capricious, complains of headache and body aches, cannot sleep, then he should be given an antipyretic drug to make him feel better, not forgetting about the above conditions.

What drugs can lower the temperature, and how to take them

To date, there are only two drugs approved for use in children to reduce fever: ibuprofen and.

Humanity has been using paracetamol for about 120 years. This drug has a minimal set of side effects, it is perfectly absorbed from the intestines. It has a weak anti-inflammatory effect. Even an inadvertent dose exceeding 3-4 times rarely leads to dangerous consequences. It is produced under many names in the form of syrups, tablets and suppositories (Calpol, Tylenol, Tsefekon, Efferalgan). The difference between the drugs is only in the name and price.

Ibuprofen was synthesized in 1962 and is widely used to relieve pain and fever. Has a stronger anti-inflammatory effect, has more irritating effect on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. It can also reduce blood levels and cause bronchospasm. Ibuprofen is produced, like paracetamol, in the form of suppositories, syrups and tablets (Nurofen, Ibufen)

To reduce the temperature in children of any age, you can not take drugs analgin, aspirin, nimesulide. This action can lead to the development of dangerous complications from the hematopoietic system, liver, kidneys.

It is undesirable to use combined preparations of ibuprofen and paracetamol, because one of them slows down blood flow in the kidneys, and the other has a toxic effect. This combination can be dangerous. Ibuprofen should not be taken for chickenpox. It promotes deeper penetration of the virus under the skin and the development of purulent complications.

It is recommended to start lowering the temperature with paracetamol preparations. It will be more effective for viral infections. With bacterial infections, or with a complicated course of ARVI, it is better to lower the temperature with ibuprofen, since it has a stronger anti-inflammatory effect. This difference in drug action can be a good guide for parents in assessing the severity of the disease.

If, after taking paracetamol, the temperature dropped quickly and the child's well-being improved significantly, then, with a high degree of probability, one can think that he is carrying a banal viral infection. If the effect of taking it is absent, you need to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

The effect of both drugs depends on the correct dose. Most often, the lack of effect is associated with the intake of an insufficient amount of paracetamol or ibuprofen. In the instructions for them, the dosage is selected depending on the age of the child. It would be more correct to calculate the required amount of the drug per kilogram of the baby's weight. After all, a one-year-old child can weigh 14 kilograms, then the standard dose will not be enough.

A single dose of paracetamol is 15 mg per kilogram of the child's weight. If Panadol syrup is used, the child's weight can be multiplied by 0.625. So we get the number of milliliters of syrup for a single dose. Single dosage of ibuprofen 10 mg per kilogram. A single dose of the popular Nurofen syrup in milliliters = half the baby's weight. The drugs can be given every 4 hours, but no more than three times a day.

After taking antipyretics, a decrease in temperature occurs in about an hour. If this has not happened, there is no reason for panic.

At first, you need to assess the condition of the baby. If it has improved, the numbers on the thermometer are not important.

Secondly, even if the temperature has not dropped, most likely, the vasospasm has gone and rubbing with warm water can be applied.

Thirdly if the need for antipyretics still remains, you can give another drug 1.5-2 hours after taking the first one, for example, ibuprofen after paracetamol.

No need to try to bring the temperature down to 36.6 degrees. To improve health, a decrease of 0.5-1 degrees is sufficient.

How to choose the right form of the drug

It is important to choose the right form of the drug. , in addition to the main substance, contain additional additives: colorants, flavors, thickeners, which makes them pleasant to the taste. But during the period of illness, the baby can easily develop an allergic reaction to any component of the syrup. More often this happens precisely on supplements.

Tablet formulations contain a minimal amount of additives. For children with allergies, this form is preferable. The disadvantages of the tablets are unpleasant taste and inconvenience of dividing.

If parents are "friends" with mathematics, it will be easy for them to calculate the dose of the drug in a tablet for their baby. For example, there is a Paracetamol tablet containing 500 mg of the active ingredient and a child weighing 13 kg. A single dose of paracetamol to lower the temperature 13 x 15 mg / kg = 195 mg. The tablet is diluted in 5 ml of water and using the proportion method it is calculated that the baby needs to be given about two ml of solution.

Suppositories are used if the child has vomiting, in which case it is not possible to give the medicine by mouth. They show their effect more slowly, but longer in comparison with syrups and tablets. The higher the temperature, the slower the drug will be absorbed from the rectum.

When is an urgent medical examination necessary?

An isolated rise in temperature is not a reason to call an ambulance or a local pediatrician. This means that there are no other vague and threatening symptoms.

The following cases require an urgent medical examination.

1. A bright red rash that does not disappear with pressure, bruising that appears quickly, right "before our eyes."
2. and excitement or, conversely, increased drowsiness, apathy. The child does not react to attempts to wake up.
3. Breathing becomes slow, difficult, or too fast.
4. The child has a very severe headache that does not get better with pain relievers. Against the background of a headache, repeated vomiting occurs.
5. The child has signs of dehydration: dry eyes and tongue, sunken fontanelle and eyes, he does not urinate.
6. The child has a fever.
7. The temperature has increased in an infant under three months of age.

In these cases, immediate examination is needed to exclude life-threatening diseases: meningitis, meningoencephalitis, pneumonia, malignant blood diseases and other serious conditions.

It is important for parents to remember that fever is not a disease. In most cases, this is a defensive reaction of the body in response to an attack by viruses. The correct actions of dad and mom are important for wellness baby, as well as for the proper functioning of the immune system and reliable protection against infection.

An increase in temperature can be caused by the response of the child's body to viruses, colds, intestinal infections and teething. The child has a stomach ache and fever, a red throat and a temperature of 38, the child has a headache - all this indicates the penetration of harmful bacteria and viruses. But what if the child has a temperature of 38 without symptoms?

If there are no obvious symptoms of a cold, the reasons why a child has a fever without cold symptoms may be as follows:

Teething reaction

A child's body can react to teething with a temperature rise above 38 degrees. In this case, additional symptoms will be restless, interrupted sleep, profuse salivation, swelling of the gums and the desire to bite hard objects.

Transient fever

If the child is no more than a week old and the temperature is above 38, his condition may be explained by adaptation to environmental conditions in such a way as an increased temperature lasting one or two days. This condition is called Transient Fever. The first day is the most important, such a fever in very rare cases lasts more than one day.

Overheating of the body

In a one-year-old child, a temperature of 38 may occur from being in warm clothes, in a very hot room. The body of babies is not yet accustomed to adapting to environmental conditions due to the lack of its own thermoregulation. A child can overheat from fast running and active games, so it is better to allow them in light clothing.

Allergy

Allergy manifestations upon contact with irritants can cause not only a rash and a runny nose, but also the manifestation of an increased temperature 38 in a child, up to 5 days without symptoms.

Fever can occur as a result of vaccination. A child's temperature of 38 may well be a reaction in response to the vaccine. If high level temperature lasts more than 2 days, you must consult a doctor.

Urinary tract infections

Very often, the only symptom of urinary tract infections in children is an increase in temperature to 38. If you suspect this infection, you must pass a urine test.

Against the background of complete well-being, the temperature suddenly rises. The readings on the thermometer are quite frightening: 38 - 40 ° С. At the same time, the deterioration of well-being does not always occur, and if it does, it is more often insignificant. No runny nose, no cough, no headache, or vomiting with diarrhea join the fever. From the second day, there may be some apathy and lethargy of the child, but this is also not a mandatory sign. The high temperature condition is quite satisfactory. This could be due to an infection with the herpes virus. The fever lasts an average of 3 days (another name for roseola is a three-day fever). The temperature does not respond well to antipyretic drugs; it does not fall below 38 ° C.

The incubation period of other viral and bacterial infections

The incubation period of a number of bacterial infections (for example) or viral (for example ARVI) rarely manifests itself without additional symptoms, but such cases are possible. If a child has a temperature of 38 for 2 days, even if the child does not show anxiety, he must be shown to a doctor.

When to lower the temperature

A child may not always have a fever, with a "white fever" the child has a temperature and his hands and feet are cold, while he may feel chills. Therefore, it is not always possible to determine whether a child has a temperature or not, only by putting a hand on his forehead. It is imperative to measure the temperature with a thermometer.

Temperature 39 and above

Fever above 39 is dangerous for the child with the possibility of developing serious complications. up to cerebral edema.

Temperature 38 - 38.5

In case of deterioration of the child's condition at a temperature of 38-38.5, headache, muscle pain, sleep disturbances, etc. Please note: it is enough to lower the temperature by 1-1.5 degrees, you do not need to achieve a decrease in temperature to normal values, by taking

Important! If the temperature does not exceed 38.5 ° C and the child's condition does not deteriorate, it is not necessary to lower it (except for children under 3 months of age). Temperature is not a disease, but the body's immune response to the invasion of a virus.

Temperature 38 and below

Children under the age of 3 months inclusive, as well as children with a history of seizures, severe diseases of the lungs and heart, can be prescribed at temperatures below 38 degrees.

Important: immediately call the emergency medical assistance, if a child aged 3 months or younger has a temperature above 37.5.

There are two reasons for this urgency:

1. The protective layer of cells between the blood flow and the central nervous system, in children 3 months of age and younger, very thin. This means that if there is a bacterial infection, bacteria can "cross" this border and very quickly have a negative effect on the central nervous system.
2. Symptoms of a severe infection at such a young age may not appear as they do in older children. That is why it is important to undergo diagnostics as soon as possible to identify the cause of the temperature rise. In this case, it is impossible to hesitate and take a wait-and-see attitude, we are talking about the life of a child.

The choice of antipyretic drugs

Approved drugs

As effective and safe antipyretic drugs for fever in children, only drugs based on paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Important: the calculation of the volume of antipyretic drugs must be calculated based on the weight of the child, and not just the age of the child.

The first choice is paracetamol(Acetaminophen, Tylenol, Panadol, Prohodol, Calpol, Efferalgan, etc.) in a single dose - 10-15 mg / 1 kg of body weight (no more than 3-4 times a day). It has only a central antipyretic and moderate analgesic effect, does not affect the blood coagulation system and, unlike ibuprofen, does not cause unwanted stomach reactions. From dosage forms paracetamol in children, preference is given to soluble forms: syrups, effervescent powders and tablets for the preparation of solutions, the effect of which occurs within 30-60 minutes and lasts 2-4 hours. Paracetamol in suppositories has a more lasting effect, but its effect occurs later and a single dose is up to 20 mg / per 1 kg of body weight.

Ibuprofen- a drug from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, has, in addition to the central, peripheral anti-inflammatory effect; it is used in a single dose of 6-10 mg / kg (no more than 3 times a day). Ibuprofen is recommended as a second choice antipyretic agent in the following situations:

• • for infections with a pronounced inflammatory component (otitis media, sinusitis,)
  • in cases where the temperature in children is accompanied by painful reactions (headache, pain in muscles, ears, teething, etc.)

Ibuprofen is produced for children in the form of syrups "Ibufen", "Nurofen"; the use of tablet forms is possible in children over 12 years of age.

Important points when using antipyretic drugs:

1. When choosing antipyretic drugs to relieve fever, you must always remember to observe the dosage of the drugs used. Carefully read the instructions supplied with the drug. The dose of the drug depends on weight and age. So, in children first three months of life, both drugs are used in smaller doses and with a lower frequency of administration;
2. In case of "White Fever", taking antipyretic drugs should be combined with rubbing the child's limbs in order to reduce vasospasm. According to the doctor's prescription, in this case, antispasmodics can be prescribed to relieve vasospasm, since antipyretic drugs may not be effective enough;
3. Antipyretic drugs should not be used for more than 3 days, unless prescribed by a doctor;
4. It should, if possible, abandon the use of an antipyretic agent in a child receiving an antibiotic, as this makes it difficult to assess the effectiveness of this therapy.

Important: Antipyretics should not be prescribed in a "course" to prevent fever: taking antipyretics more than 3-4 times a day is unacceptable because of the danger of missing the development of a bacterial infection.

All over the world are excluded from the list of admissible antipyretic drugs amidopyrine, antipyrine, phenacetin.

Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) in children with acute respiratory viral infections, chickenpox can cause Reye's syndrome - the most severe encephalopathy with liver failure and mortality above 50%. This served as the basis for the prohibition of the use of acetylsalicylic acid in children under 15 years of age with acute viral diseases.

Metamizole (analgin)- can cause anaphylactic shock, as well as fatal agranulocytosis. Another undesirable reaction to this drug is a prolonged collaptoid state with hypothermia (34.5 0 - 35 ° C). All this was the reason for its ban or strict restriction of its use in many countries of the world. The use of analgin is possible only for intramuscular administration (50% solution of analgin, 0.1 ml / year of life) in exceptional cases in order to lower the temperature in the provision of emergency care.

It is unacceptable to use in children as an antipyretic agent nimesulide due to its proven nephro- and hepatotoxicity.

What if the child has a fever?

1. First of all, it is important to provide the child with comfortable conditions and plenty of drink, change clothes to dry, not overheat the baby;
2. If a child with a fever complains of a feeling of coldness, he should be warmed by covering him with a blanket; in case of a feeling of heat - you need to free from excess clothes, change into dry cotton linen and do not cover with a blanket.
3. Wiping with cool water can help reduce fever, especially wiping the armpits and forehead of the child. At the same time, it makes no sense to wipe the child with vodka, since a sharp decrease in body temperature leads to vasospasm and a decrease in heat transfer;
4. Drinking plenty of fluids is also recommended to replenish fluid loss. Use fruit drinks, weak decoctions of medicinal herbs, tea, juices, compotes to eliminate the cause of dehydration;
5. Many parents wonder if it is possible to feed at a temperature of 38? It is not necessary to force-feed the child, if he refuses to eat, the food should be light, not overload the weakened body. Feeding month old baby carried out in the usual way, by breast or from a bottle. A nursing mother should not change the diet, this will help the baby not to get sick and recover faster;

Remember that only a doctor can make the correct diagnosis, do not self-medicate without consulting and diagnosing a qualified doctor.