One of the scariest things for a mother is to see her baby suffering from fever. You may not know what to do when you find your baby all hot and flushed in the middle of the night. Well! What is more important at this juncture is to soothe your baby and recognise the need for medical help.
Fever is when your baby’s thermostat raises the normal temperature of your baby’s body. Fever is an indication of some infection that your baby’s body is fighting with. So, if you find your little one’s forehead or body warmer than usual, you may want to check the temperature to confirm if he/she has a fever or not.
If you are a new mother and it is the first time that your baby has a fever, it is important for you to know what baby temperature is considered as fever temperature in babies. Your baby’s normal temperature may vary from 97 degrees Fahrenheit to 100.3 degrees Fahrenheit(36-38 degrees Celcius). If your baby’s body temperature is more than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, it is considered that he/she has a fever.
A fever indicates that your baby’s immune system is fighting an illness. The fever in itself is not an illness; however, it is the symptom of an illness that your baby’s body is dealing with. There can be a number of reasons for high fever in babies, some of the reasons are:
If your baby is down with fever, you may find your baby’s forehead warm but it does not mean that if it isn’t, he does not have a fever. You may notice that your child is cranky and irritable; however, there are other signs to watch out for as well. The most notable signs and symptoms of a viral fever in babies are as follows:
Your baby may have a fever due to viral or bacterial infections. A viral fever results from viral infections, such as common cold, flu or intestinal infections etc. It usually subsides within three days and does not require a course of antibiotics, because antibiotics don’t work for viral infections.
A bacterial fever results from bacterial infections, such as UTI, bacterial pneumonia, bacterial meningitis or ear infection (ear infection can be caused because of a viral infection too). Bacterial infections do not occur often and these infections may lead to severe health complications in your baby. Most cases of bacterial infections require a course of antibiotic medicines.
In order to treat a fever the correct way, you must know what the accurate temperature is and the primary requirement is to have a good digital thermometer. You may take your baby’s temperature in the following ways:
Taking Temperature Orally
The best way to take the temperature is orally, but it is not a recommended option until your baby is four years or older. Thus you may adopt other options such as checking the rectal temperature or use axillary methods of measuring the temperature.
Taking Temperature Rectally
Taking temperature rectally is not only an easy option when it comes to babies and infants, but it also shows more accurate results than any other methods of measuring body temperature. It is recommended to thoroughly wash and clean the thermometer for the rectal use. Make your baby lie on the tummy, apply some petroleum jelly on the tip of the thermometer and gently insert the thermometer into the rectum for about an inch. Remove after the thermometer beeps and record the readings.
Taking Temperature Under the Armpits
To take the temperature from a baby’s armpit, you will need to partially undress him. Make sure the child’s armpit is dry and the tip of the thermometer is in constant touch with the skin, till it beeps. This method has a lower rate of accuracy than the rectal method. If your baby is less than three months of age, it is advised not to use this method.
Fever may cause complications in babies and some of the complications that may arise are as follows:
Fever results when the defence system of your baby’s body acts against the various viruses and bacteria. Fever is also helpful in making white blood cells which helps fight infections naturally. If the temperature is very high, because of heat or overdressing, you may remove the extra layer of clothing and make your baby rest in a cool place. However, if your baby has a fever because of other reasons, you will need to get in touch with your doctor. In fact, a fever in babies less than 3 months is always urgent to address. Your doctor is the best person to guide you regarding how to bring down baby fever.
Your doctor may advise you to give ibuprofen or acetaminophen to bring down the fever (ibuprofen is not recommended for babies under 6 months). However, you may need to be extra careful while giving any medicine to your baby. The following tips will help make the task easier for you:
Sponging your baby with fever is a great way to bring down body temperature and is one of the most effective baby fever remedies. You may also give a sponge bath or an actual bath with lukewarm water. Make sure to use lukewarm or tepid water for sponging and not cold water. Do not sponge bath your baby with rubbing alcohol. The alcohol is absorbed by the body and may reach your baby’s bloodstream. It may lower the temperature quickly but eventually, it will cause a rise in temperature.
Home remedies should be used for treating various ailments in babies as they have minimal to negligent side-effects and rather help the child build a robust immune system.
Here are a few home remedial measures that you may follow in case your baby has a fever:
Do remember that if home remedies do not help bring the baby’s temperature down quickly, it is important to consult a paediatrician.
Often high fever in babies requires immediate medical attention. Make sure you call the doctor, if you notice any of the following:
Most cases of fever in babies do not cause any complications and result from viral or bacterial infections. However, whatever the cause of the fever is in your baby, it is important to seek a remedy if it does not resolve quickly. It is recommended to get in touch with your baby’s doctor, as soon as you register any kind of fever in your baby. Timely action can save your baby from any serious complications.
Read this article in Arabic: الحمى عند الأطفال