When a child is sick, a fever is a good thing. It means that your child's body is doing what it needs to do in order to fight off the illness. There are many misconceptions about fevers that lead parents to treat them incorrectly. Here is everything you need to know about your child's fever.
Fever Begins at 100.4
Most people know that a regular body temperature is 98.6 degrees. However, too many people think that it means a fever starts at 99 degrees. A temperature is not a fever until it is 100.4 or higher because body temperature can slightly fluctuate.
Fever is Urgent for Newborns
Parents often rush their child to the emergency room whenever a fever spikes. Most of the time, taking a child to the ER for a fever can be even more dangerous. The fever is a side effect of an illness, which lowers the immune system. Going to a place full of sick people can cause your child to catch something even more dangerous. The best thing you can do is wait for a few days and call their pediatrician if the fever doesn't resolve. However, with newborns, it's a little different. Newborn babies have an immature immune system and illness can easily turn into RSV and pneumonia, which can be deadly to newborn babies. If your baby is three months old or younger, you should call your pediatrician or take him or her to an emergency center to get tested for a serious illness.
Bacterial vs. Viral
Many people- especially new parents- don't realize that bacterial and viral infections are completely different. A bacterial infection is caused by a harmful bacteria that requires antibiotics to get rid of it. Without antibiotics, the bacteria will continue to multiply and the infection will only get worse. A virus isn't something that can be cured with medication. A fever caused by a viral infection needs to run its course. Some parents get angry when a doctor doesn't give their child antibiotics, but with a virus, they won't help.
Take Temperatures Rectally
Sometimes parents go out to buy the forehead or ear thermometers to take their baby's temperature more easily and comfortably. However, even with all the new technologies, rectal is best; It provides the most accurate internal temperature. Throw out the fancy thermometers and take the rectal temperature so you know for sure what your baby's temperature is.
Fevers aren't necessarily a bad thing. Before you panic, take a rectal temperature and consider your child's age. As long as your baby is over three months old, it's best to wait a few days and then call a pediatrician or an urgent care clinic (such as Alaska Urgent Care LLC) if it hasn't improved.
Share11 May 2016
Before you head out for a family vacation, you must take the time to consider every possible emergency that could arise. Medical emergencies can come up at any given time. Because of this, you should spend a little time looking into different health care clinics before you leave your home. Map out locations along the way, as well as locations around your destination. This will give you the opportunity to look into online reviews and find the facilities that will provide your family with the best possible care during a stressful time that you should be enjoying rather than stressing. Learn how you can prepare your health before a trip, during, and after.
