A mommy's gotta do what a mommy's gotta do *pic googled
Staying up all night with a feverish child is part and parcel of being a mother. I think it’s probably listed somewhere in the job description. “Must be able to spend countless sleepness nights tending to an unwell child.”
A fever is defined as a temporary increase in the body’s temperature due to some disease or illness. A child is diagnosed as having a fever when the temperature is at or above one of these levels:
- Rectal temperature (measured through the baby’s bottom): 38 C
- Oral temperature (measured at the mouth- under the tongue): 37.5 C
- Axillary temperature (measured under the armpit): 37.2 C
There are many causes of fevers, most commonly is a viral or bacterial infection. When a child has a fever, it is important not to panic. The parent can make a quick assessment whether or not the child is seriously ill by simple observations.
Signs that things are not so bad:
- Interest in playing- Despite the fever he can still run around the house like the Tazmanian Devil or still able to sti and colour her favourite Disney Princess colouring book.
- Eating and drinking well- He can still finish that Happy Meal and eyeball your Grilled Chicken Burger.
- Alert and smiling- Baby still coos and giggles and laughs each time you go “Chak! Chak!”
Bad signs to watch out for:
- Baby doesn’t make eye contact, sries continuously and cannot be comforted despite all your efforts.
- A toddler refuses to play, cries inconsolably, moans, appears very weak, turns away and stares repeatedly, or is very hard to awaken if sleeping.
- An older child refuses to talk and won’t interact or is unable to get out of bed.
There are some simple steps parents can take to make their child more comfortable when he is feverish. Plus some simple things to help him get well.
- Medication: It is important to remember that fever reducing medicine only brings down the fever and does not treat the underlying illness. For viral infections, it will just run its natural course. Bacterial infections require antibiotics. Dosage of medication such as paracetamol (panadol) is important. Giving medication according to the body weight is more accurate than according to age. The dosage is 15mg/kg every 6 hours. However, since calculating the right dosage may be slightly confusing, it is acceptable to follow the recommended age appropriate dosage given.
- Clothing: Do not wrap your kids up like an eskimo. This will contribute to the increase in body temperature. Light clothing is better. If the child is shivering, then use a light blanket.
- Sponging: Placing a wet towel (and simply leaving it) on the forehead is not very effective. When sponging, undress the child. Use lukewarm water (not ice cold or cold water- this leads to shivering, which will further increase the core temperature) and a damp washcloth. Apply a thin layer of water over all the surfaces of the child’s body. Let it dry and repeat. Think “greater surface area for evaporation”.
- Food and fluids: Do not force the child to eat, or starve them. Just let them eat whatever they can. Fluids are very important to replace all the fluid lost through the fever itself and to prevent dehydration (watch out for children who do not pee in 8-12 hours, seem weak and listless, have dry and cracked lips and produce no tears while crying).
Some more important points:
- Look at your child as a whole to assess the degree of severity not just at the temperature.
- Immediately see a doctor if the baby is less than 3 months old with a rectal temperature of more than 38 C, is 3-12 months with temperature of more than 39 C.
- Dangerous signs include confusion, cannot be awakened easily, seizures, difficulty in breathing, stiff neck.
Get well soon *pic googled
So when your child is hot with fever, keep cool. All part of the job 
References:
Fever Kaneshiro (2010)
Fever Cunha (2008)
Treating fever PAMF (2010)
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thanks for sharing, it is so useful
Penulisan Anak2
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Hidayah Reply:
July 28th, 2010 at 9:17 AM
you’re welcome
Hidayah´s last [type] post ..Where am I
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salam dr hidayah, how about using forehead thermometer? which temperature considered feverish?same as armpit temperature or through ear?
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Hidayah Reply:
July 28th, 2010 at 9:16 AM
catlina, as far as I know forehead thermometers (the strip kind and not the infrared temporal artery kind) are usually not very accurate.. I think you should only use it as guide as to whether or not your child has fever. Most accurate is rectal but it’s uncomfortable, so oral is still most preffered.
Hidayah´s last [type] post ..Where am I
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catlina Reply:
July 28th, 2010 at 9:25 AM
oh…but i’ve been using it for a while now, and i considered my child is feverish if the temperature reached 38 degree celcius and above..then how about the ear thermometer?the doctors in clinic use this type mostly…
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ear thermometers are quite accurate if used correctly. It’s important that the child’s ear canal is aligned properly (by making it starighter)- done by pulling part of the upper ear outward. But have to make sure the ear is not full of wax..hehe. Ear thermometers are better used for children over one years old though because babies have small ear canal. Plus, have to be careful not to push too far or too roughly in, might damage the tympanic membrane (ear drum).
As for the forehead strip, studies have shown that compared to the other kinds of thermometers it is LESS accurate but as I mentioned in the article, the temperature of fever is a guide, must remember to observe the child as a whole.
Hidayah´s last [type] post ..Where am I
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ya betul…selain cek temperature, kita rasa dahi dgn tgn pun dah tau dia panas dek demam kan?and also other simptoms, anak nampak lesu, maybe some flu , cough etc, depends on the fever type…tq for ur info..
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Hidayah Reply:
July 28th, 2010 at 4:40 PM
yup..yup.. betul tu
Hidayah´s last [type] post ..Where am I
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thanks for sharing this good info..
amirah´s last [type] post ..Tiz Zaqyah yang cun
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Hidayah Reply:
July 28th, 2010 at 4:53 PM
you’re welcome
I thought it would be good to touch on a common topic 
Hidayah´s last [type] post ..Where am I
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Something all parents would find useful
Thanks for sharing!
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Hidayah Reply:
July 28th, 2010 at 4:53 PM
I hope so
hehe..
Hidayah´s last [type] post ..Where am I
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yeah…thanks for sharing. So useful…
Last time, when my son kena denggi….it was miserable, hanya Allah yg tahu mcm mana perasaan masa tu…
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nice & beneficial one! TQ so much for the tips
just sharing about my little boy. several weeks ago he caught fever tp sgtlah aktif. we went to paed but since he was so active paed just gave PCM lah. but for 3 days demam tak kebah2 so we brought him to ER. akhirnya admitted sebab pneumonia & bronkitis T_T
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Hidayah Reply:
July 28th, 2010 at 4:50 PM
your little boy must be a real trooper..nothing can get him..hehe.. I guess that’s why we can only use signs as a guide .. but it takes a very complex mixture of common sense and maternal instinct to survive each day
Hidayah´s last [type] post ..Where am I
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thanks Hidayah.
i am considering ear thermometer. thanks for the tips on it ya. When i was a kid, the forehead strip was widely used. Tapi, sekarang, susah nak jumpa dah.
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Hidayah Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 11:12 AM
ahaha..me too .. I remember being so ‘jakun’ of it whenever I went to the clinic
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Get up to RM20 off your favorite diaper. Only at SentuhanBayu.biz
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thanks for the tips..memang sesuai bagi saya yang baru menjadi bapa setahun lebih ni…
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Hidayah Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 12:38 PM
you’re welcome..I guess alot of things in parenting are just stuff we have to go through to understand, true? I love the way that each day we are given the opportunity to learn something new
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