Fever in children

Fever in Children

Symptoms of illness in children that we often encounter is a fever. Fever in children causes weak and uncomfortable. Parents should encourage their children to get enough rest. Should not force the child to sleep or rest or sleep when the child is feeling better and the child can return to school or other activities when the temperature was normal in 24 hours.

What is a Fever and How occurrence?

Fever is a symptom of the increasing body temperature as the body's normal response to a disturbance. Body temperature was measured with a thermometer, said a fever if:

• Rectal temperature (inside the anus): more than 38 º C
• Oral temperature (in the mouth): more than 37.5 º C
• Temperature armpit: more than 37.2 º C
• Baby pacifier thermometer digital form: more than 37.8 º C
• Ear temperature: rectal mode: more than 38 º C; oral mode: more than 37.5 º C

Body temperature is controlled by a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is trying to keep warm body temperature (36.5 to 37.5 º C) even though the environment outside the body changes. The hypothalamus regulates the temperature by balancing heat production in muscle and liver and expenditures of heat on the skin and lungs. When there is infection, the immune system responds by releasing chemicals in the bloodstream. These chemicals will stimulate the hypothalamus to raise body temperature and ultimately will increase the number of white blood cells that are useful in fighting germs.

What causes fever?

Infection is the most common cause of fever in children. Infection is a state body that entered the germs that cause disease, can be viruses, parasites, or bacteria. Examples of infectious disease with flu symptoms are fever, inflammation of the digestive tract, ear infections, croup, and bronkhiolitis. Some of the immunization of children can also cause fever. When did the fever will arise depending on the vaccinations given (usually immunization DTP, Hib, and MMR). While the child who is teething, according to a study, does not cause fever.

How to measure your child's temperature?

The most accurate way is with a rectal temperature. However, oral temperature can be accurate when performed in children over 4-5 years, or ear temperatures in children over 6 months. Measuring axillary temperature is the least accurate, but can be useful when performed on children less than 3 months. When the axillary temperature over 37.2 º C, the rectal temperature should be measured. On the other hand, it is not accurate when measuring body temperature by feeling the child's skin. This is called tactile temperature (touch) because it is subjective, which is strongly influenced by the temperature measurement of people who feel the skin of the child.