Normal body temperature for a one-year-old child. A child has a fever in the first year - what to do? Consequences of high fever in a child

Caring for the health of a child is a great responsibility for parents, because every wrong decision is fraught with complications. The most common pathology in children is acute respiratory infections, accompanied by cough, runny nose, fever and redness of the throat. Every mother is familiar with these symptoms, and she knows perfectly well what to do in this case. But there are situations when the only identified symptom of the disease is high temperature. This greatly frightens parents due to their lack of understanding of what is happening to their child.

Content:

Possible causes of high temperature

The main reason for the rise in temperature in both adults and children is the inflammatory process of various etiologies. This is a kind of protective mechanism or response of the body, for example, to the invasion of foreign agents, helping to slow down, and in some cases completely stop the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.

The reasons for a rise in temperature in children to 39°C, not accompanied by other symptoms, may be overheating or infectious diseases. In children under 2.5 years of age, hyperthermia is sometimes observed against the background of teething, while the child actively tries to scratch the painful gums with pens or objects that catch his eye.

However, if parents do not see other symptoms in children other than fever, this does not mean that they do not exist. For example, infants and small children who cannot yet speak cannot say that they have pain in their ear, head, throat, kidney area or stomach.

In children under one year old, quite often the cause of high temperature is overheating, which is associated with insufficient maturity of the thermoregulation system. This condition can be provoked by a child’s prolonged exposure to the sun in hot weather, too warm clothes, or excessive physical activity.

Sometimes a sudden increase in temperature to 39°C is noted as a manifestation of an allergic reaction that occurs as a result of long-term use of medications, vaccinations, insect bites or other factors.

Asymptomatic fever due to illness

As you know, infectious diseases are most often of a bacterial or viral nature.

Viral infections

Viral infections are usually characterized by a sharp rise in temperature to 39°C and above. With some types of them, this condition may be the only early symptom of the disease, and other signs of the disease (characteristic rash, swollen lymph nodes, etc.) appear only after a couple of days. These include the following childhood diseases:

• rubella;
• parotitis;
• sudden exanthema.

Bacterial diseases

Among infectious diseases caused mainly by bacteria, occurring without symptoms visible to parents and accompanied by a rise in body temperature to 39°C and above, the following can be distinguished:

• pharyngitis or sore throat;
• stomatitis;
• urinary tract infections.

If there are problems in the urinary system, the child additionally experiences frequent urination, but it is quite difficult for parents of very young children who still wear diapers to notice this. Also, parents without special equipment, experience and skills are not able to examine the ear, throat, and oral cavity and assess their condition. To make an accurate diagnosis in the situations listed above, it is necessary to be examined by specialists and undergo general clinical tests.

Video: Pediatrician Komarovsky E. O. on the possible causes of a rise in temperature without symptoms

What to do if you have a high temperature without other symptoms

If a temperature of 39°C is detected without symptoms, parents should try to find out the cause of this child’s condition. To do this, you need to analyze what he did the day before and take into account the possibility of overheating. If it is determined that the baby is overheated, then he must be undressed, given a cool drink and wiped with a towel dipped in cool water. It is important to ensure that the child stays in a room or area where the air temperature is in the range of 18–22°C, or in the shade.

As a result of such actions, within an hour the temperature should return to normal on its own without the use of antipyretic medications. If the temperature rises to 39°C for other reasons, it is recommended to seek medical help. This must be done if the child has:

• the temperature does not decrease within three days;
• there are severe diseases of the nervous system (epilepsy);
• there are congenital heart defects and heart rhythm disturbances;
• age is less than one year;
• there are signs of dehydration, he refuses to drink or eat.

If the temperature is caused by the development of any infectious disease in the body, then it should be borne in mind that viral infections, unlike bacterial ones, in most cases go away on their own and do not require specific treatment. In this case, the child’s condition should improve noticeably on the third day, and on the fifth the normal temperature should be established. It is important to monitor the general well-being of the patient and promptly identify other symptoms if they appear subsequently.

How to bring down a fever

First aid for a child at home at a temperature of 39 degrees consists of taking antipyretics, providing plenty of fluids, moist cool air, and regularly ventilating the room where he is located.

In order to alleviate the child's condition, antipyretic drugs based on ibuprofen or paracetamol can be used in dosages appropriate to age and body weight. Their effect is observed approximately an hour after taking the medicine. Antipyretics for children are available in the form of syrups, tablets, suspensions and rectal suppositories. These include the following drugs:

• Cefekon D;
• Efferalgan;
• Nurofen;
• Paracetamol;
• Panadol;
• Ibufen and others.

Drinking plenty of fluids is necessary to prevent dehydration. This is especially important for young children, who very quickly lose the fluid necessary for the full functioning of the body, which can have serious consequences for health and even pose a threat to the child’s life. As drinks, you can offer ordinary purified boiled water, compote, juice, tea, herbal infusions of chamomile or linden flowers. If there is a decrease or lack of appetite, do not force feed.

At high temperatures, there is no need to wrap the child in a blanket and put warm clothes on him. It is better to throw on something light made from natural materials. If he sweats intensely, you should promptly change his clothes to dry ones. Babies who wear diapers need to take them off. It is better to undress the child completely, put him on a waterproof diaper and cover him with a sheet.

If the temperature does not decrease or even rises after taking antipyretic drugs, and also if the child is too lethargic, has suddenly turned pale, has breathing problems, convulsions, or loss of consciousness, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance.

A temperature of 39 degrees in a baby can be caused by various reasons: from harmless teething to the onset of the flu. In any case, this condition causes inconvenience. Headache, moodiness, general weakness. What is the cause of the malaise and what should parents do if a one-year-old child’s temperature rises to 39 degrees, but there are no other symptoms of the disease?

Causes of hyperthermia

A one-year-old baby cannot yet talk about his health. External signs help parents determine whether the temperature is elevated. The child becomes irritable, capricious, sleepy, and refuses to eat. The cheeks become reddish, the forehead and hands feel hot to the touch, and the feet may be cold. If these signs are present, be sure to measure the child's temperature.

If the thermometer shows 39 degrees, do not immediately reach for antipyretic drugs. Observe the child for a while, repeat the measurements in different armpits. In the absence of pronounced symptoms of the disease, a diagnosis can be made by paying attention to the characteristics of the baby’s condition:

. By the age of one year, this process is active, but can still be accompanied by hyperthermia and severe malaise. The baby refuses regular food, but happily puts solid objects into his mouth. If you see a teething tooth, offer a special teether and lubricate the gums with anesthetic gel. It is necessary to reduce the temperature without symptoms when a new tooth appears only if it exceeds 39 degrees and lasts more than a day.

Why is a temperature of 39 degrees dangerous and useful?

Depending on the reasons that caused the illness, a temperature of 39 degrees in a child can be a hindrance or an assistant on the path to recovery.
The main danger is rapid dehydration of the child’s body. Heat exchange changes, water is actively removed from the cells. To prevent dehydration, be sure to give your baby more fluids. Boiled water, tea, compote will do. The liquid helps normalize and improve the condition. Give your child food often, in small portions.

If the disease is triggered by an incipient viral or bacterial infection, a temperature of 39 degrees is a good help. It promotes the death of pathogenic microorganisms and stimulates the production of the body's defenses. It is not recommended to get rid of it right away. When hyperthermia without symptoms appears against the background of teething or after vaccination, it is better to reduce it.

What can parents do?

Monitor your baby's condition carefully. Take your temperature every hour. If it stays at 39 degrees for more than four hours, use physiological methods to reduce it or give your baby antipyretic medications.

Be sure to lighten your child's clothing. Give him more water, ventilate the room, make the air moist and cool. Rubbing helps to quickly reduce the temperature without symptoms. Use cool water and wipe your baby's body with it, avoiding the heart area. Do not use vinegar or alcohol for wiping! They cause intoxication, causing a deterioration in the condition.

It is difficult for a child of the first year of life to swallow pills. Give antipyretic syrups recommended by your pediatrician. If necessary, alternate between different medications, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen. This way the medications will work more effectively.

To clarify the diagnosis, consult your doctor. Simple tests help identify the presence or absence of an inflammatory process. If taking antipyretics does not help, the child experiences convulsions and confusion - call a doctor immediately.

A temperature of 39 degrees in a baby of the first year of life, which occurs without symptoms, requires attentive attention from parents. This condition makes it difficult to quickly make a diagnosis, so observing accompanying symptoms helps determine a treatment regimen. If the ailment is caused by harmless factors (cutting teeth, condition after vaccination), you can cope with them yourself. Serious diseases (flu, ARVI) require mandatory medical intervention.

In addition to independent manipulations, do not hesitate to contact a specialist to clarify the diagnosis. In the case of a small child, it is better to worry about a trifle than to trigger an illness that can have serious consequences.

Photobank Lori

An increase in body temperature during an acute infectious disease is a reasonable reaction of the body. Responding to the invasion of microbes or viruses, it tries to activate metabolic processes, trigger the production of protective proteins, and deliver them to the source of inflammation as soon as possible. All this happens faster. Therefore, during infection, special substances are produced in the tissues - pyrogens, which cause increased heat production. In this case, heat transfer increases slightly or even decreases.

An increase in body temperature during infectious processes is a good prognostic sign. It is believed that a fairly pronounced temperature reaction indicates a high level of activity of the immune system.

Elevated body temperature is defined as follows:

Subfebrile - up to 38 degrees;
moderate febrile –38.1-39 degrees;
high febrile – 39.1-41 degrees;
hyperpyrexic - above 41 degrees.

When microbes and viruses enter the body, heat transfer is first limited: blood vessels narrow, sweating and evaporation decrease, and blood flow to the skin and mucous membranes decreases. The child appears pale, “goose bumps”, becomes cold or even starts to feel chills. This is the first stage of fever - the stage of rising temperature, or white hyperthermia.

When the temperature reaches a certain level, heat transfer increases: the blood vessels of the skin dilate, it becomes pink and hot. There is a feeling of heat (“pink hyperthermia”). This is the second phase of the febrile process, in which the elevated temperature can persist for several hours or days.

After the cessation of pyrogen production, the hypothalamic centers return to their normal level of regulation. Body temperature decreases. This can happen gradually, over several days (lytic decline) or abruptly, quickly - over a few hours (critical decline). With the latter, profuse sweat and rapid breathing appear.

To decide when to reduce a child’s temperature, it is recommended, first of all, to focus on the child’s general condition.

Children usually tolerate moderate hyperthermia well. When body temperature rises to 38 degrees, an adult man sometimes cannot reach a mug of water, but the child plays as if nothing had happened.

With good tolerance, it is not necessary to reduce the temperature below 38-39 degrees, because only at this point does the body begin to produce its own protective proteins - interferons, which have antiviral and antimicrobial activity. A child's use of antipyretics prevents the body from fighting infection. Where he could cope in 3 days, using antipyretics will require 7 - and even taking interferons from outside.

Some children (usually those with a pathology of the nervous system acquired during childbirth) may experience convulsions even at low temperatures. If this has happened before, it is advised not to allow a significant increase in temperature.

If the temperature becomes very high, it itself can cause a deterioration in the child’s condition: lethargy, changes in the heart and blood vessels, and swelling of the brain. Therefore, it is imperative to give antipyretic drugs:

Children under 2 months with a body temperature of more than 38 degrees;
children with a complicated medical history – at 38.5 and above;
all children with a temperature of 39 degrees or more.

Physical and medication methods can be used to reduce body temperature. There is no need to strive to normalize body temperature; a decrease of 0.5-1 degrees to febrile levels is quite enough.

Physical cooling methods are aimed at increasing heat transfer by increasing evaporation. At home, it is recommended to drink plenty of warm drinks and wipe the body with a sponge moistened with water at a temperature of 30-32 degrees. So popular among the people, rubbing the body using a mixture of water and vinegar cannot be used on infants. At older ages, they are used only with the permission of a doctor.

The drugs of choice for hyperthermia in children are paracetamol and. If the temperature does not decrease 20-30 minutes after taking the medications by mouth, antipyretics can be administered intramuscularly. To achieve this, emergency physicians usually use mixtures of two or three medications. Children with a body temperature of more than 41 degrees must be hospitalized.

A high temperature in a child always causes concern in the mother, especially if it lasts for several days or longer. However, a temperature of 37 in a child is not always an indicator of illness when it comes to a newborn baby and infants. In a baby under one year old, a constant temperature can fluctuate from 34.6 to 37.3 degrees without symptoms due to imperfections in the thermoregulation system. Let's consider the question - why can a child have a temperature of 37 for a long time, and what to do to reduce it.

Temperature norm

First, let's find out what is normal for children of different ages. In children up to one year old, a temperature of 37 does not indicate inflammation or hidden illness. During this period, babies may suddenly develop a fever for various reasons:

• overwork;
• overheating or heat stroke;
• reaction to vaccinations;
• food/chemical allergies;
• teeth are being cut;
• massotherapy;
• other reasons.

In a one-month-old baby, the thermometer may show 38 degrees, and the temperature can change many times during the day. Until the thermoregulation process improves, the jumps will continue - both at 6 and 8 months.

In older children (after 1.5 - 2 years), a mark of 37 on the thermometer indicates a sluggish process of inflammation, especially if the temperature lasts for a week or more. Scientifically, this temperature is called subfebrile. The reasons may be different, so a consultation with a pediatrician is necessary to determine your health status.

Doctors give the following classification of body temperatures:

• low – from 35.5 and below;
• normal – 35.6 to 37;
• subfebrile – from 37 to 37.9;
• febrile - from 38 and above.

Sometimes doctors talk about low-grade fever only in relation to the mark of 37.5. Contrary to popular belief, a temperature of 37 degrees, rather than 36.6, is considered normal. This is the indicator that is typical for most cases. The thermometer can fall and rise during the day by 0.5 degrees or by one. The lowest reading occurs in the morning; by evening the norm may deviate by a whole degree.

What is low-grade fever

We can talk about this phenomenon if a child has a temperature of 37 for 2 weeks, up to a month or longer. However, this applies to children for whom the norm is a mark on the thermometer of 36.6. It is worth noting that fever or fever does not rise without a reason. The mother should consult a pediatrician about the child’s condition.

What is the best way to measure a child's temperature? A mercury thermometer is placed in the armpit; in the rectal canal it must be measured with an electronic thermometer. However, the thermometer readings in different parts of the body will differ - you should be aware of this. For example, with a rectal measurement, the reading will be a degree higher than in the armpit.

Important! After the child cries and screams, the thermometer readings will be inaccurate - 0.5 or 1 degree higher. Electronic thermometers often give readings with a large error.

You can also measure the temperature in your mouth (using an electronic thermometer), but the reading will differ by 0.5 degrees compared to the reading in the armpit. Research this issue in detail before you panic.

The causes of low-grade fever can be different:

• infectious;
• non-infectious;
• autoimmune (rare);
• medicinal.

Important! If a temperature of 37 is not accompanied by pain and malaise, there is no reason to worry.

When should you worry? Low-grade fever can be a consequence of certain pathologies:

• ENT diseases;
• carious lesions of teeth;
• gastrointestinal pathologies;
• diseases of the urinary system;
• the appearance of abscesses after injections.

Low-grade fever without accompanying symptoms of malaise is considered harmless and cannot be treated. A temperature hovering around 37 may be a manifestation of the peculiarities of a child’s body. However, you should not rely on the developmental features of the body - you need to show the baby to a pediatrician and undergo a laboratory examination.

Symptoms of the disease

A completely different picture emerges at a temperature of 37 and a painful condition. This may indicate the following pathologies:

A child may have a temperature of 37.2 for 1 and 4 months after taking antibiotics. This is not considered a pathology and goes away on its own; it may also go away in the third month after healing of the viral disease. Doctors call this condition “temperature tail.”

If a child has a temperature of 37.5 after completion of treatment, we may be talking about a relapse of the disease - re-infection or the beginning of a complication.

Children whose temperature has caused a complication in the form of convulsions need to bring down the fever at around 37.5. There is an intolerance to hyperthermia, to which the body reacts very hard - in these cases, antipyretics are simply necessary at the first manifestations of fever.

How to get rid of fever

Is it necessary to give an antipyretic when the thermometer shows 37.5 - 37.8? If your child is developing normally, it is not recommended to bring down a slight increase in temperature. This is due to the activity of the immune system and the production of interferon: natural processes cannot be disrupted. By giving medicine, you are doing a disservice to the immune system.

Note! Infants up to three months are given antipyretics at 38 degrees and above, all other children have their fever brought down at 39 degrees.

Instead of antipyretic medications for low-grade fever, you need to provide the child with maximum comfort:

• humidify the room;
• remove excess clothing (do not wrap it up);
• give compote or juice (you can’t give raspberries);
• provide peace.

Remember that young children have undeveloped or poorly developed sweat glands, so they have nothing to sweat with. In this case, raspberry decoction will not help. An older child can be given raspberries, having previously given them enough water to drink so that they have something to sweat with.

If you have hyperthermia, it is forbidden to give raspberries. Firstly, it increases sweating. Secondly, internal heat dries up fluid in the body. If you give your child raspberries, there is a risk of causing dehydration. At a low temperature at the beginning of a cold, you can give raspberries. But if hyperthermia has lasted for a week or two, raspberries will not help.

What medications can children take? Doctors allow only two types of antipyretics - paracetamol-based and ibuprofen-based. Other drugs for hyperthermia should not be given to children: they cause dangerous complications and side effects.

Bottom line

We found out that children have a low temperature for a variety of reasons. It may appear on the first or second day after vaccination, with a mild acute respiratory viral infection and with a latent form of internal inflammatory processes. In infants under two years of age, thermoregulation processes are not balanced, so a slightly elevated temperature does not indicate illness, but an imperfection of the body. Always be guided by the child’s well-being: the first criterion is that he should be cheerful, 2 and that there are no symptoms of disease.

If a low temperature persists for 3 days after vaccination or after healing from a cold, there is nothing wrong with this condition. What if the child has had a low-grade fever for 5 days, for example, a temperature of 37.7? In order not to worry, contact your pediatrician. If your baby feels comfortable, don't worry. If he shows obvious signs of illness, give him an antipyretic and call an ambulance.

A high temperature in a child (fever) is considered one of the most dangerous symptoms for parents. Many mothers try to reduce even the smallest temperature, believing that this will be better for their baby. In fact, fever is a defense mechanism of the body, including children.

What are the causes of high body temperature in a child? Firstly, many viruses and bacteria die at certain temperatures - the body seems to be trying to kill the infection within itself. Secondly, a temperature higher than usual leads to the dilation of blood vessels and a rush of blood to many organs and tissues, enhancing metabolic processes.

Thirdly, fever promotes increased production of immune cells, which improves immunity. This is why doctors do not recommend lowering body temperature if it has not reached 38.5 0 C.

What to do if you notice that your child has a fever? First of all, you need to measure it accurately. Many parents rely on subjective sensations by placing their lips on the child’s forehead or face, so they roughly guess how many degrees the temperature is. It is not right.

You need to know exactly how high your baby's temperature is. To correctly measure body temperature, the thermometer must be placed in the armpit, pressing firmly with your hand. About three minutes is enough time.

It should be remembered that in a newborn baby, a temperature of up to 37.5 0 C is considered normal; you should not try to reduce it. In a healthy child, an increase in body temperature can be observed immediately after eating, sleeping, or physical or emotional stress. If such an increase in temperature is not accompanied by other complaints, then there is no point in drawing negative conclusions.

What parents should do if their child has a high temperature

If the temperature is not higher than 38.0 0 C, the baby does not have chills and there is no severe concomitant pathology, for example, heart disease, pathology of the nervous system, convulsive syndrome, the limbs are warm, then such a fever should not be brought down. Every half hour you should measure your body temperature, and if it rises above 38.5 0 C, then call a doctor at home and give the baby antipyretics (suppositories, syrup or antibiotic).

Before the doctor arrives, parents should provide first aid to the baby. The child should be put to bed without covering him, even if he has severe chills. Provide access to fresh air and give the baby plenty of water. Doctors allow wiping the baby's body with cool water or making cold compresses.

You should not wipe the child’s body and limbs with alcohol or vinegar when the body temperature is elevated, especially if the baby has cold feet. The toxic substances of these solutions are absorbed into the baby’s body through the skin. It is also impossible to cover a feverish child, no matter how severe the chill. It is also not worth treating the child yourself, including giving antibiotics. Any medications, including antipyretics, should be prescribed by a doctor after the cause of the temperature has been established!

Why does a child have cold legs and arms when he has a fever?

Why does a child have cold feet at a temperature of 39.0 0 C? Why are the legs and arms cold, while the rest of the body is “burning” and may even be red? The presence of such symptoms is often associated with a sharp spasm of the small vessels of the limb. This is called "pale fever." This temperature drops very hard and requires the addition of antispasmodic drugs to therapy.

First aid will be to warm cold feet. The limbs can be immersed in hot water or rubbed with mustard (folk remedies are effective in these cases). No antipyretic drugs will help as long as the baby has cold hands and feet.

Diseases and conditions that may be accompanied by elevated body temperature

Stomach ache, red throat, sore throat, headache, cough, frequent urination, snot, cramps - these are just some of the reasons that cause fever and chills.

The causes of elevated temperature in a child are usually the following.

Sore throat or pharyngitis(red throat). This is a viral infection. An increase in body temperature in this case indicates an infectious cause of the disease. If the temperature rises sharply to 39.0 0 C or higher from the first days of illness, it is accompanied by a runny nose, snot, coughing, sneezing, the throat begins to hurt and is red, most likely the baby has a viral infection and intoxication develops (a condition that appears when poisoning by toxins of viruses or bacteria). This type of sore throat is less dangerous than herpetic sore throat.

Today, herpetic sore throat is common. With tonsillitis (tonsillitis), an increase in temperature is often accompanied by lethargy, drowsiness, pallor and nausea; the stomach may hurt or a headache may appear, which indicates that the child’s body is poisoned by bacterial toxins. The throat does not hurt much and is slightly red. Sore throat must be differentiated from diphtheria, a serious fatal disease.

With diphtheria, the throat does not hurt, it is not red, and the temperature rises. If you have all of the above symptoms, you should immediately contact your pediatrician. The temperature will persist until an antibiotic is prescribed. Antipyretics should be given immediately, without waiting for high numbers, because sore throat is quite dangerous.

The presence of symptoms such as abdominal pain, combined with high body temperature, may indicate any inflammatory processes in the child’s abdominal cavity, including poisoning. When a child has abdominal pain, consultation with a surgeon is mandatory. Starting from appendicitis, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum), ending with pyelonephritis (inflammation of the kidney tissue). The temperature rises to 39 and above, chills appear. If your stomach hurts and you experience frequent urination, you may suspect a genitourinary infection.

Fever accompanied by loose stools (diarrhea) may indicate that there is an intestinal infection in the body. The manifestation of these symptoms may be combined with vomiting and abdominal complaints. Diarrhea can also occur due to poisoning. If your stomach hurts, helminthic infestation cannot be ruled out. How many days the fever will persist depends on the severity of the disease. In case of severe poisoning with toxins, even hallucinations may occur against the background of dehydration of the body.

A set of symptoms, such as headache and fever, may indicate intoxication of the body (poisoning with toxins) or a severe infection of the nervous system (meningitis). In the latter case, fever and headache are combined with vomiting. Antibiotic and detoxification agents are required in this case. Headache, fever and convulsions can be a serious sign of a tumor process.

Fever and frequent urination. As a rule, such a complaint is a manifestation of an inflammatory process in the bladder. Urination will be painful. The temperature can rise to 38.0 0 C. If the inflammatory process spreads to the kidneys, pyelo- or glomerulonephritis develops, the temperature rises to high numbers (above 38.0 0 C), the stomach and back hurt, and frequent urination begins. When poisoned by bacterial toxins, vomiting, weakness and drowsiness occur. In these cases, doctors will definitely prescribe an antibiotic, otherwise the fever may last a long time.

Fever accompanied by a runny or stuffy nose. An increase in body temperature and runny nose is usually a manifestation of an acute respiratory viral infection. If there is prolonged nasal congestion and a small amount of snot, a decreased sense of smell, headache and an increase in body temperature to low numbers, up to about 37.5 0, then sinusitis, inflammation of the paranasal sinuses should be suspected, to treat such a disease you should immediately start taking an antibiotic .

Increased body temperature with stomatitis may be higher than 39.0 0 C. This condition usually occurs with severe viral or bacterial stomatitis. The infection causes a severe inflammatory process in the oral mucosa. With fungal stomatitis, the temperature may not rise. In this case, an antibiotic is not needed, the prescription of antifungal drugs will be enough, and for bacterial stomatitis, an antibiotic is required. If you have stomatitis, it is also important to consult a doctor promptly.

High fever and cough. The first thing you might think of is pneumonia. Yes, pneumonia is one of the most common causes of this symptom complex. Today, due to the aggressiveness of infections, pneumonia is very dangerous due to complications. Cough with pneumonia is frequent, at the beginning of the disease it is dry, then wet. The temperature is above 39 degrees, headache, nausea, weakness, and snot appear. The body is gradually poisoned by infection. If a cough appears against the background of a low temperature and hurts in the sternum area, then bronchitis most likely develops. A cough can be combined with an increase in temperature even in the presence of a foreign body in the bronchi. Snot in a child usually appears both with pneumonia and bronchitis.

In case of any of these conditions, you should immediately consult a doctor, since any illness is dangerous for a child!

Reasons why body temperature may rise without other symptoms may include:

1. Child overheating. A common mistake young mothers make is that they always try to wrap up their baby. In a child under one year old, thermoregulation processes are somewhat atypical, and any overheating can cause a sharp increase in body temperature above 39 degrees. In such a situation, the first thing to do is undress the baby. For older children, fever may be caused by prolonged exposure to the sun - this can lead to heatstroke. First aid is to cool the baby, for example, apply a cold compress to the forehead, move the baby to the shade, or give the baby cold water to drink.
2. Severe psycho-emotional trauma. Many parents do not associate an increase in their child’s temperature, for example, with exams or a quarrel with peers. But the nervous system in children can react to such circumstances in its own way, in some cases the child’s temperature rises.
3. Teething. A common reason for an increase in body temperature occurs against the background of the child’s complete well-being. When teething, you can notice a number of symptoms - the baby has become more whiny and capricious, the stomach is swollen, appetite is decreased, and the surface of the gums is slightly swollen or reddened. Parents at these moments need to be especially attentive to the child, since during teething the baby’s local immunity decreases, which increases the likelihood of contracting an infection, bronchitis or sore throat may develop, and the throat may become red. Therefore, the child’s feet should always be warm. A high temperature during teething may last for several days, all of the above may be accompanied by diarrhea, but this will not indicate poisoning, just as a red throat, cough, and snot will not be a sign of bronchitis. The throat usually does not hurt during teething, even if there is a cough. Many mothers immediately start giving their baby antibiotics, but this is not worth doing. You can give antipyretics, but it is better to consult a doctor for advice. Sometimes during teething there is frequent urination.
4. Preventive vaccinations. An increase in body temperature in children after vaccinations is considered a normal reaction. It can be observed in the first three days after the injection; after some vaccines, for example, against measles, rubella and mumps, elevated body temperature can last up to 15 days. It is necessary to reduce the temperature after vaccination.

How to reduce the temperature? Traditional and folk remedies

Treating a child without consulting a doctor is fraught with dire consequences, so any treatment should begin with a visit to a specialist. First aid, of course, can be provided by parents, but the help of a doctor will be more effective. Today, WHO experts have approved the treatment of fever in children with antipyretics such as paracetamol and ibpurofen, the dosage forms of which are suspensions, suppositories, and tablets.

The doctor decides how long and in what dosage the drug should be used. It is not allowed to use "Analgin" and "Aspirin", because after these drugs serious complications can occur, for example, a child may develop a headache.

For the smallest children, rectal suppositories and suppositories are a convenient form of the drug, especially when the body temperature rises at night or chills begin. Suppositories are fast-acting medications, are well absorbed into the bloodstream and cause fewer complications. If a child experiences convulsions or vomiting due to fever, suppositories are an ideal antipyretic option. Rectal suppositories are also convenient for treating disabled children.

For older children, suspensions or syrups are recommended. It is better to use products without dyes and fragrances to reduce the likelihood of an allergic reaction to the drug. Any antipyretic drugs should be taken no more than once every 5-6 hours, be it syrup or suppositories.

Folk remedies that will help relieve fever, especially when there are chills, are made from St. John's wort, chamomile and yarrow. Infusions and compresses are made from these herbs.

Why is fever dangerous for children? The appearance of seizures

The most dangerous complication of fever for a child is convulsions, they are also called.

The reasons why convulsions occur due to fever can be different:

• difficult childbirth;
• traumatic brain injuries;
• intoxication of the nervous system;
• poisoning by bacterial toxins.

Seizures may manifest as:

• twitching of individual muscle groups;
• throwing back the head;
• eye rolling;
• fading;
• holding or stopping the child's breathing.

It is not always known how long the convulsions last, so you need to urgently call an ambulance. With severe convulsions, lasting more than 20 minutes, the child’s jaws sometimes clench. Do not squeeze them with your finger or spoon, otherwise you may harm the baby. If the seizures have stopped before the doctors arrive, then try to assess the baby’s condition yourself: what kind of breathing he has, how he reacts to the surrounding space.