The most common sign of a baby’s illness is fever.
Body temperature that is taken with the use of mouth thermometer (oral thermometer that is 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher is considered as fever. The baby’s normal temperature range from 36.5 to 37.5 degrees Celsius.
Signs and Symptoms of Fever
- General weakness (Lethargy)
- Loss of appetite
- Irritability
- Headaches
- Body and/or muscle aches
- Dehydration
- Chills and shivering
Fever is not considered an illness, but is the body’s defense mechanism in fighting off infections and inflammatory conditions. As the bacteria and viruses invades the body on normal temperature, the body would react by activating the immune system.
Pathophysiology of Fever
The body temperature is regulated by a structure in our brain called “hypothalamus“. It functions like a thermostat. In the presence of an infectious agent, such as bacteria, viruses, the immune response of the body is to inhibit their growth and eliminate them.
Management
Fever does not necessarily need to be treated and most people with fever recover without specific medical attention. Although it is unpleasant, fever rarely rises to a dangerous level even if untreated. Damage to the brain generally does not occur until temperatures reach 42 degree Celsius (107.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and it is rare for an untreated fever to exceed 40.6 degrees Celsius (105.1 degrees Fahrenheit).
Conservative measures
Limited evidence supports sponging or bathing feverish children with tepid water. The use of fan or air conditioning may somewhat reduce the temperature and increase comfort. If the temperature reaches the extremely high level of hyperpyrexia (a condition where the body temperature goes above 106.7 degrees Fahrenheit [41.5 degree Celsius] due to changes in the hypothalamus), aggressive cooling is required.
Medications
Medications that lowers fevers are called antipyretics (agent that reduces fever). The antipyretic ibuprofen is effective in reducing fevers in children. It is more effective than acetaminophen (paracetamol) in children. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen may be safely used together in children with fevers.
Antipyretics for Children
Cooling Patch Fever & Pain Relief
Benefits of Fever
Fever is not an illness. It is a symptom, or sign, that your body is fighting an illness or infection. Fever stimulates the body’s defenses, sending white blood cells and other “fighter” cells to fight and destroy the cause of the infection. A fever can help your immune system fight infections in two ways. A higher temperature in the body speeds up how cells work, including the ones that fight illness. They can respond to invading germs faster. Also, higher body temperatures make it harder for bacteria and viruses to thrive in your body. That heating boosts our immunity by speeding disease-fighting cells to an infection. A fever may be (mostly) good for us, whether we’re babies, teens or adults.
