Normal body temperature for a one-year-old child. A child has a fever in the first year - what to do? Cold feet and hands

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 the 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:

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.
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.
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.
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.

Every mother strives to ensure that her child is strong and healthy. The first sign that the baby is unwell appears in the form of an increase in body temperature. In children under one year old, body temperature readings range from 36.2 to 37.4 degrees, which is normal. Only by the age of one year are body temperature readings established at a normal level, which is 36.6-36.8 degrees. Almost every mother is faced with a situation where the thermometer reading of a one-year-old baby is above 37 degrees. Whether this is normal or not, we will find out in more detail.

What causes an increase in body temperature in a child?

Everyone knows that normal body temperature is 36.6 degrees. This is an ideal indicator that is rare, especially in children under one year old. Slightly elevated thermometer readings do not mean that the child is developing a disease. Often the main factor influencing an increase in body temperature in a child is illness. The immune system begins to react with foreign bacteria, against which the disease develops. As a result of this reaction, energy is released, which manifests itself in the form of an increase in readings on the thermometer.

It is important to know! You cannot lower the temperature, the readings of which do not exceed 38 degrees in children, because in this way the bacteria overcoming the body have the opportunity to further spread.

Many mothers simply do not understand the principle of increasing temperature, so already at 37.5 they rush to put antipyretic suppositories or give syrups. Disease is the main factor on the basis of which a high thermometer value is observed. In addition to this, there are other factors that influence the process of temperature rise. These factors include:

Overheating of the body.
Psychological condition.
Great physical overload, but for children there is enough activity during play for the thermometer to show a value above 37 degrees.
Physiological characteristics of the body. Premature babies often have a low temperature ranging from 36 to 36.4 degrees.

In addition, it is worth taking into account such a factor as the time when the measurement is made. After all, in the evening the thermometer will show a higher value than in the morning. If the measurement is taken after sleep, the readings will be more reliable than when the baby is awake or breastfeeding. When measuring, it is necessary to take into account another factor such as the device itself. The most objective today are mercury thermometers, even in comparison with modern electronic devices.

Everyone is accustomed to measuring temperature under the arm, although in addition there are other places to measure it, such as:

large intestine, for which the thermometer should be inserted through the anus;
oral cavity;
ear canal.

If an adult can measure the temperature under the armpit to find out whether he is sick or not, then for babies it will be necessary to take several measurements in different ways.

When to take measurements

Before finding out what body temperature is considered normal for a one-year-old baby, you need to figure out when you should pick up a thermometer. If the child shows no signs that he is sick, then there is no need to take a temperature measurement at all.

If the baby becomes lethargic, inactive, pale and exhausted, then parents should think about the fact that the baby is not feeling well. The first step, of course, is to take your temperature. If the measured body temperature is 38 degrees or higher, this indicates the presence of the disease. You need to call a doctor and give the child an antipyretic.

To measure the temperature, it is not necessary to pick up a thermometer; many mothers assess the baby’s condition by placing their lips on his forehead. If your forehead is hot, you should definitely use a thermometer, which will allow you to clarify the temperature readings.

It is important to know! It is especially necessary to take temperature measurements at night, since most infectious diseases appear at night when the child is sleeping. If measures are not taken in a timely manner to reduce the high temperature, the baby may die.

Normal for a one-year-old baby

Every pediatrician knows what the body temperature of a one-year-old toddler should be. At the age of 12 months, the baby experiences an adaptation of heat exchange, as a result of which the body temperature will be 36.6-37 degrees. The normal temperature for a one-year-old toddler is exactly 36.6-37.1 degrees. But it should be noted that such values will not always be detected on the thermometer, but only during sleep, if the child is not sick.

While awake, the thermometer can show up to 37 degrees, which also does not always indicate the presence of the disease. At one year old, children usually begin to learn to walk, so excess activity affects the heat exchange process. If the mother doubts whether the child is sick or not, she should wait until the baby falls asleep and then take measurements.

A temperature of 37 degrees is considered normal if the child is active and does not show signs of fatigue or malaise. From pediatric practice, it should be noted that the following thermometer values are considered normal for a one-year-old child:

in the armpit, the thermometer readings are 36.8-37.1 degrees;
Normal body temperature is considered to be 37.2 degrees using the rectal method of measurement;
with the oral method – 37-37.2 degrees.

These values are average, so do not immediately panic if a baby at the age of 1 year has different indicators.

The baby should have his own individual thermometer. After each use of the device, you should wipe it or rinse it with warm water. The device should be stored in a special tube, out of the reach of children.
To take measurements in the oral cavity, you should resort to using special pacifier thermometers. It is allowed to take measurements under the arms or in the groin fold using standard mercury or electronic thermometers.
The most accurate readings are mercury thermometers. Temperature is considered most accurate if it is measured with an ordinary mercury thermometer. Electronic thermometers are considered not so accurate because they have a small error of 0.1 to 0.3 degrees.
In order for the measurement results to be as accurate as possible, it is necessary to apply the device to the previously dried skin of the armpit.
When taking measurements in the armpit, you need to hold the device for at least 5 minutes. The time is not affected by the model of the device and its principle of operation.
For the rectal and oral measurement method, it takes from 10 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the device itself. The fastest method of measurement is the ear method. A few seconds are enough to find out the baby’s body temperature.
Indicators above 37.5 degrees do not mean that the baby is sick. Initially, you need to make sure that it is not overheating. After a while, you need to repeat the measurement process.
Carry out regular temperature checks if your baby is sick. If readings are above 38 degrees, you should resort to the use of antipyretics.
Measurements should not be taken if the baby is crying or fussy, as the readings will not be accurate.

Determining the average value

To obtain the average body temperature in a child aged 1 year, it is necessary to measure it over a period of 3-5 days. Apply the thermometer three times a day, preferably at the same time. After the values have been taken over the specified period, you can add them up by dividing by the number of measurements. The resulting value will be the normal temperature for a one-year-old child.

The main task of parents is to raise a healthy and beautiful child, and the health of the baby depends on every decision. Any wrong action regarding the child’s health can cause various complications, which can result in chronic diseases. One of the characteristic signs of such diseases is when a child has a temperature of 39℃ at 1 year without showing other symptoms, which we will consider in this article.

The most common disease that occurs in children is ARVI; it is accompanied by low fever, sore throat, cough, and nasal discharge. Most parents know how to deal with these symptoms and can easily cure their child without medical help. But more and more often there are diseases in which the child, except for an elevated temperature of 39℃, has no symptoms, which is very confusing for parents.

Causes of fever without symptoms

In most cases, a temperature of 39℃ in a one-year-old child may increase due to an inflammatory process in the body. An increase in temperature is a natural protective mechanism in the human body, due to which most microbes that enter the body are either completely destroyed or the rate of their spread is noticeably reduced.

Also, the cause of a high asymptomatic temperature in a 1-year-old baby can be ordinary overheating or an infection that has entered the body. In many children, hyperthermia can be explained by the onset of teething.

If no symptoms other than high temperature are observed, this does not mean that they are actually absent. For example, children who have not yet learned to speak cannot tell their parents that something hurts them.

The most common cause of high fever in children is overheating. It is often associated with the lack of good thermoregulation of the body, since it has not yet had time to fully develop. Overheating can be caused by prolonged exposure to the street during hot weather, excessive amounts of clothing, or child hyperactivity.

In some cases, the cause of an asymptomatic temperature up to 39.5℃ may be an allergic reaction to food, insect bites and some other factors.

Why can there be a temperature of 39℃ without symptoms?

All infectious diseases can be caused by two pathogens: pathogenic bacteria and viruses.

Viral diseases

If a one-year-old baby's temperature rises to 39.8℃, this may mean that the child has contracted a viral disease. This is characterized by the fact that in some types of diseases, temperature is the only sign at the early stage of the disease, and only after a few days the child may develop other symptoms. These diseases include the following:

rubella;
chickenpox;
mumps;
measles infection.

Bacterial diseases

Some bacterial diseases can also cause a temperature of 39℃ without any symptoms. If the temperature rises above 39.1, then these may be the initial stages of the following diseases:

purulent sore throat;
otitis;
stomatitis;
pharyngitis;
infectious diseases of the urinary tract.

If the disease is associated with the urinary system, the child may go to the toilet frequently. It is quite difficult to notice this, since one-year-old children can still wear diapers, and it is extremely difficult to control this process.

Also, most parents cannot independently examine the condition of the child’s throat, ears and mouth. In order to make the most accurate diagnosis, the child must undergo a series of tests and be examined by a qualified pediatrician.

What to do when the temperature is 39℃?

If parents find their child has an elevated body temperature of up to 39.8℃, but he does not show any symptoms, the first thing to do in this situation is to try to find out the cause of hyperthermia.

First, you need to analyze what the child was doing before the temperature was detected and where he was, whether he was exposed to direct sunlight. If in all respects it looks like it is overheating, then the baby needs to be undressed, wiped with water at room temperature and given cool milk to drink. It is important that at this time the baby is in a well-ventilated room, the air temperature in which should not exceed 20℃.

If all of the above actions are done, then the body temperature should normalize within two hours, and there is no need to use any medications. If this series of procedures does not prove effective, then the child must be shown to a pediatrician.

A child needs medical care in the following situations:

if a high temperature of 39℃ lasts more than three days;
if the child has disorders in the functioning of the nervous system and epilepsy;
with congenital heart defects;
if the child is not yet one year old;
with obvious signs of dehydration.

If a one-year-old child has a fever due to some infectious disease, but there are no other symptoms, then the temperature may normalize on its own within a few days.

How to bring down the temperature

The first thing to do if a child has a temperature of 39℃ is to bring it down by giving an antipyretic. In this case, the child must drink a lot, and the room in which he is located must be thoroughly ventilated.

The best medications to lower the temperature are those containing ibuprofen or paracetamol. For children aged 1 year, sweet syrups and suspensions are best.

Drinking plenty of fluids is an extremely important factor. Young children are extremely energetic, and their body water is consumed much faster than adults, and this is fraught with various complications. Both regular purified water and homemade chamomile tea or freshly squeezed juice can be suitable for drinking.

If the temperature is elevated, a child should never be wrapped in clothes or blankets. The child should wear clothes made from natural fabrics, and if there is intense sweating, things should be changed regularly. For children who wear diapers, it is advisable to remove them for better thermoregulation.

If the temperature remains at the same level or rises, the baby turns pale or has trouble breathing, then in this case it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance.

Most often, those parents who are closely faced with the problem of severe hyperthermia in their children call a doctor to their home.

Infectious and inflammatory diseases are often accompanied by high fever, sometimes developing up to thirty-nine degrees.

In general, babies tolerate this difficult condition well, but if a serious illness occurs, there will also be accompanying symptoms that complicate it.

The most common symptoms include migraine, chills, or respiratory symptoms. Only a doctor can decide on the treatment of the baby, but parents should clearly know how to bring down the temperature of 39 in the child before his arrival.

Most often, significant hyperthermia in a child develops due to:

Bacterial infection;
introduction of viruses into the body;
respiratory infections;
food poisoning;
allergic reaction;
teething;
overheating;
nervous overstrain;
oncological diseases;
immune response to vaccination, etc.

These factors cause a strong fever in the baby, which reflects a sharp activation of the body’s defenses.

Should the temperature be brought down to 39?

The vast majority of domestic and Western pediatricians are of the opinion that when hyperthermia reaches an alarming level of 38.5 degrees, then there is no point in waiting for further developments.

It needs to be lowered. Otherwise, various serious complications can occur, the most common of which is a seizure.

In the case of a serious infectious or inflammatory disease, the question of prescribing antipyretic drugs should be decided only by the attending physician.

If there is no particular danger or, on the contrary, the pediatrician has not arrived yet, and the thermometer readings increase more than 39 degrees, then they need to be reduced.

To do this, it is necessary to clearly understand that a significant increase in temperature is a direct reflection of the body’s resistance. It is the heat that helps him actively fight the infection.

However, its manifestations that are too strong can have a negative impact on the baby, completely robbing him of his strength and leading to dehydration.

How to bring down a child’s temperature of 39 and help him survive this serious condition? First of all, you need to provide him with a large amount of liquid.

To prevent dehydration, you should constantly give your baby water.

Various fruit compotes, berry fruit drinks or decoctions of medicinal plants are well suited for this. The drink must be tasty, otherwise a sick child may refuse it due to poor health.

It is better to give him liquid from a spoon or a convenient bottle. When parents are confused because their child has a temperature of 39, Komarovsky believes that this is the only way to bring it down.

The famous children's doctor Komarovsky also recommends, if hyperthermia develops, to replenish the lost balance of electrolytes in the body. To do this, it is necessary to eliminate the lack of microelements. In such a case, raisins, figs, dried apricots and other dried fruits will help.

According to Komarovsky’s advice, it is strongly recommended to give the child a drink that has cooled down, but still retains heat. Therefore, before you start treating it with diaphoretics, you first need to provide the child’s body with a sufficient amount of fluid.

If only the baby’s forehead is hot, but his legs and arms are cold, this indicates the development of a negative vascular reaction.

In this case, you should know that it is permissible to give a child at a temperature of 39 degrees antispasmodics (Drotaverine or Papaverine) in a pediatric dose, clearly indicated in the instructions for the drug.

It is imperative to open the window completely and achieve significant cooling of the room where the patient is lying. Dr. Komarovsky believes that the thermometer in it should show no more than twenty, or at most twenty-two, degrees.

This helps to balance the body's thermoregulation with the help of the air inhaled by the baby's lungs and the air released by them. In addition, it is worth making the air stream wet.

It is advisable to wet the curtains, place a large basin of water in the room, or place a damp cloth everywhere.

Increased body temperature in a child - Emergency care "Doctor Komarovsky School"

There is intense heat, which has already exceeded thirty-nine Celsius and is approaching forty degrees;
diagnosed with heart disease;
there is vascular pathology;
there is a tendency to seizures, etc.

All this puts him at significant risk. The heat, which has reached 39.9 degrees, no longer brings any benefit to the body, but causes coagulation of proteins, of which the human body largely consists.

In addition, it creates a significant burden on the cardiovascular and nervous system.

If the fever develops significantly, you should know that you can quickly bring down the temperature of 39 in a child by wiping with water at room temperature. It is not advisable to add any substances to it.

You need to remove everything unnecessary from the baby to avoid overheating. You should leave him in cotton pajamas or a nightgown made from natural fabrics. It is better to cover it with a light sheet.

You should not allow your child to run or scream if he is in an excited state, but it is also undesirable to force him to bed.

Any nervous and physical stress will only increase hyperthermia. It is necessary to sit him in a comfortable place, read to him or distract him with something interesting.

How to bring down a temperature of 39 in a child?

It is possible to reduce the manifestations of fever with the help of appropriate medications only if the child’s temperature of 39-39.5 is not brought down by rubbing and drinking.

It should be remembered that for children under 5 years of age, suppositories, syrups and suspensions are preferable to tablets.

There are special medications, which include syrups, suspensions or tablets. They contain the appropriate doses:

Ibuprofen;
Syrup or suppositories with Nurofen;
Candle with Viferon;
Paracetamol;
Calpole;
Panadol;
Efferalgan or Cefekon in the required dosage.

They should be taken strictly according to the instructions that come with the medicine. These are effective drugs that can reduce fever for a fairly long period. In addition, they produce an operational effect.

The safest choice in this case is Paracetamol.

It quickly helps bring down the temperature, has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, has a minimum of contraindications and adverse reactions, and also does not have a noticeable effect on the hematopoietic system and the central nervous system.

The dosage in tablets for fever in children from 3 to 6 years is 800 mg / day.

From the age of 6, the permissible dose is multiplied by 1.5-2. The minimum interval between medication doses is 4 hours.

If the temperature does not decrease, the tablet can be given again. If the child’s temperature remains at 39 even after repeated doses, then other medications or home remedies are used.

Ibuprofen-based medications also help quickly relieve fever, but they are less effective in providing other benefits to the body.

However, their advantage is that the antipyretic effect lasts for a very long period. The child should also take them no more often than every six hours.

For patients aged 3 months to 2 years, suppositories, syrup and suspension are used in accordance with the instructions. And for children over 3 years old - tablets.

The dosage is 10 mg/kg body weight at a temperature of 38.5 - 39.2, and if the temperature is below this indicator, then 5 mg/kg. The daily dose of the drug should not exceed 30 mg/kg body weight.

How not to lower the temperature

Many parents are horrified when they see numbers on a thermometer that stop at thirty-nine degrees. Therefore, they lose their heads and begin to do things that only worsen the child’s situation.

It should be noted that in medicine, elevated temperature is divided into:

White, when there is a hot forehead, and the palms and feet are cold, while the face is pale;
red, when the heat covers the whole body.

Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the temperature in different ways.

In the first case, it is not recommended to massage the child’s limbs, completely undress him, or apply wet and cool lotions to his body. The baby’s condition is due to vascular insufficiency and these measures will only strengthen it.
When red hyperthermia is observed, these actions can help, since in this case vascular spasm is not observed; on the contrary, they are dilated.

If a child’s temperature is persistent at 39 and does not react to anything, then you should not rub the baby with an alcohol or vinegar solution, as it contributes to dehydration of the body and negatively affects the condition of the skin.

If there is a large amount of the substance, or if there is damage to the body, it can enter the bloodstream and cause even more damage.

Also, you should not give your child hot drinks with raspberries, linden or honey, and then wrap them tightly.

In this way, parents cause a diaphoretic effect and at the same time clog the air exchange, preventing the thermoregulation system from working at full strength.

In addition, plant substances contribute to the creation of a diuretic effect, which, together with the diaphoretic effect, creates all the conditions for blood dehydration.

Many parents panic when they see that their child’s temperature is 39.4; they don’t know how to bring it down. Therefore, it is necessary to remember that one should not strive to eliminate the heat by any means.

Medicines prohibited for use by children

Under no circumstances should you give your baby drugs such as Amidopyrine, Analgin, Antipyrin or Phenacetin.

They are contraindicated for a child’s body, otherwise intoxication is quite possible, which will make the patient’s condition critical.

Since babies often have a fever, parents should be prepared for this and know the basic measures that should be taken to help them.
Even if the child is still an infant, the mother needs to prepare in advance for what she can and should do if he develops hyperthermia, since she will often have to deal with such a problem.
And, of course, self-medication when a young patient develops a fever is simply unacceptable. All necessary therapy is carried out only by a doctor.

What to do if the temperature does not go down to 39

There are also cases when everything has been tried, but hyperthermia does not disappear. Therefore, if a child’s temperature does not drop to 39 degrees, then this is a signal that specialist help is needed.

An urgent call to the Ambulance is necessary when:

The heat increases;
the child does not eat anything;
he refuses to drink;
he is getting worse;
his limbs twitch;
the child constantly vomits;
he has severe diarrhea.

If you do not call an ambulance in time, a seizure, cardiac or vascular failure, or organic brain damage may occur.

These symptoms indicate serious metabolic problems, rapid approach of dehydration, as well as the presence of dysfunction of internal organs, and most likely the doctor will prescribe an antibiotic.

While the medical team has not yet arrived, it is advisable to wrap the child in a wet sheet for about five minutes. Then he should be dried and dressed in a dry nightgown.

You also need to pay attention to the accompanying symptoms, because they are the ones that indicate the presence of a certain disease. High temperature is only one of them and in itself cannot give a specialist a complete answer to the question of what the child is sick with.

What to do if the temperature does not decrease after taking an antipyretic? — Dr. Komarovsky

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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 and 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.