DEFINITION
Fever is usually a sign that something unusual happens in
our bodies. For children who are still very small and the baby, a slight
increase in body temperature can indicate a serious infection.
However, the degree of fever does not always indicate the
severity of the underlying condition. Mild disease may cause a high fever, and
more serious disease may only cause a mild fever.
Normal body temperature varies between individuals and
throughout the day (usually the highest in the afternoon). Normal body
temperature is higher in children of pre-school age and the highest around the
age of 18-24 months. However, even so, a child is said to be a fever when body
temperature reaches around 38 degree C or higher when measured with a rectal
thermometer.
CAUSE
Fever occurs as the body's response to infection, injury, or
inflammation, and causes a lot.
Acute fever (lasts for 7 days or less), usually caused by an
infection. The most common causes are:
·
respiratory tract infections due to viruses,
such as colds or flu
·
gastrointestinal infections due to virus
·
certain bacterial infections, especially ear
infections (otitis media), sinus infections, pneumonia, and urinary tract
infections
Teething process usually does not cause fever to more than
38.3 degrees C.
Newborns and babies younger have a higher risk for a variety
of serious infections because the immune system is not perfect. Some infections
can be obtained before or when the child is born, including sepsis, pneumonia,
and meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain).
Causes of acute fever are rarer among others:
·
side effects of vaccination and the use of
certain drugs
·
bacterial infections of the skin or joints
·
viral or bacterial infection of the brain,
membranes of the brain, or both
Fever chronic (lasting for more than 7 days), most often
caused by a viral infection that long. Chronic fever can also be caused by:
·
Other infectious diseases such as hepatitis,
sinusitis, pneumonia, gastrointestinal tract infections due to bacteria or
parasites, bone infections, heart infections, and tuberculosis.
·
non-infectious causes, such as Kawasaki disease,
juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and cancers (such as leukemia and lymphoma).
SYMPTOMS
Babies who have a fever usually be fussy and may not be able
to sleep or eat well. Children are more likely to become less active and lose
interest in play. Children can have seizures when the body temperature rises or
falls rapidly (febrile seizures). In some cases, the fever is very high so that
the child becomes lethargic, sleepy and unresponsive.
There are several symptoms that need attention and watch out
for, namely:
·
fever that occurs in infants aged less than 2
months
·
child lethargic or weak
·
looks ill
·
out of breath
·
bleeding in the skin, which appears as spots or
patches of reddish purple
·
infants or toddlers being kept crying (can not
be soothed)
·
children are more likely to become a headache,
stiff neck, or confused
Children with fever should be immediately taken to the
doctor if they have warning signs above, or if the child is younger than 2
months.
Children who do not have warning signs on top and between
the ages of 3-36 months should be taken to the doctor if the fever reaches 39oC
or more. In addition, children should also be taken to the doctor if the fever
has lasted more than 5 days.
DIAGNOSIS
Body temperature can be measured using a digital thermometer
or mercury thermometer. Mercury thermometer needs to be shaken before use to
ensure that the temperatures appear to be below normal body temperature.
Mercury thermometer should be installed for 2-3 minutes. Digital thermometers
are easier to use and faster (the thermometer will usually give a sign when
finished measuring the temperature). However, the mercury thermometer is no
longer recommended because the thermometer is made of glass and fragile, so the
risk of giving papaparan against quicksilver (mercury).
There are several ways to measure body temperature:
- Rectal temperature, is the most accurate, because that is
closest to the inside of the body temperature. The thermometer should be
smeared with grease and then slowly inserted into the anus of about 1.5-2.5 cm
child when the child is prone. Children must be maintained so as not to move.
- The temperature of the ear, using a digital ear
thermometer which measures the infrared radiation from the eardrum. Ear
thermometers are not reliable for infants younger than 3 months.
- Oral temperature, measured with a thermometer placed under
the tongue of the child. This method is accurate but difficult to do in
children are still small, because they are difficult to keep the mouth closed
when the thermometer is installed. Usually this means a new start can be used
when a child over the age of 4 years.
- Temperature forehead (temporal artery), measured using a
special digital thermometer that measures infrared radiation from an artery in
the forehead area (temporal artery). Forehead temperature measurements are not
as accurate as a rectal temperature, especially in infants younger than 3
months.
- Armpit temperature, measured by putting a thermometer in
the armpit children, directly on the skin. Measurement of body temperature with
this method is less accurate than other methods. However, if it is not
convenient to perform a rectal temperature measurements and no tools to measure
the temperature of the ear or forehead temperature, the axillary temperature
measurement can be done, rather than not measure the temperature at all.
Detecting fever is not a difficult thing, rather than
determine the cause. To find out the cause, keep in mind a full explanation of
the child's illness from their parents. If necessary, it could be done a
physical examination and also support, such as:
·
chest x-rays, can be useful in ensuring some
conditions on the chest (lung or heart)
·
complete blood count, electrolytes, and blood
culture
·
urine examination
·
lumbar puncture to take a sample of
cerebrospinal fluid covering the brain and spinal cord. This examination can be
done if it is suspected meningitis.
TREATMENT
If the fever is caused by a disturbance, then the disorder
needs to be treated. Another treatment is done to make the child feel better.
- General handling can be done to help a child who has a
fever, among others:
·
give the child to drink plenty of fluids to
prevent dehydration
·
apply warm compresses to the forehead, hands,
and feet
Because shivering may increase body temperature of children,
the ways that can make kids shiver, for example, to undress the child and gave
the cold water, only be used if the child's body temperature is very high
(around 41oC) or more.
Do not give alcohol to a child compress because alcohol can
be absorbed in through the skin and cause danger.
- Drugs for lowering fever
Drugs known as antipyretics can make the child feel better,
namely by lowering body temperature. These medications have no effect on
infection or other disorders that cause fever. However, if the child has a
disorder of the heart, lungs, brain, or nervous, or history of febrile
seizures, it is important to use this medication.
Antipyretic drug that can be used for example ibuprofen. It
is important to provide appropriate drug doses and at appropriate time
intervals. The drug will not work when given in doses that are too small or too
long-term administration. And even though these drugs are relatively safe, but
do not prescribe too much or too often, because it can lead to over-dosage.
Aspirin is no longer used to reduce fever in children
because these drugs can interact with certain viral infections (such as
influenza or chicken pox) and lead to serious disturbances, called Reye
syndrome.
REFERENCE
- C, Deborah M. Fever in Infant and Children. Merck Manual
Handbook. 2013.
- J, Robert F. Fever in Children. eMedicine Health. 2010.
- Mayo Clinic. Fever. 2011.
SUGGEST ARTICLES
Thanks for reading & sharing Healthy Natural Life
