How to Manage A Fever

A fever by itself is not harmful. What counts is the cause. You do not have to give your child something for fever just because it is there.

A sick child of fever is usually highest around 6 pm until 3 am. If the fever is gone for the night, your child will almost certainly not have a temperature of the next day.

Indications for treatment of fever:
1 If the child has had a febrile seizure before.
2 If the fever is making the child irritable and uncomfortable. If the fever causes the child relaxed and sleepy can be left alone while the child is drinking enough fluids.


What to do

* Encouraged to leave the warmth of the body.
* Try to keep the room cool and low humidity.
* Having a constant flow of air.
* Keep your child in clothes undress or very lightly.

Remember that your child can only lose heat through the skin when it is hot and flushed. If your child feels the body is cold and shivering, wrapped the child until the skin is hot again, otherwise, none of these techniques work. Do not put the child in an ice bath.


Medicines
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are available for children of fever. Talk to your doctor about medications to give your child.

Aspirin is not advisable for children to viral diseases because of the risk of Reye's syndrome.


Dosage
General outlines doses of ibuprofen and acetaminophen are provided by the manufacturer. Pediatricians prescribe a dose of 15 milligrams of the drug per kilogram of weight of the child:

* A baby of 10 kg would receive 150 mgs.
* A 15 kg of 3 years of age get 225 mgs.

The maximum dose for any child would be an adult dose of 500 mgs. The medicine can not be effective if the dose is too small for the weight of the child.

* Wait an hour to full effect.
* Do not repeat the dose for at least 8 hours (for ibuprofen) or 4 hours (acetaminophen).
* Repeat only if the indications for the treatment of fever have returned.
* If the fever persists for more than 72 hours, consult your doctor.