Children are curious and sometimes inattentive to their condition. Therefore, diseases are frequent with sudden changes in temperature or when a child simply sweats and runs in an open jacket.
Any caring mother in advance studies all methods of quick and prompt treatment of colds, as well as how to sharply reduce the fever. I don’t really want to stuff medicines too much with children. So at what temperature should an antipyretic be given to a child? We will consider this question later in the article.
When a child can be given an antipyretic
Until a certain point, the body itself can fight the infection. This is a natural process, the counteraction of which can weaken the immunity of the child. If the temperature is below 38, it is too early to take an antipyretic. The body has a chance to cope with microbes on its own. If this mark on the thermometer is crossed, it is time to begin to act.
There are the following recommendations by which it is possible to determine the feasibility of using antipyretic drugs:
In the absence of other diseases before the illness and at the age of less than three months, you need to start taking specialized medications to lower the temperature from 38-38.5 degrees.
If the child was in a normal state of health and is older than 3 months, you can use antipyretic drugs at a temperature of 39-39.5 degrees, or if severe discomfort, poor health, headache and muscle aches are observed.
In the event that hypertemia was detected and children refuse to eat food and water, their health becomes worse, the appearance of chills, muscle aches, pallor of the skin, dryness when the feet get cold, it is worthwhile to immediately go to treatment with drugs that lower the fever.
- If before that the body had met with febrile seizures, the temperature rose high and severe diseases of the cardiovascular system, as well as the lungs were noticed, you can start taking antipyretics from 38-38.5 degrees.
In addition to specific means, you also need to know the dosage, the form of taking the medicine, to ensure safe treatment. Today, the most effective antipyretic for children is Paracetamol. You can purchase suppositories, syrups, suspensions or tablets.
You can also consider the use of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug “Ibuprofen”, which is characterized by its effectiveness and duration of action due to the prolongation effect. However, the more effective the remedy, the more contraindications it has and side effects may appear. So use it in case of emergency.
Also known is "Nemisulide", which is included in antipyretic drugs at high temperatures. In children, its use is limited due to the fact that the drug is not well understood and is still in a state of research and development. A child over 12 years old can be treated this way.
Consult with specialists
A direction from the doctor must be written out. Before using this or that medicine, it is worth understanding at what temperature to give an antipyretic to the child. Also, from the variety of options you need to choose the one that will help in your particular case. Take into account the age of the child. After all, an antipyretic for children from 3 years old differs from that which is advised to take an older child.
It is worth considering the fact of the presence or absence of allergies. Different drugs have different duration and form of use. Antipyretic syrups have about the same effect as tablets, their work is manifested half an hour after administration. There are other ways to recover.
Alternative methods
In the form of candles, antipyretic drugs are taken at high temperatures in children. In this case, the result will come within forty minutes. We'll have to wait more, but the effect is more powerful.
Some children do not want to take the medicine or experience nausea. Then the funds taken orally are not suitable. Before the introduction of suppositories, the intestines are emptied. It is better to take the medicine in the evening.
A temperature of 38.5 is a signal that it is time to take the drug. If you decide to use syrup or tablets, carefully make sure that the chemical additives and flavorings contained therein do not cause adverse reactions. The body of the child is very gentle. This must be taken into account, especially if an antipyretic is chosen for children from 3 years.
Especially if this is your first experience with a particular medicine. In this case, a pediatrician consultation is simply necessary. The specialist will tell you exactly at what temperature to give an antipyretic to a child, in what doses, the best option for a specific age.
At the same time, carefully study the instructions yourself, because the health of your child is at stake, so there can be no room for frivolity. A medicine may be suitable for you, but the pediatrician may consider it necessary to change the dose. Trust the specialist and follow his instructions. He will tell you exactly what to do if the child has a fever.
Do not overdo it with a dose
Between doses of tablets should pass at least four hours. Even if the thermometer reflects a temperature of 38.5 and the child complains of poor health, overdoing and giving him too much medicine will also be a mistake.
To bring down the heat - this does not mean to cure your child. It is just a matter of dealing with symptoms. The patient will feel easier, but it is worth continuing the treatment of the disease itself, because it was he who caused this condition. It is not enough to understand what to do if the child has a temperature. It is also necessary to understand why it appeared, what became the root cause.
Most common medicines
Most often, pediatricians are advised to take antipyretics. These are “Paracetamol” and similar preparations: “Panadol”, “Efferalgan”, “Tylenol”, “Dolomol”, “Kalpol”, “Dofalgan”, “Mexalen”. Taking them, at one time, you can reduce the temperature by 1-1.5 degrees. The action will last 4 hours.
If severe fever is observed, only half the effect is possible. The child may be overly sensitive to these agents. The use of Iuprofen, Nurofen and Ibufen is not so safe, but it is more effective.
Knowing at what temperature to give an antipyretic to a child and in what doses to do this, you will be able to competently and effectively improve the condition of your native creation. The “Viburkol” remedy related to homeopathy may be useful. It relieves pain and fever.
What you should not do
In no case do not use “Aspirin”, “Antipyrine”, “Phenacetin”, “Amidopyrine”, “Analgin”, as well as other means that were made using the above medicines. They are very powerful and even adults are not advised to use them often because of the sharp effect on the intestines and other organs. What can I say about the delicate body of the child. Better limit yourself to more gentle methods.
Generation-proven methods
If you turn to traditional medicine, you can also draw a couple of options for dealing with high temperature. The practice of rubbing with vinegar or alcohol is well known.
If the child is less than three years old, it is better not to use these options, because for too small a child they can be dangerous. His skin is so tender that it absorbs the surrounding moisture. Toxic, alcohol poisoning may occur.
Give your child plenty of water, freshly squeezed juices without pulp. The vitamins that are found in cranberries, cherries, oranges, raspberries and lingonberries will be extremely helpful at such a moment of weakness. Make a fruit drink and delight your child.
Start with the softest and most gentle options.
You can use the children's variety “Paracetamol”, which will relieve the heat and pain that are characteristic of colds, flu, otitis media, SARS and periods when teeth are cut.
However, using this method, it’s worth the wait if you have a newborn in your arms and have not yet three months. The body is still overly sensitive. If Gilbert's syndrome, kidney or liver failure, diabetes mellitus or viral hepatitis are observed , increased caution is also required.
As side effects, itching, angioedema, methemoglobinemia, rash, anemia, thrombocytopenia may occur. You can talk about an overdose in cases where nausea occurs, liver dysfunction, pallor, vomiting, appetite disappears.
Treat yourself deliberately
In the event that after the use of “Paracetamol” there was an adverse reaction or it did not give the desired effect, it is advised to use “Ibuprofen”. You should not use this medicine if the child was sick with allergic rhinitis, cough, urticaria or bronchial asthma. Also, do not give it to children who are less than three years old and have problems with the circulatory system, gastrointestinal ulceration, impaired kidney and liver function, and hearing loss.
If the treatment is unsuccessful, diarrhea, nausea, allergic manifestations, vomiting, and stomach pain may occur. Do not rule out the possibility of hives, itching, insomnia, dizziness, cystitis, anemia, thrombocytopenia, rash, bronchospasm, headache, hyper excitability, impaired renal function, leukopenia.
In case of an overdose, blood pressure may decrease, abdominal pain, tachycardia, vomiting,
heaviness in the head, metabolic acidosis, kidney failure, tinnitus will appear.
As for the homeopathic medicine “Viburkola”, it can be used with any respiratory illness of a child. The medicine has many functions, including the removal of inflammation and heat, when complex therapy is used. Composition includes conhe, pulsatillas, dulcamar, chamomilla, belladonna, plantago. Side effects and contraindications are rare. They can occur if sensitivity to the elements of the drug is increased, flowing into an allergic reaction.
There are really a lot of subtleties in this matter, and, most importantly, the health and well-being of the most valuable creatures that we have - children - depend on them. So carefully monitor compliance with all instructions and consult a specialist for advice.