Most consultations usually come from parents who worry about their child suffering from high fever. Fever is described as a body temperature that is higher than the normal which is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. When deciding whether to bring the child to the hospital for fever, consider first how the child appears. It is vital to take into consideration the age, length of illness, lethargy and other accompanying symptoms such as unresponsiveness or seizures. It is vital that you know when to bring the child to the hospital by assessing his/her condition.
Call for emergency assistance
Call for emergency assistance if the child has a fever and unresponsive, not moving, difficult to rouse or very weak. The infant requires immediate medical care if his/her lips are bluish in color or experiences difficulty in breathing. A healthcare professional should be consulted right away if you notice purple or blood-colored spots or dots on his/her skin along with the fever.
Age and fever
The most worrisome fever is one in an infant less than 3 months old. It is vital to bring a child 3 months of age or younger to a doctor right away if he/she has a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit without other symptoms.
A rectal temperature which is recommended for children at this age is one degree warmer than the oral temperature. You can also take the temperature of the child under the arm. If this route is used, the axillary temperature is one degree cooler than the oral temperature. You can bring the child to the doctor if he/she is younger than 3 months old and has an axillary temperature higher than 98.4 degrees F.
What are the other symptoms?
The symptoms that occur along with fever can help you decide whether to bring the child to the hospital. The child requires medical care if he/she is febrile and appears or acts very ill, not alert when he/she is awake or confused. Bring the child to the hospital if you notice a bulge or the child seems to have a stiff neck.
What are the possible causes?
Bring the child to the hospital if you cannot determine the exact cause of fever. A viral infection is the most common cause of fever that appears abruptly but it might take several hours after exposure for the fever to start.
Always bear in mind that fever is an indication that the body is fighting off an infection. Once the body senses a viral or bacterial invasion, the immune system reacts by increasing the temperature to make the body a less hospitable place of the virus or bacteria. Take note that teething does not usually cause a fever higher than 100.4 degrees F.
Febrile seizures
Sudden and abrupt spikes in temperature can cause febrile seizures or convulsion linked with high temperature in some infants. These seizures can occur only with a rapid increase in fever and generally harmless but can be scary among babies, especially for anxious parents. Bring the infant to the hospital if he/she has a febrile seizure and ask the doctor for preventative medications.