Common mistakes parents make when their children have a fever

Proper care of a child with a fever is an important factor in ensuring health, comfort, and a speedy recovery. However, it is not uncommon for parents to make mistakes in the process of caring for a child with a fever. Let’s find out more about common mistakes with Tnhelearning.edu.vn through the article below!

Do not take the baby’s temperature

Measuring temperature when a child has a fever is the basis for diagnosis and prognosis of the child’s health status . For babies under 3 months , a high body temperature can be a sign of serious illness and should be taken to the doctor right away.

For older children, if the fever is mild but persistent or high , parents should take the child to see a doctor to find the cause and treat it . Using a digital thermometer is the most convenient and accurate way.

Manual temperature measurement

The most accurate way to measure body temperature is to use a thermometer instead of feeling it by hand. Parents can take the temperature in the armpit, mouth, anus, forehead or ear . If the rectal temperature is between 36.5 – 37.5 degrees Celsius , the child is considered normal. If the temperature of the anus, ear exceeds 38 degrees Celsius, armpits and mouth exceed 37.5 degrees Celsius, the child is considered to have a fever.

If you have a fever, take medicine

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tien Dung – former Head of Pediatrics Department (Bach Mai Hospital) said that a common mistake when children have a fever is to arbitrarily give the child medicine.

Using antibiotics for viral fever doesn’t work and can have dangerous consequences . To reduce fever, it is advisable to find out the cause and consult a doctor . Rest, adequate fluids, and supportive measures such as cold compresses or fever-reducing pain relievers are sufficient in many cases.

Subjective do not care

Another mistake when a child has a fever is being subjective and not caring about the child’s condition. This can be debilitating for your baby and possibly cause complications. Children need to rest, drink enough fluids, and not engage in strenuous activity when they have a fever.

Subjective do not care

Using the wrong dose of medicine

Paracetamol is commonly used to reduce fever in children, with a dose of 10-15mg/kg body weight every 4-6 hours , and not to exceed 75mg/kg body weight in 24 hours . Paracetamol is a common medicine to reduce fever in children, with a specific dose and duration of use.

Switching between forms of Paracetamol should be followed by an interval of 4-6 hours to avoid overdose . Ibuprofen is another option, but consult your doctor before using it because it is not as safe as Paracetamol.

Use antipyretics with other active ingredients

In the case of self-administering antipyretic at home , parents should only use Paracetamol without combining many other active ingredients. The use of combination medicines may not be necessary for the child and may cause unwanted side effects . In addition, using the wrong dose can also be dangerous.

Use antipyretics with other active ingredients

Apply ice

Applying ice that is too cold or using a cold washcloth to bring down a fever can cause your child to catch a cold and risk an ice burn . For children with high fever , in addition to making sure the child drinks enough fever-reducing water, parents should use a warm towel to wipe the child’s body , especially in the groin and armpit area . This helps children reduce fever safely and without danger.

Cover the blanket, dress warmly when the baby has a high fever

When the child has a fever and is cold, the skin turns pale and feels cold , b. In some cases, when the fever is high, the peripheral pulse may constrict and the skin in some places such as hands and feet may feel cold . In this situation, it is more important to help the child reduce the fever . Wearing warm clothes, covering with blankets, turning off fans and keeping out the wind won’t warm your baby up , and can even have the opposite effect.

Cover the blanket, dress warmly when the baby has a high fever

Abuse of suppositories

Although many parents believe that using rectal suppositories is more convenient and effective, the use of rectal antipyretics can cause bacterial infection and cause swelling and burning pain in the child’s anal area .

If used too many times and for a long time , or the interval between uses is too short , it can cause proctitis in children. Moreover, the dosing of suppositories is more difficult than oral drugs, which can easily lead to overdose . If there is stool in the rectum, the effectiveness of the drug will also be reduced.

Wipe with alcohol or lemon

Alcohol has the ability to penetrate the skin and cause poisoning for the baby, while lemon contains acid that can hurt the baby’s skin . Neither of these methods is as effective as warm compresses . Warm compress is still the safest and most effective method in reducing fever for children.

Wipe with alcohol or lemon

Abstain from bathing

When your baby has a fever and is sweating , not having a bath makes her feel uncomfortable . In addition, not bathing can also create conditions for bacteria and dirt to accumulate on the skin, causing dermatological problems . However, you should only limit bathing when your baby has a high fever above 39 degrees Celsius . If the fever is below this level, it is still possible to bathe the baby, but it is important to pay attention to bathing with warm water, away from the wind, for a short time of no more than 5 minutes.

After bathing, it is necessary to dry and dress the baby before getting out of the bathroom . This helps the baby feel more comfortable while ensuring the hygiene and health of the baby’s skin.

The above are common mistakes when children have fever that parents often encounter. Hope the above information will help you and your family with child care.

Source: phupuvietnam.vn

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