Temperature in a child: causes and remedies. Can a child's temperature rise from overheating Video: Causes of asymptomatic fever in children

Summer heat is difficult to endure even for adults, let alone kids. There are frequent cases when an outwardly healthy child, in the absence of any visible reasons, begins to have a temperature at the height of summer. The safest thing in such a situation is to seek qualified help from a pediatrician. But it's still worth looking into the possible causes.

The content of the article: 1. 2. 3.

Can a child have a fever from the heat?

Due to the heat, the temperature can be elevated even in an adult. And in children, such failures happen even more often. This is explained by the fact that the process of natural thermoregulation of the body in the baby is not yet fully formed. Excessive heat can cause a child's body temperature to rise to an average of 37.5 degrees. But, given the individual characteristics of each organism, you need to understand that quality indicators can change.

If the child's fever has exceeded 38 degrees, then excessive heat, if we are not talking about, is not the only reason. After analyzing all the symptoms, the pediatrician will determine the root of the disease and prescribe treatment.

Fever or sickness?

To help understand that the cause of the ailment lies precisely in the heat, the following signs will help:

• pallor;

• weakness, lethargy;

• fatigue, drowsiness;

• dizziness;

• redness of the skin of the cheeks;

• nausea.

Severe overheating of the child can lead to heat stroke, and if the body has been in direct sunlight for some time, this causes. With these forms of overheating, body temperature can rise much higher.

What to do if the child has a fever due to the heat

If it turned out that in the heat the mark on the thermometer crawled up, then urgent measures must be taken to help the baby:

• Give more to drink. The movement of blood in the blood vessels is provided by water. In the heat, water is lost more intensively and this can lead to the fact that the blood becomes thicker, there is a risk of blood clots and this can provoke an increased temperature. An excellent tool for the rapid restoration of water deficiency is rehydron. If it is not there, you can make an analogue yourself by adding a teaspoon of soda and salt to a liter of water. In addition to water, it is good to drink one-year-old babies with a decoction of raisins, and older children with dried fruit compote.

• Wipe the body with a damp cloth.

• If it is hot at home, then try to create coolness as much as possible: hang windows, ensure air circulation. But at the same time, methods of physical cooling in the form of heating pads with ice, wet cold sheets or, even worse, cold enemas are very dangerous. Such drastic measures lead to spasm of skin vessels, slowing blood flow and impaired sweating.

• To prevent ailments in hot weather, it is worth changing the feeding regimen for babies. The baby needs to be breastfed more often, but little by little, because sucking is a big job for the child's body and there is a slight increase in heat production from it.

• For older children, it is advisable to review the menu and diet. Food should be light and not heavy. It is recommended to reduce the intake of protein foods.

It is worth going for a walk in the hot summer in the cool time of the day: in the morning or in the evening. Great importance should be given to. Preference should be given to natural and light fabrics. Also, we must not forget about the obligatory headdress for the baby. Indeed, according to statistics, overheating in children is treated much more often than with hypothermia.

accompanied by an increase in temperature. In turn, this causes panic among parents. Especially if the child is still very young. The temperature can rise even in case of weather changes, fatigue or stress. Before giving him antipyretic drugs or using other methods of knocking down degrees, it is necessary to determine the cause of the fever. In some cases, you need to immediately call a doctor.

What is the normal temperature for a child

In adults, a body temperature of 36.6 ° C is considered the norm. In contrast to them, in children, the normal temperature ranges from 36-37 ° C. Infants have an increased temperature by an average of 0.3-0.4 ° C. During the first three months of life, the baby's body temperature depends on the external environment, on the baby's sleep. Daily fluctuation within 0.6°C is considered optimal. For older children, the run should not exceed 1 ° C during the day. Up to 5 years, the child may have a temperature up to 37 ° C. In the absence of cough and runny nose, this is not considered a deviation from the norm. Measure it in the morning after the child woke up, lay down a little in bed. Most likely everything will be fine.

Temperature measurement is carried out using thermometers. They are mercury, electronic and infrared.

Mercury thermometers are more accurate. The measurement error is 0.1 degree. The measurement is made in the armpit for 7 minutes or the rectum for 5 minutes. This thermometer is dangerous because it contains mercury and can be broken or crushed.

Electronic are easy to use. Temperature is measured in the mouth, armpit, or rectum. After 3 minutes, the thermometer will show the result. After the measurement, a beep sounds. For babies, electronic thermometers in the form of a pacifier are sold. After 4 minutes, such a thermometer will show the baby's body temperature. The error of such a thermometer is much greater than that of a mercury one: up to 1 degree.

The infrared thermometer is non-contact and ear. An ear thermometer is easy to measure temperature. Measurement time 5 seconds. But it has a rather high price. Non-contact shows the temperature when you bring it to the skin. They do not have high accuracy. It makes it easy to control temperature fluctuations.

Causes of high fever in a child

In the human brain there is a center responsible for thermoregulation. When it is irritated, heat transfer decreases. An increase in temperature is a protective reaction of the body.

During infections, bacteria enter the body, which multiply and release toxic substances. Blood cells - white blood cells - fight off harmful bacteria. With a jump in temperature to 39.5 ° C, the reproduction of microorganisms slows down. With increased reproduction of the virus, the child has a high temperature.

If there is no infection in the body, then the causes of fever may be immune reactions. For example: injuries, burns, allergic diseases, psychological disorders.

Children easily overheat in hot weather, which can cause a fever. In infants, overheating often occurs due to wrapping up when going to bed. When overheated, the baby becomes moody or becomes lethargic. In hot weather, the child should be moved to the shade. Undress and give more to drink. Wipe with water. Within an hour, the temperature should decrease without the use of drugs.

The cause of the fever may be. At the same time, the thermometer readings do not exceed 38 ° C. The child drags everything into his mouth, the gums become inflamed. In 1-3 days after the appearance of the tooth, the temperature subsides.

In infants, it is difficult for parents to examine his throat. He himself cannot explain what is troubling him. Therefore, fever without pronounced symptoms can be observed in several diseases.

Is it possible to bring down the temperature of a child

With a fever, the body's defenses are activated. Accelerates the process of tissue repair. At temperatures above 37 ° C, the body fights the infection and it is not worth knocking it down. Heat means good. At the same time, interferon is produced in the body. It kills microbes. On the second or third day of illness, the amount of interferon in the blood is maximum. If even with a slight heat, the parents gave the child an antipyretic, then the disease lasts longer. Recovery occurs somewhere on the seventh day.

Children's bodies are different. In some cases, babies do not tolerate even a slight increase in temperature. If the child plays calmly at a high temperature, then you should not worry too much. If there is a change in the behavior of the baby, when he experiences discomfort with a fever, is naughty, you should consult a doctor. Some children may experience seizures. With a disease of the heart, kidneys, lungs, fever can provoke a deterioration in the work of these organs. In this case, you should not be guided by general recommendations, but listen to the advice of a doctor.

What temperature to bring down in a child

For some parents, it is enough to touch the baby's forehead with their lips to understand that the child has a fever. A slight fever does not mean a mild cold. With inflammation of the lungs, the temperature may not exceed 38 ° C, and with SARS it can rise to 40 ° C. In any case, it is worth calling a doctor to clarify the diagnosis. If the thermometer is more than 38.5 ° C, start bringing down the heat without waiting for the doctor. In infants up to three months, the temperature is brought down to 38 ° C.

Do not wrap your child. It must have heat dissipation. The room should not be too hot. It is better to ventilate the room. The child should be given plenty of fluids to avoid blood clotting and sweating.

Dry mouth, refusal to eat, excessive crying mean that an antipyretic should be given.

How to bring down the temperature in a child

When a child has a fever, the baby needs to make up for the loss of fluid. Pathogenic microbes come out with urine. Warm water should be given every half hour for half a glass. If the baby refuses to drink water, then it can be replaced with rosehip broth, cranberry juice.

• Give your child raspberry tea. It has an antipyretic effect.
• Wear light clothing. If there is a chill, then cover with a thin blanket. You should change your baby's clothes in time if he sweats.
• Reduce batteries to cool the air. In this case, excess heat during inhalation will be spent on warming the air.
• Give the child medication or use folk methods.

Temperature medications for children

To bring down the temperature, doctors advise using suppositories, suspensions or tablets. The choice of drug depends on the age of the baby. The smallest are assigned candles. They are convenient to use. From the age of 3 months, candles "Cefekon" or "Efferalgan" are used. Older children are recommended to use suspensions. They have a sweet taste. The most effective are Ibufen, Panadol, Paracetamol and Efferalgan. Before buying at a pharmacy, be sure to tell the age of the baby.

It should be remembered that before the child reaches the age of 12, the use of acetylsalicylic acid is contraindicated. When used before this age, the development of Reye's syndrome may be triggered. This results in damage to the liver and brain.

Antipyretic give 2-3 times a day and no more than 3 days in a row. Before taking the medicine, you should read the instructions. Familiarize yourself with the composition and side effects. You can not use several drugs at the same time.

With the development of fever with spasm of skin vessels (pale, cold hands and feet, marbling of the skin), after taking an antipyretic, it is necessary to rub the skin until it turns red and call a doctor urgently.

Bring down the temperature in a child with folk remedies

When the effect of the antipyretic has not yet come, other methods should be used to bring down the heat. In this case, wiping helps a lot. It should be remembered that wiping is contraindicated for children under one year old.

When using vodka, it is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1. Wipe the baby's skin with a cloth soaked in the solution. Particular attention should be paid to the armpits, feet, palms and the back of the knees.

Wiping with vinegar also helps to reduce the heat of the crumbs. The vinegar water should taste slightly sour. Do not use vinegar essence to prepare a solution.

With pale skin, cold extremities, wiping will only worsen the situation.

The last resort at very high temperatures is the use of a lytic mixture. In this case, an intramuscular injection is given. The composition of the mixture includes "Analgin", "Dimedrol" and "Papaverine" in proportions of 1: 1: 1.

A cleansing enema of 1 teaspoon of soda diluted in a glass of water can reduce intoxication at high temperatures: six-month-old babies are injected with up to 50 ml of soda solution, after six months to one and a half years - up to 100 ml, after 2 years - up to 200 ml.

In no case should you use steam inhalation, hot compresses. This will only increase the temperature.

If the temperature does not go astray in any way, immediately call an ambulance.

With such a situation, when a child has a temperature of up to 38 for no apparent reason, there are no other symptoms of malaise, many parents face. Their anxiety is fully justified, because the condition of the baby can worsen very quickly, while he is not able to tell exactly what is bothering him. The most reasonable thing is to contact a pediatrician and, if necessary, conduct an examination. This condition is not always a sign of illness. But in some cases, it is simply necessary to seek medical help.

Content:

Possible Causes of Asymptomatic Fever

The child's body is distinguished by a number of features that make it more vulnerable to pathogens and increase possible reactions to the impact of negative factors. These features include weakened immunity, as well as incomplete development of the organs of the respiratory, nervous and other body systems.

The reasons for the asymptomatic increase in the medical thermometer can be divided into 2 types:

1. Not associated with the development of infection in the body.
2. Associated with the ingestion of bacteria or viruses.

Sometimes the absence of symptoms is apparent, only a doctor can notice them.

Causes of a non-infectious nature

Often in children, especially in the first year of life, an increase in temperature is associated with the physiological characteristics of the body, the reaction to drugs, and the manifestation of allergies.

Overheating of the body

It is enough for a baby to stay in a hot room (especially if he is warmly wrapped up) so that his imperfect thermoregulation system does not work. In this case, an increase in body temperature up to 38-38.9 ° is possible. In order to reduce it, it is enough to undress the baby, give him the opportunity to lie down without a diaper, take off his hat and top blouse.

A long stay under the rays of the sun can cause a rise in temperature even in an adult, not to mention a small one. In this case, a cool shower will save you from overheating.

The temperature can also rise when the child is not properly dressed during sports or outdoor games. Too warm, poorly breathable clothing creates all the conditions for overheating.

Teething

From about 5-6 months, baby teeth begin to erupt. An increase in temperature may be the first sign of this process. Such a symptom as increased salivation sometimes goes unnoticed, since it appears as early as 2 months. But during the examination of the oral cavity, it is clear that the gums are reddened. The baby tries to relieve the itching, so he pulls various objects into his mouth. There are special devices, teethers, which are given chilled to babies. Gels for the gums allow you to ease the pain.

After 5 years, the problem reappears, as permanent teeth begin to erupt in place of the falling milk teeth. Inflammation of the gums leads to an increase in temperature up to 38 and more, especially when the molars appear.

Vaccination

Often the temperature rises after vaccination. If the baby is healthy, then after 1-2 days the state of health is restored.

If in adults an increase in temperature to 37-37.2 ° most often indicates a painful state of the body, then for babies this value is considered normal, a short-term increase to 38-38.9 ° is possible. Thermoregulation is especially weakened in babies with birth injuries, premature newborns, and those with congenital diseases (heart disease, for example).

If the reason for the deviation from the norm is understandable, do not immediately give the baby medicine. First of all, it is necessary to eliminate adverse factors and constantly monitor its condition. An antipyretic is given when the baby is naughty due to the temperature, cannot sleep normally.

Allergic reaction and overexcitation of the nervous system

Sometimes the occurrence of fever is a kind of symptom of an allergy to certain foods (for example, honey) or medicines.

In some children with increased nervous excitability, the values ​​\u200b\u200bmay jump up to 38.1-38.9 ° on the eve of some exciting event, during school exams. Even the experience of an unfair parental reproach leads to a similar reaction of the body. After the child calms down, the condition usually returns to normal.

Video: Causes of asymptomatic fever in children

Fever associated with infection

The temperature rises to 38-39 ° due to the ingestion of viruses or bacteria. Moreover, a similar symptom in a viral disease is the only symptom of the disease. Viruses are viable for several days and are not susceptible to antibiotics. As a rule, on the 3rd day, the temperature begins to decrease, and in the absence of complications, after 6-7 days the child fully recovers.

Bacteria do not die on their own, they are the cause of inflammatory processes. In this case, the asymptomatic course of diseases is almost impossible. The defeat of the respiratory system leads to the appearance of a prolonged cough, sore throat, wheezing.

Bacterial damage to the intestines is characterized by indigestion, abdominal pain. But, for example, with inflammation of the bladder and other organs of the urinary system, it is not always possible to notice any other manifestations, except for a persistent temperature. Frequent urination (especially in babies who wear diapers) is difficult to notice, because, unlike adults, they usually do not experience any pain associated with such diseases.

Therefore, when contacting a doctor about an incomprehensible increase in temperature, first of all, a urine test is done, which shows the number of leukocytes, which increases in the presence of inflammation. It is important to pay attention to its color. If the urine is dark, this indicates that blood has entered it from the vessels affected by the infection.

Note: There is a sign that suggests what kind of infection has entered the body. Redness of the face and ears in a child with fever is characteristic of a viral disease. Antipyretics will help bring down the temperature. And if he has a fever, but the skin is pale, this is most likely a bacterial process that requires antibiotic treatment.

When to See a Doctor

At elevated temperatures, it is necessary to consult a doctor in the following cases:

1. If this condition is accompanied by regurgitation or vomiting. The cause may be poisoning or intestinal disease.
2. Even minor skin rashes are found.
3. Fever persists for more than 3 days even in the absence of other symptoms. Perhaps the appearance of a latent form of a disease (otitis media, pharyngitis) or an exacerbation of a chronic disease (rheumatism, diabetes, and others).
4. The temperature of 38 ° does not subside in the baby or rises to 39 and above in a child aged 2-5 years. After 6 years, a temperature of 40 or more is considered dangerous.

Sometimes an increase in temperature in a child is accompanied by a symptom of a failure in the implementation of the process of nervous regulation, the appearance of seizures. If such a condition has occurred at least once, it is necessary to use an antipyretic agent to prevent the temperature from rising above 38 °. In the event of seizures, you should call an ambulance.

Asymptomatic fever can be avoided. Preventive measures are:

1. Prevention of overheating by choosing the right clothing according to the weather, taking into account physical activity.
2. Protecting the child's body from dehydration. It is necessary to give the child enough liquid. Its lack in the body may indicate rare urination or crying without tears.
3. Monitoring the psycho-emotional state. It is necessary to avoid stressful situations and overloads of the nervous system of babies, to observe sleep patterns.
4. Exclusion of contact with allergens and treatment of the child with medicines not prescribed by a doctor.
5. Compliance with the conditions of temperature and humidity in the room where the baby is located.
6. When monitoring the temperature of an infant, it must be borne in mind that after feeding or crying, it always rises, therefore, to determine the average value, it must be measured at different times of the day (using the same thermometer).

To prevent dehydration, in addition to milk, babies should be given water or tea.

A warning: The baby must be protected from overheating under the rays of the sun (ensure staying in the shade), avoid bathing in hot water.

Video: How and when to reduce the temperature in a child

What to do if the fever persists

If a child has a fever in the absence of obvious causes of malaise, one should limit his physical activity, relieve stress. It is not recommended to bathe the baby in the bath. Drinking plenty of water helps to reduce body temperature and prevent dehydration. If a child refuses to eat, he should not be force-fed.

The air in the room should be cool and humid, the room should be ventilated frequently. It is impossible to wrap up and warmly dress the baby too warmly.

Subfebrile temperature (37.2-37.5 °) is usually not knocked down. If there is a prolonged temperature above 38 without symptoms, antipyretics based on paracetamol (panadol, efferalgan, meksalen) or ibuprofen (nurofen, ibufen) are given.

For babies under 1 year old, they are available in the form of candles. They are usually administered at night after a bowel movement. The action of such an antipyretic agent begins after 40 minutes. Up to 6 years, medicines in the form of syrups are used. Improvement occurs in about half an hour. At an older age, drugs are prescribed in the form of tablets.

You can not use aspirin, analgin, as their repeated use leads to the occurrence of gastrointestinal bleeding in children, disruption of the liver and kidneys.

Subsequent medication is allowed no earlier than 4 hours later. It is necessary to take into account the possibility of an allergic reaction, study the instructions for clarification of side effects, observe the age dose.

To reduce fever, children should not be given enemas (unless they have been prescribed by a doctor), or wiping the skin with vodka. Self-medication can be harmful. Often, the doctor discovers symptoms that the parents did not notice.

To clarify the diagnosis, general blood and urine tests are prescribed. Methods such as fluorographic examination, X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography are used. You may need to consult a urologist, cardiologist, neurologist or other specialists.

Video: When to see a doctor if your child has a fever

An increase in temperature is one of the first signs of a huge number of diseases. We are used to facing an increase in temperature to a greater extent in the cool season, but an elevated temperature in a baby in the summer is not such a rare occurrence. Why can a baby have a fever in summer?

The risk of getting sick with a cold, sore throat or pharyngitis in the summer is not much lower than at any other time of the year. In summer, the baby's immunity will not become the highest for itself: the baby's immune system needs to be strengthened, otherwise he runs the risk of falling ill, no matter what the weather is outside.

It's pretty easy to get cold in the summer: prolonged bathing in reservoirs, cool drinks, ice cream, air conditioners - all this can lead to respiratory diseases, which are accompanied, among other things, by an increase in temperature. Also in the summer, a child can actually become infected with any infection, from measles to chickenpox, and no matter what infection is accompanied by high temperature.

Often children get sick on the first day at the resort when all the forces of the body are focused on acclimatization, and the body is no longer able to fight the virus. The risk of falling ill increases if the climate at the resort differs from that to which the child is accustomed to at home. Therefore, it is better not to take small children to exotic countries.

If the high temperature in the baby in the summer is justified specifically by the infection, you must follow the general advice: you can’t bring down the subfebrile temperature, but to bring down the highest temperature, you must use only special medicines created for children.

For prevention of infectious diseases in the summer it is necessary to watch that the child does not swim for a very long time in the reservoirs. Do not let your child drink ice-cold drinks (only cold), see that he does not abuse ice cream. It is necessary to dress the baby according to the weather: it is not very easy, and it should not be wrapped up.

But an increase in temperature in a baby in the summer can be a sign not only of an infection that struck the body due to hypothermia, but also of a completely opposite problem - overheating and even thermal shock. Overheating and thermal shock in a baby can be accompanied not only by an increase in temperature, but also by reddening of the skin, profuse sweating, headache, lethargy, drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting.

In this case, it is urgent to provide the child with first aid: move him to the shade, remove excess clothes, give plenty of drink (if the child is conscious), wash with cold water or make a cold compress. In case of loss of consciousness, it is necessary to give a sniff of cotton wool moistened with ammonia. And don't forget to call an ambulance!

To avoid overheating followed by thermal shock, it is necessary to dress the baby in light clothes made of natural fabrics, and the child also needs a headdress. You should also take water with you for a walk and often give your baby water - this will help to avoid dehydration. The child should not be in the open sun during the day (approximately from 11 am to 5 pm), at this time it is better to play in the shade.

Also high temperature may be a sign of poisoning or a digestive infection that in the summer is not unique: swimming in polluted reservoirs, drinking raw water or poorly washed vegetables and fruits - all this can lead to dilemmas with the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, an increase in temperature will be accompanied by pain in the abdomen, lethargy and weakness, watery stools, and vomiting. In this case, it is urgent to call a doctor: it is quite difficult to distinguish ordinary food poisoning from an acute digestive infection. In the meantime, the doctor is on the way, provide the child with rest and plenty of fluids to make up for the loss of water. To lower the temperature, rubbing with water and alcohol can be used.

So, if your baby's temperature jumped in the summer, the prerequisites may be different. If the temperature is below 38.5 degrees, it is not necessary to bring it down. If higher - use antipyretics designed specifically for children, and strictly follow the dose. In any case, you need to call a doctor: he will accurately determine the cause of the increase in temperature in the baby and prescribe the appropriate treatment. But you cannot self-medicate.

The temperature in a child in summer is as common as in other seasons. Naturally, in the cold season, the incidence in children is higher, but in the summer, viral and bacterial infections also occur. Therefore, it is important to determine the cause of fever in a child, especially if this happens in the summer.

Causes of high temperature in a child in summer

Although a fever is the first sign of a child's condition, it is also an important sign that the body is starting to fight off an infection. An important rule that every mother should know is that the temperature rises to kill the virus or bacteria that caused the infection in the baby's body. Therefore, temperature is a protective reaction.

How does body temperature rise? When a virus or bacterium enters the skin or mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, these pathogens immediately multiply in the upper layers of the cells of the body. Active reproduction of bacteria or viruses is necessary so that they can later penetrate into a larger number of cells and contribute to the development of diseases. Immune cells, which are located on all mucous membranes, are the first to be activated under the influence of the action of pathogens. Lymphocytes are immune cells that, when pathogens enter, are activated and try to capture and neutralize them. At the same time, lymphocytes secrete biologically active substances that activate more and more cells of the immune system in order to better fight infection.

The center of temperature regulation is located in the hypothalamus - a part of the brain. It regulates body temperature. This temperature can normally fluctuate, but only within certain limits, it is not higher than 37.5 degrees in the norm. This temperature allows you to maintain a stable environment of the body and in such conditions the body functions normally and stably.

Thus, it should be noted that the normal temperature in a child up to a year old, and even in older children, should not exceed 37.5 degrees.

The other two groups of neurons in the hypothalamus in the thermoregulatory center are the neurons for heat production and heat loss. They regulate the temperature and, if necessary, switch to one or another level in order to maintain a normal temperature.

The concept of "temperature" in a child can have several meanings and does not always indicate the disease. Temperature disturbances can be in the form of fever, physical hyperthermia and hyperthermia syndrome.

Fever is a typical process that is characterized by a restructuring of the thermoregulatory center and is pathological, more often it is a response to an infection.

Causes are factors that can cause fever in a child. It is the pyrogens that are the direct cause of the temperature in the baby.

By origin, exogenous and endogenous pyrogens can be distinguished. Exogenous pyrogens can be of infectious and non-infectious nature. Infectious causes of fever in a child are bacterial toxins, bacterial wall structures, viruses, fungi, rickettsia and other living microorganisms.

Non-infectious causes that can cause an increase in body temperature are blood transfusions, the introduction of serum, parenteral nutrition drugs.

Also, the cause may be endogenous factors - products of tissue breakdown, for example, with bone fractures, which can also cause fever.

Pathogenesis

The pathogenesis of an increase in body temperature in a child lies in the action of pyrogens. When leukocytes capture pathogens, substances called interleukins are released in the process. They pass through the blood-brain barrier with the blood flow and increase the permeability of membranes for calcium ions in the vessels of the brain. Calcium ions activate phospholipase A2, which releases phospholipids from cell membranes, followed by the formation of arachidonic acid. Under the action of the enzyme cyclooxygenase, arachidonic acid is converted to prostaglandin E2. The function of this substance is to decrease the sensitivity of the set point neurons to the impulses that come from the thermostat neurons. Thus, normal body temperature is perceived as reduced, which leads to inhibition of heat transfer centers and activation of heat production. This leads to an increase in body temperature. Since many bacteria and viruses have adapted to the human body, a comfortable temperature for their reproduction is a body temperature of up to 37.5. At higher numbers, proteins are destroyed and pathogens die. Therefore, an increase in temperature in a child leads to the death of pathogens and is a protective reaction. Also, an increase in temperature during an infection in a child has other positive aspects - this is an increase in the sensitivity of bacteria to antibiotics, an increase in antibody synthesis, and an increase in phagocytosis. Elevated temperature enhances the antitoxic function of the liver and the excretory function of the kidneys.

Children have some features with an increase in body temperature. Premature babies and babies with malnutrition do not have fever due to the immaturity of the thermoregulatory center. Premature babies and babies up to a year old easily give in to overheating and hypothermia. In children of the first three to four months, fever, as a rule, is subfebrile, despite the severity of the disease.

Also an important factor for children of the first year is that the development of fever in them occurs due to increased heat production during the breakdown of brown fat, and heat transfer in such children is poorly developed due to underdevelopment of vasoconstrictor reactions.

Therefore, when a child has a temperature of 37 in the summer, this is normal, because they cannot regulate the temperature as much as adults. In such cases, you need to undress the child and provide him with normal sweating.

, , , , ,

Symptoms of a high temperature in a child in the summer

Symptoms of viral and bacterial pathologies depend on which pathogen has entered the body and what disease will develop.

The first signs of disease are often nonspecific. And it is the temperature in a child that is the first sign that he is sick.

Viral infections occur even in summer, especially if the child is overheated and then bathed, this reduces the reactivity of the body and he can get some kind of virus. When viruses enter the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, they multiply and destroy the cells of the mucous membranes. So there are symptoms of the disease - discharge of mucus from the nose, coughing. Along with this, the body temperature rises. A viral infection has specific symptoms, and since every mother has experienced it, there is no difficulty in recognizing the symptoms. If the child has more pronounced nasal congestion, sneezing, mucous discharge against the background of hyperthermia, this is viral rhinitis. If there is coughing, sore throat and redness of the throat, it is pharyngitis. Often in young children these symptoms are combined, then we are talking about nasopharyngitis.

Such viral infections are not accompanied by a high temperature, more often it is a subfebrile or moderate fever.

Why do children have cold hands and feet at high temperatures? This is due to the peculiarities of the regulation of vascular tone. With an increase in body temperature, to reduce it, it is necessary that the vessels of the arms and legs expand, which leads to an increase in heat transfer. But in some children, the regulation of vascular tone does not occur in this way, and their peripheral vessels are constricted. Therefore, against the background of hyperthermia, the child's legs and hands are cold. This feature reduces the rate of decrease in body temperature in children, so they need a slightly different tactics to reduce temperature.

If bacteria enter the lower respiratory tract, pneumonia or bacterial bronchitis develops. Symptoms develop sharply against the background of high fever (39 and above degrees). There is a cough, general malaise, there may be pain in the chest. Since inflammation of the lungs involves part of the lung tissue in the process, symptoms of respiratory failure often appear - the muscles of the chest are drawn in.

Severe bacterial bronchitis is sometimes very difficult to differentiate from pneumonia and only a doctor can do this.

Otitis in children of the first half of life can be the cause of high temperature, even in summer. These babies have a very short auditory tube, so infections can easily enter the ear. At the same time, the symptoms for the mother are completely incomprehensible - a high body temperature appears sharply, and the child screams loudly, refusing to eat. These may be the only manifestations of otitis media.

The temperature in a child without a reason in the summer is less often associated with epidemic diseases of viral and bacterial etiology, but more often it can be caused by digestive disorders.

It often happens that in the summer the temperature of a child at sea rises, then you need to think about poisoning. The sea is a source of various pathogens, as well as a place where children eat different foods. Therefore, if children have a fever and abdominal pain appears, then you need to think about possible food poisoning, even if there were no errors in eating. After all, many viruses and bacteria are transmitted not only with spoiled food, but also with hands and dirty water. Often at sea there is an outbreak of viral diarrhea caused by rotavirus. This is a pathogen that causes fever, abdominal pain, loose stools. These symptoms require a doctor's examination for proper treatment.

Complications and consequences

The consequences of improper treatment of a bacterial infection are very serious - bacterial complications can develop. With the development of pneumonia, which is not treated on time, abscesses can form in the lungs. If we talk about the consequences of viral or bacterial diarrhea, then there may be severe dehydration of the child, and the smaller the baby, the more serious the complications.

Complications of the fever itself often occur in children of the first year of life in the form of simple febrile convulsions. This is a twitching of the child's muscles with loss of consciousness, but it itself is interrupted and does not threaten the life of the child.

, , ,

Diagnosis of high temperature in a child in summer

When a child has a fever, it is often difficult for a mother to determine what exactly caused it if there are no other signs. And most often the temperature is the first symptom, and then after a day other symptoms appear.

What should a mother pay attention to if a child has a fever? First of all, you need to determine what level of temperature rise and how dangerous it is. Based on this, the mother can predict the severity of the disease and its first actions.

There are several types of fever:

1. subfebrile fever is an increase in temperature at the level of 37.5 - 38 degrees;
2. moderate fever - an increase from 38 to 39 degrees;
3. high fever is a level from 39 to 41 degrees;
4. hyperpyrexia is a temperature above 41 degrees.

If the mother took the temperature and determined the subfebrile fever, then it is likely that it may be caused by a cold or you need to repeat the measurement after a while, because it is possible that the fever has not yet reached a sufficient level. In such cases, you should not immediately panic and run to the doctor, because an experienced mother must take the first steps to treat a viral infection herself, and only after a few days, if the condition does not improve or there are symptoms of anxiety, then contact the doctor. It is important that the mother herself can diagnose a viral pathology, because it is not so difficult according to the symptoms that were listed. This will help to start treatment of the fever and the viral infection itself earlier, and will speed up the recovery of the child.

If the child has a moderate and high temperature, then the diagnosis should be carried out by a doctor to exclude a bacterial infection that requires specific treatment. When examining a child with a high fever, attention should be paid to the anamnestic data with the determination of the duration of the disease. It is important to understand how many days a child has a temperature in order to understand the possible etiology of the disease.

Inspection should begin with the elimination of symptoms of a cold, and then you need to examine the throat. A red throat can be a sign of a viral infection, but it can also be a sign of a bacterial infection. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention in the diagnosis to the presence of raids on the tonsils.

Tests are often needed to confirm the bacterial etiology of the disease. But if your child has a fever without other symptoms, or if the temperature is moderate or high for three days or more, then a complete blood count is required before any measures are taken. A blood test allows us to talk about the severity of the inflammatory process and makes it possible to confirm or exclude the bacterial etiology of the disease.

If we are talking about an increase in body temperature against the background of diarrhea, then the tests should exclude rotavirus infection. For this, there is a blood test for the presence of antibodies to this virus, which after a few days makes it possible to confirm the diagnosis.

Instrumental diagnostics at elevated temperature can be carried out to identify the source of infection. Most often, if pneumonia is suspected, the doctor prescribes an X-ray examination of the chest. It is indicated in the presence of auscultatory changes in the lungs, which are characteristic of inflammation, or in the absence of such accurate data, but in a child with a high fever for more than three days.

Diagnosis of temperature in a child in the summer, especially in children of the first year of life, should be carried out with the exception of the possible physical overheating of the baby. It has already been shown that thermoregulation in children of this age is not ideal, therefore, under the action of the sun, high temperature, or simply in a stuffy room, the baby's temperature may rise. Therefore, it is necessary to differentiate in such cases and exclude local or systemic overheating of the child.

Differential Diagnosis

Differential diagnosis of hyperthermia should be made primarily between a cold as the cause of hyperthermia and a possible bacterial infection. The main differential factor in this is the level of temperature rise: subfebrile temperature is characteristic mainly for ARVI in a child, and moderate and high temperature for bacterial infections. However, this rule does not quite work for children of the first year of life, and the absence of temperature or its low level does not mean that the child is healthy.

It is necessary to note one more condition that needs to be differentiated when a child has a temperature. Hyperthermic syndrome can be observed as an isolated hereditary disease. This is a pathology of the hypothalamus, which is caused by a gene mutation that disrupts the work of the hypothalamus and leads to dysregulation of the thermoregulatory center. This is manifested by a constant high level of body temperature in a child, which is not amenable to drug correction in sufficient volume. Such a pathology manifests itself immediately after birth or in the first months of life.

Treatment of high fever in a child in summer

Treatment of fever implies several points - this is etiotropic treatment, that is, directed to the source of fever, as well as pathogenetic treatment. Pathogenetic treatment is aimed at eliminating the main element of hyperthermia - inhibition of the cyclooxygenase enzyme. Such treatment just involves the use of antipyretics, and the mother should always start with it, and then figure out the reason.

Antipyretics for children are limited to only two drugs that can be taken by children up to a year and older. There are other drugs, but they can only be taken from the age of 12, and some are not used at all in children due to toxicity.

1. Paracetamol (Infulgan, Panadol, Piaron, Cefekon) is an antipyretic that is approved for use in children. The way it is used can be different, depending on the age of the child. Mom can use the most convenient way, since the drug is also available in the form of tablets, capsules, suppositories, and also in the form of syrup. The dosage of the drug is carried out on the weight of the child, which is important to consider, since, with an insufficient dose, the drug may be ineffective. Therefore, you need to correctly calculate the dosage of the drug. How to do it? Regardless of the form of release, the drug is dosed at 10-15 milligrams per kilogram of the baby's weight. The dosage is often indicated on the package according to the age of the child. But modern children often do not fall into their age limits, so you need to calculate the dose by weight. For example, a child at 9 months weighs 10 kilograms (such a weight is typical for a one-year-old child), then the dose for its weight is 100 milligrams (10 kilograms per 10 milligrams of medication is equal to 100 milligrams). In Paracetamol syrup, the package always indicates the dose of the substance in 5 milliliters - this is 120 milligrams in this case. Since we need 100 milligrams for our nine-month-old baby weighing ten kilograms, this corresponds to four milliliters of medicine. So, a single dose of the drug is 4 milliliters. Precautions - the drug, like other drugs, can not be overdosed. It is also not recommended for children with liver pathology and prolonged jaundice.
2. Ibuprofen (Nurofen, Bofen, Ibufen) - the second antipyretic, allowed in pediatric practice. This drug is also available in different forms. In addition to antipyretic properties, it has an analgesic effect and anti-inflammatory. The dosage of the drug is 8-10 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. The dose should also be calculated individually according to the weight of the child. Precautions - it is not recommended to use for chicken pox, as well as for kidney pathology in a child. Side effects can be in the form of an effect on the stomach, the hematopoietic system.
3. Mefenamic acid is a drug whose active ingredient is the drug of the same name, which acts on the principle of all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The drug is used according to the instructions from the age of five, but for better safety it is recommended to use it from the age of twelve. Method of application in the form of tablets. The dosage is from half to one tablet per dose, but not more than three per day. Precautions - do not use in case of pathology of the cardiovascular system. Side effects can be in the form of allergic manifestations and reactions from the regulation of pressure.
4. Analdim is a combined antipyretic for children, which includes analgin with diphenhydramine. The products contained in this drug are not approved for use in pediatric practice. But if the child has a temperature that is very high and does not lend itself well to other methods, then this drug can be used. The method of application of the drug is only rectal in the form of suppositories. The drug is dosed at 100 milligrams and 250 milligrams in one suppository. For children from one to four years old, a dosage of 100 is prescribed, and for children from 4 years old - 250. Precautions - do not overdose the drug, as it can cause a hypnotic effect. Side effects can be in the form of liver damage, oppression of hematopoiesis, development of bleeding from the stomach.