what temp should i take baby to hospital

All kids get a fever from time to time. A fever itself normally causes no harm and tin can actually be a good matter — information technology's often a sign that the body is fighting an infection.

Simply when your child wakes in the heart of the night flushed, hot, and sweaty, it's easy to be unsure of what to do adjacent. Should you get out the thermometer? Call the doctor?

Hither'southward more well-nigh fevers, including when to contact your doctor.

What Is a Fever?

Fever happens when the body'due south internal "thermostat" raises the body temperature above its normal level. This thermostat is institute in a function of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus knows what temperature your body should be (unremarkably around 98.half-dozen°F/37°C) and will send messages to your body to keep it that style.

Most people's body temperatures alter a little scrap during the course of the day: It's usually a little lower in the morning and a little higher in the evening and can vary equally kids run around, play, and exercise.

Sometimes, though, the hypothalamus will "reset" the body to a higher temperature in response to an infection, disease, or some other crusade. Why? Researchers believe that turning up the rut is a way for the body to fight the germs that cause infections, making it a less comfortable place for them.

What Causes Fevers?

Information technology'due south important to recollect that fever by itself is non an disease — information technology'southward normally a sign or symptom of another trouble.

Fevers can be caused past a few things, including:

Infection: Most fevers are caused by infection or other illness. A fever helps the body fight infections by stimulating natural defense mechanisms.

Overdressing: Infants, particularly newborns, may get fevers if they're overbundled or in a hot environment because they don't regulate their body temperature also as older kids. But considering fevers in newborns tin can indicate a serious infection, even infants who are overdressed must be checked by a doctor if they have a fever.

Immunizations: Babies and kids sometimes become a depression-grade fever afterwards getting vaccinated.

Although teething may cause a slight rise in body temperature, it's probably non the cause if a kid'due south temperature is higher than 100°F (37.8°C).

When Is a Fever a Sign of Something Serious?

In healthy kids, non all fevers demand to exist treated. High fever, though, tin can make a child uncomfortable and brand problems (such as dehydration) worse.

Doctors make up one's mind on whether to treat a fever past considering both the temperature and a child's overall status.

Kids whose temperatures are lower than 102°F (38.9°C) often don't demand medicine unless they're uncomfortable. In that location's ane important exception: If an infant iii months or younger has a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or college, phone call your doctor or go to the emergency section immediately. Even a slight fever tin exist a sign of a potentially serious infection in very immature babies.

If your child is between 3 months and iii years quondam and has a fever of 102.2°F (39°C) or higher, call to meet if your doctor needs to see your child. For older kids, take beliefs and action level into account. Watching how your child behaves will give y'all a pretty good idea of whether a pocket-sized illness is the crusade or if your child should exist seen by a doctor.

The disease is probably not serious if your child:

• is nevertheless interested in playing
• is eating and drinking well
• is warning and smiling at you
• has a normal skin color
• looks well when his or her temperature comes downwards

And don't worry too much nearly a child with a fever who doesn't want to eat. This is very mutual with infections that cause fever. For kids who notwithstanding drink and urinate (pee) normally, not eating as much equally usual is OK.

Is it a Fever?

A gentle kiss on the forehead or a hand placed lightly on the pare is often enough to give y'all a hint that your kid has a fever. However, this method of taking a temperature (called tactile temperature) won't requite an accurate measurement.

Use a reliable digital thermometer to confirm a fever. It's a fever when a child's temperature is at or above one of these levels:

• measured orally (in the mouth): 100°F (37.8°C)
• measured rectally (in the lesser): 100.iv°F (38°C)
• measured in an axillary position (nether the arm): 99°F (37.ii°C)

But how high a fever is doesn't tell you much near how sick your kid is. A simple common cold or other viral infection tin can sometimes cause a rather high fever (in the 102°–104°F/38.9°–40°C range), but this doesn't ordinarily mean in that location'due south a serious problem. In fact, a serious infection, especially in infants, might crusade no fever or even a depression body temperature (below 97°F or 36.one°C).

Because fevers can rise and fall, a child might have chills as the torso's temperature begins to rise. The child may sweat to release extra rut as the temperature starts to drib.

Sometimes kids with a fever breathe faster than usual and may have a faster middle rate. Call the md if your child has trouble breathing, is animate faster than normal, or is even so breathing fast after the fever comes down.

How Can I Aid My Child Feel Better?

Again, non all fevers need to be treated. In well-nigh cases, a fever should be treated only if it's causing a child discomfort.

Here are ways to ease symptoms that often back-trail a fever:

Medicines

If your child is fussy or uncomfortable, you lot tin give acetaminophen or ibuprofen based on the parcel recommendations for historic period or weight. (Unless instructed by a doctor, never give aspirin to a child due to its association with Reye syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease.) If you don't know the recommended dose or your child is younger than 2 years erstwhile, call the doctor to find out how much to give.

Infants younger than 2 months old should not be given whatsoever medicine for fever without beingness checked by a physician. If your child has any medical issues, check with the doctor to run into which medicine is all-time to utilize. Call back that fever medicine tin temporarily bring a temperature down, but usually won't return information technology to normal — and information technology won't treat the underlying reason for the fever.

Home Comfort Measures

Apparel your child in lightweight clothing and embrace with a light sheet or blanket. Overdressing and overbundling can prevent trunk heat from escaping and can cause the temperature to rise.

Brand certain your child'south chamber is a comfortable temperature — non too hot or as well common cold.

While some parents utilize lukewarm sponge baths to lower fever, this method but helps temporarily, if at all. In fact, sponge baths tin can brand kids uncomfortable. Never apply rubbing alcohol (it can cause poisoning when absorbed through the skin) or water ice packs/cold baths (they tin crusade chills that tin can raise torso temperature).

Food and Drinks

Offer plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration considering fevers make kids lose fluids more than rapidly than usual. Water, soup, water ice pops, and flavored gelatin are all good choices. Avoid drinks with caffeine, including colas and tea, because they can brand dehydration worse by increasing urination (peeing).

If your child too is airsickness and/or has diarrhea, ask the doctor if you should give an electrolyte (rehydration) solution made peculiarly for kids. You lot tin find these at drugstores and supermarkets. Don't offer sports drinks — they're not made for younger children and the added sugars can make diarrhea worse. Also, limit your child's intake of fruits and apple tree juice.

In general, let kids eat what they desire (in reasonable amounts), merely don't force it if they don't feel like it.

Taking information technology Easy

Make certain your child gets plenty of residue. Staying in bed all day isn't necessary, only a sick child should have it piece of cake.

It's all-time to go on a child with a fever dwelling from school or childcare. Most doctors feel that it's safe to return when the temperature has been normal for 24 hours.

When Should I Telephone call the Doctor?

The exact temperature that should trigger a call to the doc depends on a child's age, the disease, and whether there are other symptoms with the fever.

Call your doctor if you take an:

• babe younger than 3 months onetime with a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
• older child with a temperature of higher than 102.two°F (39°C)

Likewise call if an older kid has a fever of lower than 102.two°F (39°C) only likewise:

• refuses fluids or seems likewise ill to drink adequately
• has lasting diarrhea or repeated vomiting
• has whatsoever signs of dehydration (peeing less than usual, non having tears when crying, less alarm and less agile than usual)
• has a specific complaint (like a sore throat or earache)
• however has a fever subsequently 24 hours (in kids younger than ii years old) or 72 hours (in kids 2 years or older)
• is getting fevers a lot, even if they simply terminal a few hours each night
• has a chronic medical problem, such as heart disease, cancer, lupus, or sickle cell disease
• has a rash
• has pain while peeing

Get emergency care if your kid shows any of these signs:

• crying that won't finish
• extreme irritability or fussiness
• sluggishness and trouble waking up
• a rash or majestic spots that await like bruises on the peel (that were not at that place before your child got sick)
• blue lips, tongue, or nails
• infant'due south soft spot on the head seems to be jutting out or sunken in
• stiff neck
• severe headache
• limpness or refusal to motility
• trouble breathing that doesn't go ameliorate when the olfactory organ is cleared
• leaning forwards and drooling
• seizure
• moderate to severe belly pain

Also, ask if your md has specific guidelines on when to telephone call about a fever.

What Else Should I Know?

All kids get fevers, and in about cases they're completely dorsum to normal inside a few days. For older babies and kids, the way they act tin be more than of import than the reading on your thermometer. Everyone gets a footling cranky when they have a fever. This is normal and should be expected.

But if yous're ever in dubiety about what to exercise or what a fever might hateful, or if your child is acting ill in a way that concerns you fifty-fifty if at that place's no fever, always call your doctor for advice.

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Source: https://kidshealth.org/Nemours/en/parents/fever.html

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