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Many parents, upon seeing their child sick with a high temperature, hastily attempt to reduce the fever using unscientific methods passed down orally, which can potentially pose unforeseeable dangers to the child.
When a child has a fever, failing to promptly address it or addressing it incorrectly can affect various organs such as damaging nerve cells, disrupting brain nerve function, and, more dangerously, potentially leading to unconsciousness or death. However, not all parents have the experience to handle it correctly when their child has a fever. Worry, panic, and attempting every means to reduce the fever for the child, including following folk remedies, can be hazardous to the child.
Here are some common mistakes when treating fever in children that parents often fall into
1. Touching the forehead to estimate temperature or measuring temperature in the wrong location
2. Not every temperature above 37 degrees Celsius constitutes a fever
Children often have higher body temperatures than adults. By age, a child's body temperature will gradually stabilize, so a temperature above 37°C isn't always a fever. Normally, 37.1°C – 38.4°C is considered a mild fever, safe for children and boosts immunity. Only when the temperature reaches 38.5°C or higher should parents intervene with different medications.
Fever is a friend to children as it helps strengthen their immune system. Parents should not overly worry.
Using rectal suppositories excessivelyFor young children who refuse to take oral fever-reducing medication due to bitterness or infants who may vomit when given oral fever reducers, rectal suppositories are an ideal solution. However, many experts and leading doctors in Vietnam have advised mothers not to overuse this type of medication.
According to Master, Doctor Le Thi Phuong Hue (Thanh Nhan Hospital), when a child has a fever, parents should not abuse rectal suppositories as they may cause side effects. It's best for parents to accurately measure the temperature and give the child appropriate medication with the proper dosage. Suppositories should only be used as a last resort, and even then, not excessively. Associate Professor N.Tien Dung (Head of Pediatrics, Bach Mai Hospital), also noted: Previously, some beliefs suggested that using rectal suppositories to reduce fever would bypass the liver less. However, in reality, rectal suppositories still enter the bloodstream like oral medication, meaning they still pass through the liver. Therefore, children or adults with liver disease should not use this medication as it can still cause poisoning.
Using cold compresses or applying cold patches to reduce a child's fever
Many parents often put ice in a plastic bag or wrap it in a cloth and apply it to their child's forehead.
On the other hand, medications like peppermint only provide a cooling sensation, and hydrogel, which is a water-absorbing crystalline form (like in cold patches), is not a fever-reducing medication and doesn't help children recover from fever. In fact, Associate Professor Nguyễn Tiến Dũng (Head of Pediatrics, Bach Mai Hospital) expressed: 'I disagree with using wet towels or applying ice to children... These are physical measures that only reduce fever for the first hour. Currently, European countries do not use physical measures like these to reduce fever in children. Because these methods often make children more tired, restless, and can even lead to more severe complications.',
5. Overly swaddling the child
'The child's body temperature is rising, and only by wearing cool clothes can we effectively reduce the fever. However, many mothers tend to swaddle their children, causing their body temperature to rise even further, posing the risk of febrile seizures,' said Associate Professor Lê Thanh Hải, Deputy Director of the Central Pediatric Hospital.
Therefore, only partially undress the child, avoid completely undressing them, and do not swaddle them tightly in multiple layers of blankets or clothes as it can trigger seizures. This phenomenon is very dangerous, leading to brain damage and subsequent epilepsy.
So what is the correct approach when a child has a fever?
- Use a soft cotton cloth soaked in warm water, wring it out, and gently wipe the child's body, especially under the arms, groin, and forehead. Remember to wipe a maximum of 3 times during a fever. Only wipe again for the 2nd time when the first wipe is dry, and then for the 3rd time.
- When a baby has a high fever of 38.5°C or higher, start using fever-reducing medication. If the baby vomits, use suppositories. If the baby has diarrhea, use oral medication. If the baby develops a rash on the skin, do not use fever-reducing patches. Do not exceed 1,000 mg/day (4 packets of 250mg) for children. When administering to children, dosage must be calculated (either according to specific doctor's instructions or based on weight in the medication's usage guide for dosage calculation).
- During a fever, the body also loses a lot of water and electrolytes through the skin, respiratory tract, feces, urine... so the demand for water, vitamins, and minerals increases significantly. Additionally, during a high fever, digestive enzymes are inhibited, so children often lose appetite and must be fed easily digestible foods that meet the special needs of this stage.
- For breastfeeding infants, they need to breastfeed more often and for longer periods each time. If the child cannot breastfeed on their own, the mother should express milk into a cup and spoon-feed the child.
- For older children (who have started solid foods), increase the number of meals per day with a variety of soft, easily digestible foods and divide them into smaller meals. Change the diet, prepare dishes that suit their taste to help stimulate their appetite. If the child has diarrhea, you can use rehydration solution to mix with rice flour, cook thin porridge to facilitate easy eating while ensuring an adequate supply of protein and carbohydrates.
According to Vietnamnet
Mothers can consider some of the following products to support their babies:
