Bonitas Member Magazine B-Living - Issue 2 | Page 10

As they get ill, if the fever rises rapidly, the child under six
years of age is at risk of developing febrile convulsions.
These are fits that are due to the presence of fever.
These fits can last up to five minutes and usually involve
the whole body shaking, with a decreased level of
consciousness, a very frightening experience for any
parent.
How to
handle fevers
Fevers, although common, can be extremely
worrying in young children. Fevers can be easily
managed whether at home or through a visit
with a doctor. It can; however, lead to dangerous
complications, including pneumonia or febrile
convulsions when left untreated.
Fighting off fever
The normal body temperature varies between
36 degrees and 37,5 degrees. A body temperature above
37,5 degrees is regarded as a fever. The most common
causes of fever are infections. The reason the body
temperature rises with infections is that this is part of
the normal reaction of the immune system.
The age of the child with a fever is very important. Any
child under the age of three months with a fever must
be taken for a thorough health assessment immediately.
This is because young infants cannot mount a good
immune response and the infection within the body can
overwhelm the young infant very quickly. From birth until
about three months is a very vulnerable period for severe
infections.
Fever can cause febrile convulsions
Up until the age of six years, the growing child can
develop complications from the rapid onset of fever.
Children tend to change condition very quickly. They can
go from looking pretty well, to ill within a short space
of time.
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The best way to handle febrile convulsions is to take all
necessary steps to prevent them in the first place. Children
who are ill and who are prone to high temperatures, must
not be dressed too warmly. It is far safer to underdress
the child than to overdress. If the child is sweating, then
the child is overdressed. Children have a higher metabolic
rate than adults. In reality, this means that you or I could
be feeling cold but the child will not. That is why they
kick off their blankets at night. They just generate more
heat. As we get older our, metabolic rate slows down,
hence the old person always feeling cold.
Fever can be easily treated at home
As the child feels warm or a fever is suspected, the first
step is to take off the child’s clothes and wipe the skin
with a damp cloth. Wetting the skin allows water to
evaporate from the skin, which cools the body down. It
is not advisable to place the child in a cold bath. This will
cause the surface capillaries of the skin to contract and
elevate the core temperature of the child. In turn, this
can cause a convulsion.
All parents should ensure they have medication for fever
control at home or with the caregiver. As a temperature
can occur very quickly, suppositories are a very effective
and reliable method to keep the body temperature down.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice on specific
types of suppositories and the correct dosage.
In the older child who has a fever and is otherwise well, it
is safe to treat for at least three to five days. This allows
time for the child to start developing his or her own
immune response to try and fight the infection. A fever
for a day in a child who is otherwise well, is not a reason
for an antibiotic. Most infections will be cleared by the
immune system of an otherwise healthy child.
When to see a doctor
If complications occur, then medical care must be sought.
Complications include vomiting and diarrhoea, severe
cough, headaches or any signs that the child is getting
lethargic and worse. An unusual skin rash is also a reason
to see the doctor.
B-Living Issue 2, 2017