My Baby Has a Low Grade Fever and Is Breathing Fast

All kids get a fever from time to fourth dimension. A fever itself normally causes no harm and can actually be a expert affair — it's often a sign that the body is fighting an infection.

But when your kid wakes in the middle of the night flushed, hot, and sweaty, information technology's easy to exist unsure of what to exercise next. Should you get out the thermometer? Phone call the physician?

Here's more well-nigh fevers, including when to contact your doctor.

What Is a Fever?

Fever happens when the body'south internal "thermostat" raises the body temperature above its normal level. This thermostat is found in a role of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus knows what temperature your torso should be (usually around 98.6°F/37°C) and volition transport messages to your body to go on it that way.

Almost people's body temperatures change a little bit during the course of the day: It'due south usually a little lower in the morning and a niggling higher in the evening and tin 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, affliction, or some other cause. Why? Researchers believe that turning up the heat is a way for the body to fight the germs that cause infections, making it a less comfortable place for them.

What Causes Fevers?

It'southward of import to think that fever by itself is not an illness — it'south ordinarily a sign or symptom of another problem.

Fevers can be caused by a few things, including:

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

Overdressing: Infants, peculiarly newborns, may get fevers if they're overbundled or in a hot environs because they don't regulate their torso temperature as well equally older kids. Merely considering fevers in newborns can indicate a serious infection, even infants who are overdressed must exist checked by a physician if they have a fever.

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

Although teething may cause a slight rise in body temperature, it's probably not the cause if a child's temperature is higher than 100°F (37.8°C).

When Is a Fever a Sign of Something Serious?

In healthy kids, non all fevers need to be treated. Loftier fever, though, can brand a child uncomfortable and brand problems (such equally dehydration) worse.

Doctors decide on whether to treat a fever by considering both the temperature and a child's overall status.

Kids whose temperatures are lower than 102°F (38.9°C) often don't need medicine unless they're uncomfortable. At that place'due south i of import exception: If an infant 3 months or younger has a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or college, phone call your physician or go to the emergency department immediately. Even a slight fever tin be a sign of a potentially serious infection in very young babies.

If your child is between 3 months and 3 years old and has a fever of 102.2°F (39°C) or college, call to come across if your doctor needs to see your child. For older kids, take behavior and action level into account. Watching how your child behaves volition give you a pretty good idea of whether a minor illness is the cause or if your child should be seen by a doctor.

The illness is probably non serious if your child:

• is even so interested in playing
• is eating and drinking well
• is alert and smile at y'all
• has a normal skin color
• looks well when his or her temperature comes down

And don't worry too much almost a child with a fever who doesn't want to consume. This is very mutual with infections that crusade fever. For kids who all the same drink and urinate (pee) normally, not eating as much as usual is OK.

Is information technology a Fever?

A gentle kiss on the brow or a hand placed lightly on the skin is often enough to give you lot a hint that your child has a fever. All the same, this method of taking a temperature (called tactile temperature) won't give an accurate measurement.

Use a reliable digital thermometer to confirm a fever. It'due south a fever when a child's temperature is at or in a higher place one of these levels:

• measured orally (in the mouth): 100°F (37.8°C)
• measured rectally (in the bottom): 100.4°F (38°C)
• measured in an axillary position (under the arm): 99°F (37.2°C)

Simply how high a fever is doesn't tell you much about how sick your child is. A unproblematic cold or other viral infection tin can sometimes cause a rather high fever (in the 102°–104°F/38.9°–twoscore°C range), just this doesn't unremarkably hateful there's a serious problem. In fact, a serious infection, especially in infants, might cause no fever or even a low body temperature (beneath 97°F or 36.1°C).

Because fevers can ascension and fall, a child might take chills as the body'southward temperature begins to rise. The child may sweat to release extra heat as the temperature starts to driblet.

Sometimes kids with a fever exhale faster than usual and may have a faster centre rate. Call the dr. if your child has trouble animate, is breathing faster than normal, or is still breathing fast after the fever comes downwards.

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How Can I Help My Kid Feel Better?

Once again, non all fevers need to be treated. In most cases, a fever should be treated merely if it'southward causing a child discomfort.

Here are means to ease symptoms that ofttimes accompany a fever:

Medicines

If your child is fussy or uncomfortable, you can give acetaminophen or ibuprofen based on the package recommendations for age or weight. (Unless instructed past a doctor, never give aspirin to a kid 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 old, call the doctor to detect out how much to requite.

Infants younger than 2 months old should not be given any medicine for fever without being checked by a dr.. If your child has any medical problems, bank check with the dr. to see which medicine is best to use. Think that fever medicine can temporarily bring a temperature down, but unremarkably won't render it to normal — and it won't treat the underlying reason for the fever.

Domicile Condolement Measures

Dress your child in lightweight clothing and cover with a low-cal canvas or coating. Overdressing and overbundling can prevent body rut from escaping and can cause the temperature to rise.

Brand sure your child's sleeping room is a comfortable temperature — not too hot or too cold.

While some parents use lukewarm sponge baths to lower fever, this method only helps temporarily, if at all. In fact, sponge baths can make kids uncomfortable. Never utilize rubbing booze (it tin can cause poisoning when absorbed through the peel) or ice packs/cold baths (they can cause chills that can enhance body temperature).

Food and Drinks

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

If your child also is airsickness and/or has diarrhea, enquire the dr. if you should give an electrolyte (rehydration) solution made especially for kids. You can detect these at drugstores and supermarkets. Don't offering sports drinks — they're not made for younger children and the added sugars can make diarrhea worse. Also, limit your kid'south intake of fruits and apple juice.

In general, let kids eat what they desire (in reasonable amounts), but don't forcefulness it if they don't experience like it.

Taking it Easy

Make sure your child gets plenty of remainder. Staying in bed all mean solar day isn't necessary, but a sick child should take it piece of cake.

It'southward all-time to keep a child with a fever habitation from school or childcare. Most doctors experience that it's safe to render when the temperature has been normal for 24 hours.

When Should I Call the Dr.?

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

Call your doctor if yous have an:

• babe younger than iii months old 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 child has a fever of lower than 102.2°F (39°C) but also:

• refuses fluids or seems too sick to beverage fairly
• has lasting diarrhea or repeated vomiting
• has any signs of aridity (peeing less than usual, not having tears when crying, less alert and less active than usual)
• has a specific complaint (similar a sore throat or earache)
• nevertheless has a fever after 24 hours (in kids younger than 2 years one-time) or 72 hours (in kids two years or older)
• is getting fevers a lot, even if they merely last a few hours each night
• has a chronic medical problem, such as heart affliction, cancer, lupus, or sickle prison cell disease
• has a rash
• has pain while peeing

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

• crying that won't terminate
• extreme irritability or fussiness
• languor and problem waking upwardly
• a rash or purple spots that look like bruises on the pare (that were not there before your child got ill)
• blue lips, natural language, or nails
• babe's soft spot on the caput seems to be bulging out or sunken in
• stiff neck
• severe headache
• limpness or refusal to motion
• trouble breathing that doesn't get better when the nose is cleared
• leaning forrard and drooling
• seizure
• moderate to severe belly pain

Also, ask if your doctor has specific guidelines on when to call most a fever.

What Else Should I Know?

All kids get fevers, and in well-nigh cases they're completely back to normal within a few days. For older babies and kids, the way they act can exist more important than the reading on your thermometer. Everyone gets a little cranky when they have a fever. This is normal and should be expected.

But if you're always in dubiety nearly what to do or what a fever might mean, or if your kid is interim ill in a way that concerns you fifty-fifty if there'south no fever, ever call your doctor for advice.

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

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