Fevers in children – should I be worried?

As registered paramedics we often witness the stress and anxiety caused to parents when their child has a fever.

And with so many different resources, opinions and misinformation surrounding fever management, it’s not surprising that a fever could send you spiralling. We get it, being a Mum is tough!

With winter just around the corner, what better time to do a deep dive into all things fever management including busting some common myths and providing you with clear information on what to do and when to seek help.

P.S. We promise there are no wives tales here, only evidence based research and facts.

What actually is a fever?

A fever is our body’s natural defence mechanism against a virus or bacteria. Your child has a fever when their body temperature reaches 38 degrees celsius or higher.

When you or your child become sick with a virus or bacteria, the thermostat in the brain (aka the old hypothalamus) cranks up the heat causing a fever. It does this because a warm environment is not a good environment for these bugs to survive in. 

So basically a fever is your body’s way of trying to help you recover from an illness, cool hey!

So a fever isn’t all that bad?

Not necessarily…of course a fever will make your child feel really poorly which is heartbreaking, but the fever itself is actually rarely harmful. 

What we should be focusing on are potential complications of your child’s illness such as dehydration, breathing difficulty, and other red flag symptoms that could indicate your child is critically unwell and requires urgent medical attention. 

What if my baby is under three months of age?

 Yep good point, this is the exception to the rule.

A baby with a temperature of 38 degrees or higher is considered a red flag symptom. This is because a young infant’s immune system is under developed and their little bodies can struggle with infections. They are also at a higher risk of developing sepsis, a severe, sometimes fatal complication of an infection.

If your baby is under 3 months of age and has a fever they should be assessed by a doctor in hospital even if they have no other symptoms. 

Alright, let’s bust some common fever based myths!

Contrary to popular belief you should not put your child in a cold bath to try and get rid of a fever, remember a fever itself is rarely harmful. In fact putting a child in a tepid or cold bath can cause shivering which actually increases body temperature, interesting right!

Fevers as a result of infection do not cause brain damage. Brain damage is only known to occur with temperatures over 42 degrees which can only happen as a result of environmental hyperthermia (for example, if a child is left in a car on a hot day).

The number on the thermometer does not necessarily indicate severity of illness, a child with a temperature of 39.5 is not necessarily sicker than a child with a temperature of 38.5. Remember what we need to focus on are complications of an illness such as red flag symptoms.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen are antipyretics which means they can reduce body temperature. However it is not unusual for a child to have a temperature even after they are given these medications. This in itself is not usually cause for concern however if your child has unresolved pain after taking pain relief this would be of concern and would warrant a trip to the GP.

Antibiotics are great for treating a bacterial infection but will do nothing for a viral infection. If you are worried your child has a bacterial infection a GP can do a swab test and will prescribe antibiotics if a bacterial infection is found.

So my little one has a fever…you jinxed me! What can I do to help them?

The aim of fever management is to make your child comfortable and monitor them for signs they may need help, not to get rid of the fever itself. Here are a few things you can do to help your little ones when they are sick:

Keep kids comfortable:

  • Consider giving paracetamol and/or ibuprofen if your child is distressed or in pain- to reduce the risk of accidental overdose be sure to download our free fridge medication tracker here and check out our blog post on pain relief for kids here
  • A nasal aspirator combined with saline nasal spray or drops may help clear a stuffy nose, particularly in babies under 6 months who primarily breathe out of their nose 
  • Dress your child in light layers of clothing, don’t overthink it, if your child is cold, add a layer, if they are hot take one off
  • A warm bath or shower can be super comforting for distressed kiddos, if you need to jump in with them and have 10 baths a day, so be it!
  • Lots of rest, reassurance and cuddles, ohhh and bluey marathons of courseFocus on hydration and monitor for dehydration. Hot tip (lol, see what we did there), we have an entire blog post on this here

Monitor closely for red flag symptoms and seek medical attention if needed

  • In all of our courses we teach you how to identify red flag symptoms of a critically unwell child so that you can handle childhood illness and injuries like a pro!

  Wine, coffee and chocolate

  • Consume one or all of them guilt free! ohhh and be kind to yourself mama, dealing with sick kids is hard         

When should I take my child to the GP?

  • You are concerned for any reason or
  • Any symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration 
  • A fever lasting longer than 48 hours
  • Your child has a fever and a rash
  • Pain that is not relieved by paracetamol and/or ibuprofen 

When should I take my child to the emergency department or call for an ambulance?

Your child displays any of the following red flag symptoms such as:

  • Under three months with a fever (even if they have no other symptoms)
  • Signs or symptoms of severe dehydration 
  • Pale, blue or mottled skin that is not normal for your child
  • Breathing difficulty
  • Overly drowsy/hard to wake, floppy or unresponsive
  • Your child has a febrile convulsion/seizure 
  • A non-blanching rash, you can read more about what this is here
  • Your instinct tells you something is seriously wrong     

So to recap, a fever is the body’s way of trying to destroy a bacteria or viral infection. We do not need to try and get rid of a fever but instead focus on keeping kids as comfortable as possible while monitoring for signs they may need medical attention. 

If you would like to learn more about baby and child first aid, red flag symptom identification and managing general illness, book yourself a private, public or online course with us today

References

https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/fever_in_children/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7717216/

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