High fever, the big "ghost" of parents in winter: what to do and in what cases should be consulted urgently – ABC Saladillo

Fever is one of the symptoms that most concern parents and is the main cause of consultation with the pediatrician. It is due to an increase in body temperature above normal, which, when the child is suffering, occurs as a result of the activation of a defense mechanism by the body, usually due to an infection by viruses or bacteria.

And while we know that the symptom is a sign that the immune system is defending itself from an external factor that threatens its balance, it is normal for parents to worry about its first demonstration.

What pediatricians are trying? it is the cause that produces it. If it is an infectious agent, it will probably indicate to the child an antibiotic and antipyretic treatment to reduce fever, while if it is viral, it is usually indicated to keep high temperatures out of range and wait for box to disintegrate

Normal temperature ranges from 36ºC to 37.5ºC, and is considered a fever when it exceeds 38ºC. ºC

The pediatrician Valeria Blumetti (MN 101859) enumerated Infobae the reasons that should trigger a medical consultation: "Yes the child is newborn or has less than three months, s? He is very tired or sleepy, if there are changes in skin color (pale, blue), if it has spots or redness or if the child has an earlier disease "

case of fever, it is generally recommended to wait for other symptoms, such as mucus, sore throat, suspicion of earaches, etc., appear before consulting a doctor. "Depending on the age of the child, if you have more than one year, you can wait 24 hours for the first fever consultation until other symptoms that define the diagnosis of the child appear, unless the fever is badociated with poor general condition or spots on the skin, so it is recommended to go to the guard at this time, "added the coordinator of the pediatric department of the Zabala clinic.

Regarding the severity of the disease or the urgency of the consultation, He stressed: "The severity does not vary with the intensity of the fever, but with the speed at which it increases because there is more risk of febrile seizures if the temperature rises rapidly than when it is necessary to reach 40 ° C. "

doctors consider fever at a body temperature above 38 ° C (Shutterstock)
And after making sure that "there is fever, always gives antipyretics to improve the symptom, "says the specialist:" The symptoms of infection Viral and bacterial are very similar.Pediatricians are responsible for determining whether the image is viral or bacterial and this will depend on the clinical course (symptoms). "

Thus, the way to differentiate the origin of a disease is complicated and a little ambiguous, because the signs can be very similar. Therefore, if you want to attack the disease in a direct and effective way, it is best to go to the doctor to tell him the cause and give him the most appropriate treatment.

Consulted on what depends on a child Febrile seizures, Blumetti pointed out that "they are a response of the brain to the rapid increase in body temperature and usually occur in children between six months and five years old and are especially common among people of old age to learn to walk. "

If there is fever, always give antipyretics to improve the symptom
"Children rarely develop their first febrile seizure before six months or after three years," he said. As the age of the child is advanced, the likelihood of the child suffering from this type of complications is low. "

He adds:" They usually occur on the first day of fever and may appear at temperatures above 38 ° C, regardless of whether the cause of the fever is viral or bacterial. "

The pediatrician will be responsible for determining whether the image is viral or bacterial (iStock)
" In case of febrile seizures in a child, the next time you have fever, it is recommended to administer antipyretics at 37.5 ° C, more physical means to lower the temperature as quickly as possible, "advised the specialist. A preventative measure would be to try to reduce the number of diseases with fever, although this is not a practical possibility. "

On the daily and prolonged use of oral anticonvulsants to prevent seizures due to fever, the pediatrician opined: because of potential side effects and because its effectiveness in preventing these seizures is questionable. "In any case, it will be a neurologist who will determine whether to administer anticonvulsants before repeated febrile seizures.

It is recommended that children resume their school activities after having spent more than 24 hours without fever, not before and when their pediatrician grants them. medical discharge