Overcoming Children Who Often Have Fever?
???rnI’m Emy’s mother, I want to ask my son, he is 19 months old and weighs 9 kg but he is too active, but now he often has a fever, the most I’m worried about is that his body is very hot even though he doesn’t have a fever. How can this be so. A lot of people say he’s hot in terms of body, but it’s hot and he’s sweaty.
1 Answer:
Dear Zia,
To find out whether the child has a fever or not, take a body temperature measurement using a thermometer. For children under 2 years it is recommended to use a rectal thermometer because of its reliable accuracy. Meanwhile, if the thermometer shows a body temperature above 37.5 degrees, then the child is said to have a fever, and the benchmark is no longer hot or sweaty. The causes of fever can be many, but in tropical countries such as Indonesia, infection is one of the most common causes of fever, whether it is infection by viruses, bacteria, or parasites. What needs to be looked for then is on what system the infection occurred, for example by paying attention to other symptoms. Respiratory tract infections, for example, are usually accompanied by a cough, runny nose or shortness of breath.
Handling that you can do, of course, is to ensure fluid intake because children who have a high body temperature tend to get dehydrated easily, especially when they sweat a lot. Thus, giving fluids, either breast milk or fluids that are usually consumed by children, is very important to replace lost body fluids and to help lower the temperature. If the child has seizures, weakness, or can no longer enter fluids, even until symptoms of decreased consciousness, do not hesitate to immediately consult a pediatrician. Here we attach an article from the Indonesian Pediatrician Association regarding when a child with a fever should be checked by a doctor. May be useful.
dr. N. K. Arief
