ehealthyland.com

Health:

Child Care – What is Child Common Fever? | Child Common Fever

Fever is when the temperature of the body rises above normal, generally above 38 degrees (38ºC) when the temperature is taken under the arm or in the mouth. Fever usually occurs as a result of an infection.In healthy kids, fevers usually don’t indicate anything serious. Although it can be frightening when your child’s temperature rises, fever itself causes no harm and can actually be a good thing it’s often the body’s way of fighting infections. And not all fevers need to be treated. High fever, however, can make a child uncomfortable and worsen problems such as dehydration.

Fever remains the most common concern for which parents bring their child to the emergency department. Fever has traditionally been defined as a rectal temperature over 100.4°F or 38.0°C. Temperatures measured at other sites are usually lower. The threshold for defining a fever does vary significantly between different individuals by as much as 1°F.

The right method depends on your child’s age. It’s important that the measurement is accurate. For instance, taking a rectal temperature is still the best way to get an exact reading for children under 2 years of age. Although taking a temperature under the armpit isn’t as reliable, it may let you know whether your child has a fever. Temporal artery devices for home use have not yet been shown to be accurate or reliable enough.

Because young children are not able to hold a thermometer in their mouths, their temperature may be checked rectally or axillary (under the arm). Axillary temperatures are usually 1o lower than rectal temperatures, and rectal temperatures are the most accurate. All temperature guidelines listed in this chart are rectal. Temperatures above 105o (oral) can be dangerous, and need immediate medical attention.

Fever itself is not life threatening unless it is extremely and persistently high, such as greater than 107°F (41.6°C) when measured rectally. Fever may indicate the presence of a serious illness, but usually a fever is caused by common infections which are not serious. The part of the brain called the hypothalamus controls body temperature. The hypothalamus increases the body’s temperature as a way to fight the infection. However, many conditions other than infections may cause a fever.

Sometimes, though, the hypothalamus will “reset” the body to a higher temperature in response to an infection, illness, or some other cause. So, why does the hypothalamus tell the body to change to a new temperature? Researchers believe turning up the heat is the body’s way of fighting the germs that cause infections and making the body a less comfortable place for them.

Incoming search terms:

• rectal temperature
• take the rectal temperature to child
• take rectal temperature
• child fever
• temperature rectal
• temperature rectale
• rectal temperature of children photos
• rectal temperature baby
• rectaltemp
• rectal temp