Fever is one of the most common reasons why parents go to the doctor with their child. The fever also increases the parents’ concern. Toddlers tolerate a high fever temperature surprisingly well, but the fever should be lowered if you notice that your child is increasingly exhausted.
When do we talk about fever in children?
Fever only occurs when the body temperature rises above 38 degrees Celsius (measured in the rectum). High fever is reached from a temperature of 39.5 degrees. Fever is a defence reaction of your child’s immune system to fight pathogens. The body of small children reacts more frequently with fever than the body of adults. Parents should be aware, however, if the fever child already suffers from a high temperature in the morning or if calf compresses simply do not help. You should familiarise yourself with the correct calf compress technique before use.
Fever – what triggers it?
Children and especially babies are very susceptible to fever. The triggers are manifold. Different causes for fever are for example:
- infections such as middle ear infections, flu, tonsillitis, or childhood diseases
- Teething of the child
- Response to vaccinations
- Severe infections with pathogens such as appendicitis
- Other reasons like sunstroke or skin diseases
This is how you counter the fever
Cooling calf compresses and antipyretics can help your child in a gentle way. Make sure that the medication is antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory. Depending on your age, you can also take tablets or suppositories in addition to juices. The following tips will help you to counteract the fever:
- Keep the temperature of the room low, ventilate well and do not overheat the rooms.
- Light clothing and thin blankets prevent the body temperature from rising unnecessarily; cooling calf compresses can also help here.
- Make sure that your child drinks a lot, e.g. lukewarm teas, water and diluted juices.
- For mild to moderate fever, antipyretic medication with the active ingredient ibuprofen is helpful; keep this in mind: The maximum reduction of fever is reached after 2-3 hours.
- Check the temperature every 45 minutes.
When do I have to see a doctor?
If the normal home remedies and painkillers do not help, or if the fever persists for several days, you must consult your pediatrician. If the fever lasts longer or if there is a suspicion of a serious illness, it is absolutely necessary to have your child examined by a specialist. It is also advisable to see your doctor in case of fever attacks or repeated fevers. Read more about this here: My child is ill – when to go to the doctor?
Measuring fever correctly
Especially with small children, fever measurement must be quick because the little ones never want to sit still for long. There are several ways to measure your body temperature correctly. In the following you will find alternatives to the unpopular fever measurement in the bottom.
In the mouth: The clinical thermometer is placed under the tongue and behind the molars. The measurement is comparatively accurate. However, your child must play along and keep his mouth closed.
In the armpit: The simplest alternative is to measure the fever in the armpit region. The arm remains close to the body. Especially in infants, the measurement is very accurate.
In the ear/forehead: Special thermometers help to measure the temperature in the ear or on the forehead. For inexperienced people, however, the measurement is not easy, as the correct point on the eardrum must be found.
In the buttocks: A partly somewhat unpleasant, but very accurate measuring method is fever measurement in the rectum. Tip: A little Vaseline facilitates the insertion of the thermometer!
HELPFUL PARENTS BROCHURE
My kid’s sick — do what? In the DOLORMIN® parent brochure you will find many tips & advice at a glance.
Download Brochure
The DOLORMIN® Fever Tester
Our DOLORMIN® Fever Tester will help you with tips on where to measure your fever best.
To the fever measuring bear
DOLORMIN® for children
Works quickly and reliably against fever and pain
Find out more about
- © Johnson & Johnson GmbH 2003-2019
- data protection
- cookie information
- Legal conditions
This website is published by Johnson & Johnson GmbH Germany, which is solely responsible for its content. It is intended for visitors from Germany.
Last updated on: June 30th 2016
This website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies as described in our cookie guidelines. This includes target group advertising. Please click on the “I Agree” button or continue to use our website if you consent to the use of cookies.