Measure fever correctly - high fever in children

A reddened face often shows a fever in children – or has the offspring only [. ]

Measure fever correctly – fever in children

Measure from the right fever

A reddened face often shows a fever in children – or is the sprout just too hot? To check this, it is not enough to put his hand on his forehead. We asked the pediatrician Dr. which measuring methods and clinical thermometers are suitable. Jörg Niederle from Geldern.

In what situations should parents measure fever?

If the child’s face and hands feel unusually hot, parents should definitely measure them. In fact, it is often just an elevated temperature that passes by itself. However, it can also happen that the forehead and hands are cool and the child still has a high fever. If it is obviously feeling bad or has signs of illness such as headache, vomiting, diarrhea, cold or respiratory problems, parents should definitely measure their body temperature.

At what temperature do children speak of fever?

Different guidelines apply to children than to adults. You can have an elevated body temperature without being sick. Because with them the normal temperature is half a to 0.8 degrees higher. In infants it even goes up to 37.7 degrees. A short-term increase in temperature, for example after physical exertion, with excitement or after sunbathing, is at Children are quite normal and mostly have nothing to do with an illness.

Sometimes a child has an elevated temperature if he has drunk too little. For example, in high heat or with diarrhea. Concerned parents should therefore check every hour to see if the temperature returns to normal. From 38.3 degrees one speaks of a fever in a child.

If it lasts longer than 24 hours or climbs above the 39 degree mark, a doctor should look after the little patient.

Which measurement method is best for children?

With the fever you should be able to check how warm it is inside the body. After about 41 degrees, the brain and other important organs can no longer function properly. The most accurate is the measurement in the Po. There are special children’s thermometers with a shorter or flexible tip that are easy to insert. So that better glides, you can dampen the tip or apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly. Parents should make sure that they push the thermometer tip up to about an inch behind the sphincter. In infants, one holds the legs with one hand and the thermometer with the other.

Older children often resist measuring this rectal fever. Schoolchildren can therefore also measure in the mouth under the tongue. It is important that the tongue rests on the thermometer as a lid. The child must keep the mouth closed during the measurement period and breathe through the nose. Because there is a risk of it biting the thermometer and breaking it in the mouth, glass thermometers are not suitable.

It becomes particularly dangerous with glass mercury thermometers. Measuring fever under the arm is very inaccurate. There you measure the temperature of the skin, which is 0.5 to one degree below the actual core body temperature. In addition, the thermometer can quickly slip out of the armpit or lie unfavorably in a skin fold.

What do you think of the newer measurement methods – such as the one where the temperature in the ear is measured?

Ear thermometers are now quite popular. They are quick and particularly practical for small children. In a few seconds, they measure the body temperature in the inner ear via infrared. However, since the human ear has a bent ear canal, it is easy to measure the temperature in the ear canal and not the inner eardrum.

So it is important that parents use this thermometer very carefully. In my opinion, it can be measured easily, safely and very quickly with the new forehead or temple thermometers: The blood temperature in the large temple artery is determined. The pediatrician will be happy to explain the correct handling. Because important is, Knowing in advance where exactly this artery runs in the respective child. I think little of the straps that are put on the child’s forehead and that change color depending on the temperature. Just like laying your hand, you can only give estimates.

How often and for how long should you measure fever?

If a child really has a fever, parents should check the progress every hour and write down the values for the doctor. The measurement duration depends on the type of clinical thermometer. Conventional glass or digital thermometers take about three minutes for the measuring tip to reach body temperature. Newer digital thermometers emit a signal when they have determined the highest value. Incidentally, to get comparable results, you should always measure in the same place.

Small thermometer lexicon:

Digital thermometer:

mercury-free and unbreakable; when the battery is intact, it reliably measures in about 1-2 minutes with end signal; disinfect after measurement.

Glass thermometers:

contain mercury or colored alcohol; not suitable for children due to risk of breakage; knock down display column before measuring, then disinfect.

Infrared ear thermometer:

digital fever measuring in seconds in the ear; with disposable protective caps against infection; exact handling required, which is not easy, especially with children’s ears.