All children and parents are different, but the pediatrician is often asked similar questions.
When to bring down the temperature and is it worth doing it at all?
Fever is the body's defensive reaction and is a sign that the body is fighting infection. Therefore, parents may doubt: is it worth bringing down the temperature or letting the body cope on its own?
When should the temperature be brought down?
1. If the child does not tolerate it. For example, in the evening you see that the temperature rises and has already reached 37.7. Obviously, it will be even larger at night. The child is restless, very depressed, cries a lot. To avoid a sleepless night and not bring down the temperature at 3 am, you can give an antipyretic before bed. The child may feel very bad at 37.5, and may be quite vigorous at 38 and above. Therefore, you need to focus on his condition and not torment him and the whole family at the same time.
2. If the temperature is 38.5 and higher, while the child is obviously not feeling well, you can safely knock it down. If he feels fine, we shoot down from 39. We are talking about children from one year old. For the smallest, you can not wait 39 and shoot down at 38.5.
3. With aggravating factors. If there are concomitant diseases, including severe ones, such as a heart defect, then the temperature should also be brought down.
It is also important to give a lot to drink: the temperature can drop even from drinking plenty of fluids, without medication. Also, do not overheat the child, dress too warmly if he is not cold. You can only wipe it with clean water - warm or room temperature (no vinegar, alcohol, etc.).
Is it possible to walk with a child if he has a temperature?
If the temperature is up to 38 and the child feels well, then you can walk. At the same time, it is important that he does not overcool or overheat, and also does not communicate with other people because of the risk of their infection. Yes, you can walk with this temperature if the baby is feeling well.
How to distinguish influenza from SARS?
You've probably seen tables with different symptoms, but in practice, the symptoms of influenza and SARS can be the same. And only one symptomatology, not every doctor can tell "by eye". Moreover, the child will not tell you whether he has aches all over his body or not, for example.
There are certain tests to determine the flu. If the doctor sees that the child's condition is similar to the flu, he will prescribe such a test.
In addition, flu and ARVI are most often treated in the same way. Therefore, it is important to vaccinate the child against the flu on time, to be sure that, most likely, the child has just ARVI.
For the flu, special antiviral drugs (not the ones advertised on TV) can be used, but only in the first 72 hours of illness. They help shorten the period of fever.
Can mineral water be poured into the nebulizer?
Nebulizer is the fashionable name for an inhaler. With the help of it, children's airways receive certain medications. It is impossible to "breathe" water through a nebulizer, it can provoke swelling of the respiratory tract.
How to recognize pneumonia in a child at an early stage?
Unfortunately, there are no exact signs of beginning pneumonia.
There are a number of signs for children under 1 year old:
- breast / formula / water withdrawal
- against the background of other symptoms - severe lethargy or excessive agitation
- breathing has become noticeably too frequent or infrequent
- the child urinates and poops noticeably less (but if he refuses to eat and drink, this is not surprising and can be with ordinary ARVI; however, dehydration for babies is unacceptable and dangerous, it is worth remembering this).
Children after 1 year may experience:
- a sharp increase in temperature when it has not risen for a long time
- change in the nature of the cough or its increase
- severe weakness, lethargy
- refusal to eat and drink.
A doctor can detect pneumonia during examination with additional examination using X-ray or CT.
Should children be given infant formula after one year?
In general, it is not needed if the child is healthy and eats complementary foods. Accordingly, if the complementary food eats poorly, the nutrients from it are not enough, then it is worth continuing to give the mixture. The same rule applies to breast milk.
If the child has an intolerance to some food, then it is worth continuing to feed him with the mixture. Basically, after a year and a half, the child is already completely ready to eat regular food.
Diapers in the heat: is it okay to wear, how harmful is it?
Of course, in a diaper with a heat, the child shrinks more, the risk of dermatitis, diaper rash is higher. But if the diaper changes as it is filled, the child does not walk in the same for many hours in a row, then the diaper is not particularly dangerous. You can use a powder, a special diaper cream - this solves most of the problems.
To make the baby more comfortable, the inside of the diaper must be made of breathable material, without unnecessary odors, dyes. In the heat, it is worth stocking up on more expensive diapers - they are usually the ones that minimize skin problems.
What is the best way to treat wounds and abrasions if iodine and brilliant green are considered "the last day"?
Alcohol-containing antiseptics do not help wounds to heal, but on the contrary prolong the healing process. Recent research suggests this. What to do with children's wounds?
The wound should be washed with clean running water, maybe with soap. Then treat with hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine, apply a plaster or sterile bandage. This is in case the wound is clearly not serious.
If you doubt how serious the damage is, the blood stops poorly, then you need to urgently show the child to the doctor. This is the case when it is better to play it safe.If a child has been bitten by an animal, rabies prophylaxis may also be needed. This decision must also be made by the doctor. And for an appointment with him, you should take with you a card of vaccinations performed.
You will also be interested to read:
- 7 non-obvious things kids can choke on
- Is it possible for parents to pull out milk teeth from children themselves
- Signs that your child needs to be seen by a urologist
