Is It Normal for a 6 Month Old Baby to Cry Around Strangers

All kids get a fever from time to fourth dimension. A fever itself usually causes no harm and can actually be a practiced matter — it's ofttimes a sign that the body is fighting an infection.

But when your child wakes in the eye of the dark flushed, hot, and sweaty, information technology'due south easy to exist unsure of what to practise next. Should you get out the thermometer? Call the doctor?

Here's more virtually fevers, including when to contact your doctor.

What Is a Fever?

Fever happens when the trunk's internal "thermostat" raises the body temperature above its normal level. This thermostat is found in a role of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus knows what temperature your torso should be (unremarkably around 98.six°F/37°C) and will send messages to your body to keep information technology that way.

Most people'southward body temperatures change a picayune bit during the grade of the day: Information technology'southward usually a little lower in the morning and a little higher in the evening and can vary as kids run around, play, and exercise.

Sometimes, though, the hypothalamus will "reset" the body to a higher temperature in response to an infection, disease, or some other cause. Why? Researchers believe that turning up the rut is a way for the trunk to fight the germs that crusade infections, making information technology a less comfy place for them.

What Causes Fevers?

Information technology'due south important to think that fever by itself is not an illness — it's usually a sign or symptom of another problem.

Fevers can be caused by a few things, including:

Infection: Most fevers are acquired by infection or other illness. A fever helps the trunk fight infections by stimulating natural defense mechanisms.

Overdressing: Infants, especially newborns, may get fevers if they're overbundled or in a hot surroundings because they don't regulate their body temperature also as older kids. But considering fevers in newborns tin can indicate a serious infection, even infants who are overdressed must exist checked by a md if they have a fever.

Immunizations: Babies and kids sometimes get a low-grade fever later on getting vaccinated.

Although teething may cause a slight ascension in torso temperature, information technology'south probably not the cause if a kid'south temperature is college than 100°F (37.8°C).

When Is a Fever a Sign of Something Serious?

In healthy kids, not all fevers need to exist treated. High fever, though, can make a child uncomfortable and make problems (such as dehydration) worse.

Doctors determine on whether to treat a fever by considering both the temperature and a child'south overall condition.

Kids whose temperatures are lower than 102°F (38.9°C) frequently don't demand medicine unless they're uncomfortable. There'south one of import exception: If an infant three months or younger has a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or college, call your doctor or go to the emergency section immediately. Even a slight fever can exist a sign of a potentially serious infection in very young babies.

If your kid is between 3 months and 3 years old and has a fever of 102.ii°F (39°C) or higher, call to run into if your md needs to come across your child. For older kids, take behavior and activeness level into account. Watching how your child behaves will give y'all a pretty good idea of whether a minor affliction is the cause or if your kid should be seen past a doctor.

The illness is probably non serious if your child:

• is all the same interested in playing
• is eating and drinking well
• is alarm and smiling at you
• has a normal skin colour
• looks well when his or her temperature comes downwards

And don't worry also much nearly a child with a fever who doesn't want to consume. This is very mutual with infections that cause fever. For kids who withal drink and urinate (pee) ordinarily, not eating as much every bit usual is OK.

Is it a Fever?

A gentle kiss on the forehead or a hand placed lightly on the skin is often enough to requite you a hint that your kid has a fever. Withal, this method of taking a temperature (called tactile temperature) won't give an accurate measurement.

Utilize a reliable digital thermometer to confirm a fever. It'due south a fever when a child's temperature is at or above one of these levels:

• measured orally (in the mouth): 100°F (37.eight°C)
• measured rectally (in the lesser): 100.4°F (38°C)
• measured in an axillary position (under the arm): 99°F (37.2°C)

Simply how high a fever is doesn't tell you lot much about how sick your child is. A unproblematic common cold or other viral infection tin can sometimes cause a rather high fever (in the 102°–104°F/38.ix°–40°C range), but this doesn't usually hateful there'south a serious problem. In fact, a serious infection, especially in infants, might cause no fever or even a low body temperature (below 97°F or 36.1°C).

Because fevers can rise and fall, a kid might have chills as the body'southward temperature begins to ascension. The child may sweat to release extra heat equally the temperature starts to drop.

Sometimes kids with a fever breathe faster than usual and may have a faster centre charge per unit. Phone call the doctor if your kid has trouble breathing, is breathing faster than normal, or is still breathing fast after the fever comes down.

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How Can I Help My Child Experience Better?

Again, not all fevers need to be treated. In most cases, a fever should exist treated merely if it'south causing a child discomfort.

Here are ways to ease symptoms that often accompany a fever:

Medicines

If your child is fussy or uncomfortable, you can give acetaminophen or ibuprofen based on the package recommendations for age or weight. (Unless instructed by a physician, never give aspirin to a kid due to its association with Reye syndrome, a rare just potentially fatal disease.) If you lot don't know the recommended dose or your child is younger than ii years sometime, call the doctor to find out how much to give.

Infants younger than ii months former should not exist given any medicine for fever without existence checked by a doctor. If your child has whatever medical problems, check with the physician to see which medicine is all-time to use. Remember that fever medicine can temporarily bring a temperature down, but usually won't return information technology to normal — and it won't care for the underlying reason for the fever.

Home Comfort Measures

Dress your child in lightweight clothing and embrace with a light sheet or blanket. Overdressing and overbundling tin prevent body heat from escaping and tin crusade the temperature to rise.

Make sure your child'south bedroom is a comfortable temperature — not too hot or likewise cold.

While some parents use lukewarm sponge baths to lower fever, this method but helps temporarily, if at all. In fact, sponge baths can make kids uncomfortable. Never utilize rubbing alcohol (it can cause poisoning when absorbed through the skin) or ice packs/cold baths (they can cause chills that can heighten torso temperature).

Food and Drinks

Offering enough of fluids to avoid dehydration because fevers brand kids lose fluids more rapidly than usual. H2o, soup, ice pops, and flavored gelatin are all good choices. Avoid drinks with caffeine, including colas and tea, because they can brand dehydration worse by increasing urination (peeing).

If your child also is vomiting and/or has diarrhea, ask the doctor if you should requite an electrolyte (rehydration) solution made peculiarly for kids. You tin can find these at drugstores and supermarkets. Don't offering sports drinks — they're not made for younger children and the added sugars can make diarrhea worse. Also, limit your child's intake of fruits and apple juice.

In general, allow kids eat what they want (in reasonable amounts), but don't force it if they don't feel like it.

Taking it Easy

Make sure your child gets enough of rest. Staying in bed all day isn't necessary, only a ill kid should accept it like shooting fish in a barrel.

Information technology's best to keep a child with a fever home from schoolhouse or childcare. Well-nigh doctors experience that information technology's safe to return when the temperature has been normal for 24 hours.

When Should I Telephone call the Dr.?

The exact temperature that should trigger a telephone call to the doctor depends on a kid's age, the disease, and whether at that place are other symptoms with the fever.

Call your doctor if you take an:

• babe younger than 3 months quondam with a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or college
• older child with a temperature of college than 102.2°F (39°C)

Also phone call if an older child has a fever of lower than 102.2°F (39°C) but also:

• refuses fluids or seems likewise ill to drink fairly
• has lasting diarrhea or repeated vomiting
• has any signs of dehydration (peeing less than usual, not having tears when crying, less alert and less active than usual)
• has a specific complaint (like a sore pharynx or earache)
• still has a fever afterward 24 hours (in kids younger than two years former) or 72 hours (in kids 2 years or older)
• is getting fevers a lot, even if they only last a few hours each night
• has a chronic medical problem, such equally heart illness, cancer, lupus, or sickle cell affliction
• has a rash
• has pain while peeing

Go emergency care if your child shows whatsoever of these signs:

• crying that won't finish
• extreme irritability or fussiness
• sluggishness and trouble waking up
• a rash or purple spots that look like bruises on the skin (that were not at that place before your child got ill)
• blue lips, tongue, or nails
• babe'south soft spot on the caput seems to be bulging out or sunken in
• stiff neck
• severe headache
• limpness or refusal to motion
• trouble breathing that doesn't get improve when the nose is cleared
• leaning frontwards and drooling
• seizure
• moderate to severe belly pain

Also, inquire if your doctor has specific guidelines on when to call about a fever.

What Else Should I Know?

All kids get fevers, and in nearly cases they're completely back to normal within a few days. For older babies and kids, the way they human activity can be more important than the reading on your thermometer. Anybody gets a lilliputian cranky when they have a fever. This is normal and should be expected.

But if you're ever in doubt nigh what to do or what a fever might mean, or if your child is acting ill in a way that concerns you even if there'south no fever, always call your doctor for advice.

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Source: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/fever.html

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