Fever in Children

Children by their nature and by virtue of their level of maturity cannot articulate their complaints like an adult can. The presence or absence of Fever is  an important pointer for physicians on health state of a child.

An unaddressed fever in a child can lead to convulsions (a condition known as febrile convulsions). These convulsions are attempts by the body to lower the markedly raised temperature of the child and can have untoward complications. Frequently, some complications in our environment are more commonly caused by attempted interventions by concerned (and frightened) caregivers to control or terminate the convulsions.

[warning]Learn what to do when a child is convulsing here[/warning]

The commonest cause of fever and fever-related convulsions in our environment is malaria. You can protect your children by:

• Ensuring your children sleep under insecticide treated net (ITNs) which are available in hospitals and accredited pharmacies
• Do not give children analgesics (e.g. paracetomol) as a matter of routine daily.
• If your child has a fever, give him/her an analgesic, buy an over the counter anti-malaria and give the child, and take him/her to the hospital urgently
• If you cannot get access to an analgesic, don’t panic. At the least, use tepid (not cold, not hot) water  and a piece of clothe to wipe the child and take him/her to the hospital/clinic urgently [notice](Don’t use  cold water! It makes the fever worse!)[/notice]
• For babies, teething is not a disease and does not lead to fever or diarrhoea. So if they have a fever or are not feeding well, take them to the hospital/clinic.