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When infants have fever, medications are not necessarily needed
In children, they often have a rapid and sudden fever. Parents are worried about the rapidly rising temperatures. The quick grip on tablets is often wrong. Because fever is a meaningful defense reaction of the body and therefore does not always have to be treated with medication.
Children often get a fever
Although children are usually more likely to experience fever than adults, in most cases high body temperature is no cause for great concern. Christoph Gulde, Vice President of the State Pharmacists Association Rhineland-Palatinate (LAV) stated in a press release that fever is always a sign and symptom of the fact that the body deals with pathogens.
Fever in children is a defense reaction of the body to pathogens. It therefore does not always have to be treated with medication. (Image: WavebreakmediaMicro / fotolia.com) Defense reaction of the body
"Fever is not a disease, but a defense reaction of the body. Children are more likely to be feverish because their organism has not yet dealt with so many pathogens, "says the expert.
"About half of fever diseases are caused by viruses and not bacteria. Children can respond to gastrointestinal infections as well as to bronchitis. "
Temperature is best measured in the butt
If a child has a fever, parents often ask themselves when it should be taken to the doctor. If the offspring is less than three months old, according to experts, parents should always seek medical advice from a body temperature of 38 degrees or more.
It should be noted that one should measure the temperature in babies in the buttocks, since deviations are more likely at other parts of the body. Newer clinical thermometers also come to reliable values via measurements in the inner ear.
Basically, children are only spoken rectally from a body temperature of over 38 degrees Celsius measured by fever - in the ear or mouth from 38.5 degrees Celsius.
Natural aids
It is important, according to Gulde, that the child drinks enough liquid in the form of cool drinks. If the temperature does not rise too high, home remedies for fever can often help with older children.
Cooling calf rolls are a proven home remedy to make fever peaks bearable.
However, these should not be used if the fever is accompanied by chills. Then the offspring should be supplied with hot water bottles or blankets.
Drug treatment is not always necessary
Gulde points out that in pharmacies there are also child-friendly medicines "that help well as juice or ate", but it should generally be weighed whether and when to lower the fever by medication.
If a child is prone to febrile seizures, it is indicated, as well as if it is very exhausted by high, over-days fever or can not or does not want to take enough liquid. In such cases, a doctor's visit is strongly recommended. (Ad)