As soon as the baby has some temperature, we tend to be alarmed, especially if we face this situation for the first time. But do not immediately resort to medications when the baby has some fever, as recommended by experts in children's health, among others, the American Academy of Pediatrics.
A new AAP report argues that fever alone is not a reason to intervene, and that one must concentrate on the general well-being and not on the absolute temperature of the child.
This is because the fever helps fight the disease, by slowing the reproduction of bacteria and viruses, or stimulating the body's immune response. That is, the fever has benefits and could shorten the duration of the disease.
The report, made by pediatricians at the University of Louisville and responsible for the AAP section on clinical and therapeutic pharmacology, states that parents should recognize that fever is a sign that the child is sick and warn other symptoms, such as decay, pain or dehydration, to decide if you need to call the doctor.
We should even recognize alarming signs that recommend going to the Emergency Department immediately (as in the case of babies under three months), when these immediate actions are imposed.
Recommendations on the treatment of fever
- Among other issues In this AAP report it is recommended not to wake the children to give them anthermal, because if the child sleeps, he does not feel discomfort, something that the vast majority of parents do not know (of course this would be in the case of low fever).
- When parents or doctors think that a remedy is needed, the guidelines recommend using pediatric formulas and not those prepared for adults. We will follow the pediatrician's instructions for these cases.
- Parents often use very high or very low doses of the drugs, with the dangers that this entails. The report highlights that doses should be measured according to weight and not age or height. Recently we talked to you about the dangers of paracetamol abuse.
- The guidelines encourage parents not to give their children cough or cold remedies with certain components (acetaminophen or ibuprofen) that would double the dose by also administering it with an antitermic. According to the authors, parents do not always know that these drugs are in both medications.
Finally, we remind you that there are certain measures that soothe baby or child fever before the antipyretic agents, so that It is advisable to ensure the well-being of our children without the need to medicate them as this new AAP report points out.
