What to do if a baby has a temperature of 39. How to measure the temperature of a newborn with a mercury thermometer. When you need to urgently call a doctor

There are various reasons for fever in a newborn. Many diseases, including infectious ones, cause high fever. The baby's condition can be alleviated by giving him a children's antipyretic. Mothers should remember that antipyretics do not cure the disease itself - for treatment it is necessary to call a doctor who will make a diagnosis and prescribe the necessary medications.

It is also necessary to understand that the body reacts to illness with a severe fever for a reason. Dr. Komarovsky noted that this activates the child’s immune system, accelerates biochemical reactions, and increases the production of antibodies in the blood that fight infection. You should take antipyretic pills only at very high temperatures or with a concomitant unfavorable diagnosis (for example, heart disease) made by a doctor.

Intense fever also plays the role of a signal that the baby is ill. Parents should react correctly to such a signal - contact the clinic. Appoint yourself infant Antipyretic is not worth it. Now there are many medications, and your pediatrician will decide which one is right for your child. In addition to pills, there are other ways to reduce body temperature without taking medications.

Temperature measurement for newborns

Newborn babies can have their temperature measured at different zones– in the armpits, in the rectum, in the mouth, in the groin area or elbow folds, in the ears and so on. There are some features of measuring temperature for children.

A baby's temperature may vary in different areas of the body. In the armpit, thermometer readings up to 37.4 degrees can be considered normal. In the rectum and ears they are higher - the norm is up to 38 degrees. The temperature should be measured when the baby is calm and lying motionless. If at this time he is suckling his mother’s breast, crying, or actively moving, the mercury in the thermometer will reach a higher level than is actually correct.

What temperature should a child have?

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The norm depends on the age of the child. For a one-year-old baby, thermometer readings from 36 to 37.4 degrees are considered normal. By the end of the first year of life, they are established in the range from 36 to 37 degrees.

If it’s hot outside, the child is dressed too warmly, the house is stuffy, the baby is screaming and worried, the mercury on the thermometer can reach 37.8 degrees. For now, this is not a reason to see a doctor. Ventilate the room, calm and change the child according to the weather, repeat the measurement after half an hour - an hour. The readings should go down.

When there are no other symptoms of the disease, you should try to create a baby comfortable conditions, and everything returns to normal. If the thermometer shows 38 degrees, you need to call a pediatrician at home. When the body temperature is above 39 degrees, it’s time to call an ambulance. The arriving emergency doctor will make a primary diagnosis and send a call to the district pediatrician the next day.

Reasons for rising temperature

The reasons can be very different. If there are no other symptoms of any illness, a high fever is possible. infant from:

• overheating in summer from hot weather or in winter from too warm clothes;
• conditions after vaccination;
• teething;
• an infectious disease whose symptoms do not appear immediately.

Depending on the cause of the fever, measures are taken to eliminate it. Every parent should know what measures are needed in a given case.

Teething is one of the most common causes of fever

Measures in case of overheating

Overheating occurs in children of different ages when the weather is too hot outside or they are dressed too warmly. Newborns can also be over-insulated at home. Overheating manifests itself in the baby's restlessness and whims. Parents realize that something is wrong with the child, put their palm to his forehead, and discover that the baby is hot. The thermometer can show more than 37.9 degrees. What to do:

• bring the air temperature in the apartment to 22 degrees by thoroughly ventilating the rooms;
• if it overheats outside, take the baby home or take him to the shade;
• undress the baby, leaving him on the lightest clothes or holding him completely without clothes;
• Offer him plenty of lukewarm drinks throughout the day.

In the case where overheating actually occurred, the child’s body temperature will drop in half an hour to an hour. If this does not happen, then there was no overheating, the reason is something else.

Teeth cutting

This reason is very common. There are additional symptoms of teething that suggest that the child is not sick:

• The thermometer readings do not rise above 38 degrees;
• a child from 6 months to 2.5 years (just at this age baby teeth are cut);
• the little man pulls all the objects into his mouth and tries to scratch his gums with them;
• the gums are swollen, the edge of the tooth is slightly visible from above;
• The thermometer readings are elevated for no more than 3 days, after which they become normal.

Parents consider it a sign of teething increased salivation and poor appetite. This is wrong; in the third month, a child’s salivary glands actively develop, and teeth are cut only at six months. Poor appetite occurs with elevated temperature, which appears for various reasons.

If it is hot during teething, the doctor will recommend keeping the baby at home and not giving him a full bath. It is also necessary to maintain a comfortable climate in the room and give the baby more fluids. If the readings on the thermometer exceed 37.9 degrees, you can give your baby the children's antipyretic drug Nurofen (ibuprofen and paracetamol), which is also a pain reliever. It will reduce itching and relieve pain syndrome in the gums. To relieve gum pain, there are baby ointments and gels that are used during teething.

When applying all these measures, one must take into account that in most cases, high fever is a sign of an infectious disease - ARVI, influenza, intestinal infection And so on. To exclude these causes, you need to contact a children's clinic. The infection can also become active during teething.

Reaction to vaccination

When a newborn is three months old, he or she should be vaccinated against whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria (DPT) or tetanus and diphtheria only (DT). The pediatrician decides which of these vaccinations to give. Some children develop a fever after vaccination. Because of this, there is no need to worry if the temperature drops to normal the next day.

A one-year-old child is vaccinated against measles and mumps. This vaccination can cause fever 5-6 days after vaccination, and on days 8-10 the thermometer readings can be much higher than normal. There is no need to sound the alarm and call ambulance. If the baby has no other signs of illness, nothing bad happens. There are also vaccinations that should not cause fever in children - vaccination against polio and tuberculosis (BCG).

Throat infections

It is necessary to learn to look at the baby's throat and distinguish its redness from the usual state of the pharynx. Small ulcers and pimples may appear on the throat. Because throat infections are characterized only by high fever and sore throat, which small man I can’t tell my mother yet, such skills will be useful to parents. These infections have no other symptoms.

Not only the doctor, but also the parents can examine the child’s throat

• Acute pharyngitis is very common. All of the above signs - redness of the throat, ulcers, pimples - indicate this disease.
• A baby may develop a fever with herpangina. It also causes blisters to appear on the tonsils, throat, back wall larynx.
• Children who are three years old often have a sore throat. It is characterized by the appearance of white plaque on the tonsils and back of the throat. The fever begins. This disease does not occur in one-year-old and younger children - they are protected by their mother’s immunity; from 1 year to 2 years, sore throat is also very rare.

Treatment depends on the diagnosis. For angina, antibiotics are prescribed. Pharyngitis can be viral or bacterial. To prescribe a medication, the diagnosis is first clarified. Herpangina is a viral disease and does not require antibiotic treatment.

Acute stomatitis

Children who often put dirty objects into their mouths develop stomatitis. With stomatitis, the baby begins to salivate profusely. His temperature rises and his appetite decreases. Treatment of the disease requires consultation with a specialist. Before the doctor arrives, the child should be put on a diet of liquid and pureed foods. You can rinse your mouth with infusion of sage and chamomile or furatsilin.

Acute otitis media

When bathing, water sometimes pours into a newborn's ears, which the parents did not wipe off in time. In a draft, the ear becomes hypothermic, the infection in it becomes more active, and otitis media begins. A thermometer for acute otitis media can show up to 40 degrees, the baby’s ears hurt. He pulls them and cries in pain. Depending on the severity of the disease, the doctor prescribes an antibiotic for instillation into the ears or an antibiotic through injections. Sometimes you can get by with taking pills rather than injections.

Acute otitis in a child requires medical intervention

Roseola (roseola rash)

Roseola (sudden exanthema) affects small children aged 9 months to 2 years. The disease begins with a rise in temperature to 38.5-40 degrees. The baby's lymph nodes in the neck swell. The elevated temperature can last up to 5 days. Then it subsides, and a spotty pink rash appears on the body. Then the rash disappears. The disease is caused by a common type of herpes. About 70% of children suffer from it in early childhood.

ARVI, flu, colds

A common cold can cause a high fever. This means that the child’s body fights infection with its own immune system. Without pills, the disease should go away on its own within 7 days. You can give the little man tea with honey, boiled milk, raspberry jam and an antipyretic in case of extreme heat. This will help cure a cold. The thermometer readings exceed the norm for ARVI and influenza. Treatment in such cases is prescribed by the doctor, based on the general condition of the patient and his personal characteristics. Only a doctor can understand what disease your baby has developed.

Infections of the urinary system and intestines

Disease urinary tract can only be characterized by significant heat. The most attentive parents notice that it is painful for the baby to urinate, that his legs or face are swollen. The diagnosis is made by a doctor, for which he prescribes tests. A urinary tract infection is bacterial in nature. In case of illness, the doctor prescribes antibiotic treatment.

Intestinal infections initially cause only severe fever. Other manifestations - diarrhea, nausea, vomiting - do not appear immediately. These signs sometimes take several hours, or even a day, after the onset of the disease.

How to relieve a child with a high fever?

Pyretic is a temperature from 38 to 40 degrees (see also:). If the marks on the thermometer scale are as follows, you should call a doctor. The child should be given a children's antipyretic; non-drug treatment methods can be used. It is advisable to give the antipyretic in the form of syrup; it acts faster and more effectively.

If the nature of the disease is viral, the fever will last no more than three days. When it does not subside further, this indicates the bacterial nature of the disease or a hidden inflammatory process. You need to urgently contact your pediatrician. He will give directions for urine and blood tests, x-rays and ultrasound, and based on the results he will make a diagnosis.

How to bring down a fever without medication?

If your baby is less than 13 weeks old and has a fever and the thermometer shows above 38 degrees, you can try old ways relieving fever. For an older child, you can try to lower the temperature above 39 degrees (we recommend reading:).

• There is no need to cover a child with a fever with a warm blanket. On the contrary, it needs to be cooled. To do this, wet gauze napkins with warm water, place one of them on the baby’s forehead, the other on bare arms and legs. The water will begin to evaporate and the body will cool. You can wipe the baby's entire body with such a napkin from time to time. Pediatrician Komarovsky advises using warm water for wiping, and not vinegar or vodka, since it will not harm the baby’s body and will not cause intoxication.
• In extreme heat, the baby needs to be given a lot of fluids because he sweats and fluid evaporates from the body. If the mother is breastfeeding, during a fever you should offer him food more often than usual. For drinking, use baby tea, boiled water or rehydration solution. Your baby's doctor will prescribe plenty of fluids.
• The patient should be at rest and observe bed rest. The air temperature in the room should be comfortable - 20-22 degrees. If you simply undress the baby and keep him naked in the room for 10-15 minutes, the body will cool down and the fever will subside.

Air baths have a good effect - body temperature immediately decreases

Sometimes when it is hot, the baby's limbs remain cold. In this case, the legs and arms must be warmed by covering them or wearing socks and mittens. Such cooling of the extremities indicates poor blood circulation. It is necessary to give the baby a warm drink and carry out warming procedures.

Medicines for high fever

After parents carry out non-drug measures to eliminate elevated temperature the effect is achieved in half an hour. If the measures do not help, an antipyretic should be given.

At the age of up to 3 months, medications are prescribed when the temperature exceeds 38 degrees. Children who are already 3 months old are given antipyretics after 39 degrees on the thermometer. There are exceptions - if the baby feels unwell, turns pale, or experiences chills, the medicine is given immediately, regardless of the thermometer reading.

There is a group of children who need to be given an antipyretic at a temperature above 37.5. These are sick children who have been diagnosed with heart disease (cardiomyopathy or congenital defect), kidney disease, and pathology of the nervous system. There are children whose fever leads to seizures. If your baby has heart disease, a fever can cause serious problems with his functioning. Nervous diseases lead to convulsions in extreme heat.

To eliminate fever, children are given drugs of 2 groups - paracetamol, on the basis of which the drugs Panadol and Eferalgan are made, and ibuprofen, from which Nurofen is made:

• The dose of paracetamol is calculated based on the fact that 15 mg of the drug is given per 1 kg of weight at a time, and 60 mg per 1 kg of the baby’s weight per day. The daily dose is divided into 4 doses. The doctor may increase the dose of the medicine to 90 mg per 1 kg per day.
• Ibuprofen is given in smaller doses - 10 mg per 1 kg of body weight per dose or 30 mg per kg of body weight per day.
• Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be given alternately.
• Adult medications - Analgin and Aspirin - should not be given to children!

Antipyretic syrups for children effectively solve the problem of high fever

Antipyretics in syrups and suppositories

There are certain rules for giving medicinal syrups to children. First of all, they relate to dosage. The dose is calculated according to the child's weight, and not based on his age group. The syrup should not be given after removing it from the refrigerator. You need to warm the bottle in your hand or in warm water. Different medications help different children. If you give ibuprofen and there is no result, you can give paracetamol after 2 hours.

Medicines for fever in suppositories act more slowly than in syrups, since the suppository in the rectum touches the baby’s body with a smaller area than the syrup in the stomach. In some cases, treatment with suppositories makes sense. At elevated temperatures, some babies slow down the process of absorption of medicine from the stomach, then the only hope is a suppository. Additionally, many children vomit when they have a high fever and are unable to swallow the medicine. There are children who are not helped by medications taken orally, but a suppository will help. If you gave your baby medicine, but the fever did not subside, you need to light a candle. Moreover, if you gave paracetamol syrup, then put a suppository with ibuprofen.

What do attentive mothers do when their child is naughty and whining? In a relationship infants One rule applies - if something causes discomfort to the baby, then perhaps he has a fever. When do you need to urgently call a doctor, and when can you cope with the disease on your own?

The normal temperature of an infant may differ from the usual 36.6 °C, especially in the first six months of life. It is believed that the range normal temperature can be from 36.5 to 37.5 °C. Temperatures may vary throughout the day. Another important point– how to correctly measure the temperature of a newborn? Most doctors prefer traditional mercury thermometers, since electronic versions allow for some errors.

The most accurate measurement will be basal temperature (measured in the rectum), but it is always higher than axillary temperature (measured in the armpit). The temperature in the mouth of infants is not measured for safety reasons. Basal temperature will be higher on average by 1°C. Therefore, if an infant has a temperature of 38 °C, and the measurement was made in the rectum, this means that in fact the temperature is about 37 °C. To know what your baby's normal temperature is, measure it when the baby is healthy three times - morning, afternoon and evening. Then you will have an idea of ​​your child’s individual norm.

Why might a baby develop a fever?

Does temperature always mean the development of any disease? Not at all, since the baby has not yet established the body’s thermoregulation system. This means that an increase in temperature may be the body’s reaction to non-infectious causes. For example, overheating or cooling, stress, dehydration, excessive physical activity, lack of sleep.

If the cause of fever in an infant is an infection, then the increase in temperature is a protective mechanism launched by the body to fight bacteria and viruses. The fight against viruses and the production of immunoglobulins continues until the temperature reaches 39 ° C, but if the temperature rises higher, the protection weakens and the load on the cardiovascular and nervous systems increases.

When to start lowering your temperature

The threshold of 39 °C is relevant for adults, but for infants it is lower. If an infant's temperature is 37 °C, there is no need to bring it down, but the child's condition should be monitored. Many processes occur rapidly in babies, so measure the temperature every hour to make sure it has not risen. At 38 °C, you should call a doctor from the clinic, but if the temperature is 39 °C and above, you should immediately call an ambulance.

Another danger of high temperature in an infant is the occurrence of seizures, since blood circulation in small vessels is disrupted. If a baby has diarrhea and fever, this means that there is also a danger of dehydration, which should not be allowed under any circumstances.

What should parents do if they discover that their baby has a fever? Here are a few simple rules that will help reduce the temperature and alleviate the child’s condition:

• The room where the baby lies should be well ventilated, and the air temperature should be within 20 °C. However, do not open a window or window in the presence of a sick child;
• Under no circumstances should you wrap your baby up to make him “sweat” - this will only worsen the situation. On the contrary, you need to reveal it, dressing it as lightly as possible - in a cotton vest;
• Be sure to immediately remove the diaper when a temperature appears: it interferes with normal heat exchange;
• You can wipe your baby with water at room temperature.

Such measures are often enough to alleviate the baby’s condition. How can an infant bring down the temperature if it still remains high? In this case, paracetamol-based drugs will come to the rescue. For babies, it is better to use rectal suppositories. But in any case, you need to call a doctor, even if you managed to cope with the fever on your own - after all, the drugs do not last long, and the treatment must be comprehensive. Rubbing with vodka, alcohol or vinegar is indeed more effective than wiping with water, but for a baby this procedure can be dangerous due to sudden hypothermia and inhalation of vapors. It is better to use another method - very a short time apply ice wrapped in cloth to the area of ​​the knee and elbow bends. This should only be done if the temperature is very high and needs to be brought down as quickly as possible.

If a baby has diarrhea and fever at the same time, then it is necessary to establish the body’s water-salt balance and stop the diarrhea. Before the doctor arrives, you can give your baby Smecta and try to put your baby to your breast more often. Most likely he will be capricious and eat poorly, but he absolutely needs milk. You can give your baby water to drink, and offer children over six months old cranberry or lingonberry juice diluted with water. The doctor may prescribe special medications to restore water-salt balance.

If your baby has a fever, then this can be a symptom of many diseases (including infectious ones); there are enough reasons for the occurrence of a temperature reaction in the first year of life. Many diseases begin with an increase in the baby’s body temperature, and only then other symptoms appear. However, situations are often observed when the temperature rises once for no apparent reason. When increased body temperature in infants may be the norm, but when should you sound the alarm?

All kids have it because imperfections of the thermoregulation center The temperature may be higher than in older children. Immediately after birth, infants have a body temperature of 37.5–38.0C. A few hours after birth, the temperature drops by 1-1.5 degrees, and by 5-6 days it stops at about 37 degrees and is normal for a newborn.

Measuring body temperature in babies:

A baby's body temperature is measured in several ways - in the armpit (or inguinal fold), in the rectum (rectally). Also appeared special nipple thermometers, which measure temperature in the mouth (orally). With an oral measurement, the temperature is normally half a degree higher than under the armpit or in the inguinal fold, and with a rectal measurement, it is correspondingly higher by a whole degree.

Recently, infrared ear thermometers have become increasingly popular. Their advantages are a measurement speed of only 2-3 seconds, a small error (only 0.2C) and absolute safety (the device does not contain mercury, glass, or emitting devices). The thermometer is placed in the ear canal and after a few seconds the result is visible on the display. Such thermometers are especially convenient to use for babies, for whom it can be quite difficult to measure their temperature in the usual way. The only disadvantage of ear infrared thermometers is their fairly high price.

Features of body temperature in infants:

You should not measure your baby’s body temperature immediately after eating, swimming, gymnastics or massage - it will be elevated! The true temperature will be approximately 15-20 minutes after these events.

Because their temperature regulation center is undeveloped, babies become overheated or hypothermic very easily. Moreover, overheating is much more common. If the baby’s body temperature is slightly elevated on the thermometer, then you should remove one layer of clothing.

A baby’s temperature up to 37.2C can be considered normal for up to 6 months. However, everything is individual, and the child’s temperature largely depends on the basal metabolic rate; in some children, a temperature of 37.5 may be considered normal. However, this temperature will be considered normal if it is present during daily measurements and provided that the baby has no signs of illness.

Considering the fact that metabolic processes occur in the baby’s body quite intensively, the body temperature during illness rises quite quickly. And if the baby’s thermometer shows 38.0C, then after half an hour it will turn into 39.5C. Also, another feature in infants is the occurrence of so-called febrile seizures when body temperature rises above 38.0C. Therefore, you should reduce the temperature if the numbers on the thermometer are above 37.5C.

The reasons for increased temperature in infants may be:

• Overheating of the baby (including heat stroke);
• Illness of the child (intestinal infections, etc.);
• Reaction to ;
• Reaction to stress;
• Allergic reaction;
• Neurological reasons.

In any case, it is necessary to monitor the baby, who has an increase in body temperature. If the cause of this is a disease, then the babies quickly develop intoxication (the baby is lethargic, apathetic, refuses to eat) and other symptoms appear.

When to start lowering your baby’s temperature and how:

If a baby under 6 months has an elevated body temperature above 37.5C, then this is a reason to immediately consult a doctor. You should not wait until the temperature rises to 38.5C; treatment should begin with antipyretic drugs.

Currently, there is no evidence that during elevated temperatures, a greater number of antibodies (therapeutic immunoglobulins) are produced, and the higher the temperature, the more actively the child’s body fights the infection. This is an outdated opinion and is now considered unfounded. On the contrary, a febrile temperature (above 38.0C) can cause seizures in a child, and in addition, the child’s strength is quickly depleted at a high temperature.

The first thing a baby with a fever needs is to drink plenty of fluids.. An increase in body temperature contributes to dehydration of the baby's body, as he breathes faster and sweats more. Therefore, one of the main tasks of parents at high temperatures (even if it is on). Offer your baby water every 15-30 minutes, he will drink as much as he needs. Please note that the more the child sweats and the warmer the room, the more water the baby will need. Children's tea, dried fruit compote, and raisin decoction can also be used for drinking. The drinking temperature should be approximately equal to the baby’s body temperature (at the same time, it is most quickly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract).

The baby also needs cool air in the room (no more than 20 degrees). If the baby is sweating, he needs to be changed into dry clothes. The air should be cool, and the clothes should be warm accordingly.

Physical cooling methods- rubbing with vodka, vinegar, wrapping in a wet sheet - should not be used on children. Such methods only stimulate spasm of skin blood vessels and worsen sweating. Rubbing the skin with vinegar or vodka is not safe for these babies!

To reduce fever in children under one year of age 2 drugs are used –paracetamol (“Panadol-baby”, “Eferalgan baby”) and ibuprofen (Nurofen). Aspirin is contraindicated in children under 12 years of age, because of possible complications(Reye's syndrome - acute fatty liver). You can use both rectal suppositories and syrup. Especially good effect provide paracetamol-based drugs for acute respiratory viral infections.

Antipyretic drugs should be used only when body temperature rises. Scheduled use (hourly in advance) should not be used. Paracetamol and ibuprofen should be given no more than 4 times a day and no more than 3 days in a row unless examined by a doctor.

Only a doctor can determine the cause of the baby’s fever.. It may be necessary to monitor the baby over time to establish an accurate diagnosis. If a baby with a high temperature has a diaper that remains dry for more than 4 hours, the fontanelle is retracted, or the baby is suddenly sluggish, this is a reason to urgently call emergency care.

Health to you and your baby.

Watch a video about fighting fever in children:

The vast majority of young parents associate an increase in body temperature in their infants with some disease. During infectious and inflammatory processes, temperature (not necessarily high) is a normal reaction of the body that helps cope with pathogens. But when infectious diseases other symptoms must be present - sneezing, nasal congestion or excessive mucus discharge, coughing, vomiting or diarrhea. If they are not observed, moms and dads begin to panic and look for possible reasons this phenomenon, not knowing how to help the child. Most often, this is quite easy to do, since a slight increase in temperature is caused by reasons not related to serious illnesses.

What thermometer readings should be considered elevated temperature in infants?

To understand whether the situation requires your intervention, it is important to know what temperature is considered elevated in children and how to measure it correctly for children.
After birth, in the first hours the temperature is elevated (from 37.7-38.20 C), then it drops to 35 C, and by the end of the first 24 hours of life it is set at 36-37 C. These indicators are the norm for babies under 5 years of age .
Daily temperature fluctuations characteristic of humans are established at 2-3 weeks of life in full-term babies, and in premature babies - by 3-4 months.
Because infant activity increases temperature, it should not be measured immediately after:

1. Bathing
2. Massage or gymnastics
3. Other physical activity
4. Emotional excitement

The most accurate readings are obtained at rest, so it is better to measure the temperature of a sleeping baby. It is important not to cover the thermometer with a blanket.
The temperature norm depends on the method of its measurement and ranges from 1 month to 7 years:

1. In the armpit - 36.4-37.3°C
2. Rectally and in the ear - 36.9-37.5°C (do not use mercury thermometers!)
3. Oral - 36.6-37.2°C (pacifier thermometers)

In addition, there is an individual temperature norm, which can be 37.5 in the absence of other symptoms. Measurements must be taken at healthy child at the same time for about a week - this way you can find out the temperature norm.
For measurements you can use:

1. An ordinary mercury thermometer. It works without errors, but it needs to be held for a long time (8 - 10 minutes) and is easy to break, and mercury vapor is highly toxic.
2. Electronic. They signal the end of the measurement with a sound signal (about 2 minutes), but errors are allowed.
3. Infrared ear thermometers and dummy thermometers. The measurements take a few seconds, but they are not often found in pharmacies and are expensive.

It is optimal to measure temperature with an electronic thermometer by comparing its readings with a mercury thermometer.

The main causes of fever in babies without other signs of illness

If you know your baby’s temperature perfectly well, the child does not show any signs of illness, is active, cheerful and eats well, but his temperature is elevated, pay attention to:

1. Room temperature and baby's clothing. The immature mechanism of thermoregulation in children, despite the active functioning of thermoreceptors, causes strong addiction the baby's body temperature depends on the environment, so a couple of blouses and a blanket may be superfluous. If the place where the baby is is hot and he is dressed warmly, remove excess clothing and measure the temperature after a while.
2. The child's oral cavity. Erupting teeth cause inflammation of the gums and often cause a rise in temperature to 38 C (no higher!). The first teeth can appear at 4.5 months or a year, but they begin to bother the baby long before their appearance. If, upon examination, you find swelling of the gums, the child’s salivation has increased, the baby puts everything in his mouth and is capricious, the temperature is caused by teething. But if other symptoms appear (sneezing, sniffles, etc.) or the temperature lasts more than 3 days, consult a doctor - at this time the child’s immunity is weakened and you could very well acquire some kind of infection due to teething.
3. Baby's skin. Your baby may be intolerant to some foods (cow's milk protein in the formula, a new puree, or an allergen product eaten by the mother during breastfeeding), have an allergy to animal dander or insect bites, and allergic reactions may be accompanied by a slight increase in temperature. If your baby is found to have a mosquito bite, a rash appears or his cheeks are red, eliminate all allergens from the diet and consult a specialist - he will prescribe medications according to the baby’s age.
4. The number of wet diapers, the baby's skin and fontanel. If you are already introducing protein complementary foods, but are not replenishing the lack of fluid in children's body, the baby develops dehydration and the temperature rises. At the same time, the baby becomes lethargic or capricious, there are fewer tears when crying, the fontanel sinks, and the number of wet diapers decreases. In this case, you need to give the baby something to drink and remember to replenish the lack of fluid in the future.
5. Routine vaccination. If you have been vaccinated against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus, and the next day your baby has a fever, this is a normal reaction of the body. In a day, the baby's condition should return to normal. Vaccination against measles, rubella and mumps can give a temperature reaction (up to 39.4) 6-12 days after vaccination without other symptoms of the disease, and the temperature can last from 1 to 5 days. A high temperature can be brought down if the baby does not tolerate it very well. Polio and BCG vaccinations should not cause a temperature reaction.
6. The emotional state of the baby. If a child screams for a long time or is overexcited, his temperature may rise slightly. If the baby has any nervous system disorders, it can be high. The child should be calmed and distracted, and measurements should be taken when the baby is completely calm.
7. Excreta. Signs of acute gastrointestinal diseases do not appear immediately - the first symptom is fever, and vomiting and diarrhea appear later. You may even get away with a “mild fright”, that is, loose, but not frequent stools. If the vomiting was one-time, let the baby drink as often as possible, but only a teaspoon . If symptoms of an intestinal infection appear, infants should call a doctor. If the local police officer no longer makes rounds, and the baby has vomited several times or has frequent loose stools, call an ambulance, since dehydration in young children develops rapidly, and you will not be able to cope without IVs.

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A child who has no symptoms other than a fever should be closely monitored. Very often the disease develops gradually, so a runny nose and cough may appear within 2-3 days. At high temperatures, the mucous membranes dry out, so the child’s nose is stuffy (this can be heard from his breathing during sleep), but there is no snot.

In addition, often there are symptoms, but mothers and fathers cannot see them on their own. So, a baby cannot complain of a sore throat, which is accompanied by pharyngitis or a sore throat, and the mother does not know how to independently examine the baby’s throat. In this case, refusal to eat should raise suspicion. Fever can also be caused by kidney disease, which is determined by urine tests.
As the disease develops, the baby develops intoxication - the child becomes lethargic and apathetic, and this is a reason to consult a doctor.
You should always:

1. Feed your baby frequently (at the breast)
2. Don't bundle up
3. Ventilate and humidify the room

It is not always necessary to lower the temperature, as it helps fight infections. If the temperature is above 38C, and the baby is clearly experiencing discomfort, you can give paracetamol for children or ibuprofen according to the instructions (names may vary depending on the manufacturer - Efferalgan, Panadol, etc.). Candles are used for infants. You can also give antipyretics if the baby’s forehead is hot and his arms and legs are cold - this means that the temperature is rising.
Do not use various rubdowns (water, vinegar and especially alcohol) to reduce the temperature!!! Rubbing with cool water can cause vasospasm, which is dangerous for the baby’s life, and alcohol causes poisoning.

In this video, a cardiologist talks in detail about the causes of elevated temperature in infants without other symptoms.

The human body is designed in such a way that our body temperature changes under the influence of the environment. This process is called thermoregulation. Its main center is located in the brain. In an infant, this mechanism does not work entirely smoothly, so the baby easily becomes cold or overheats.

Two processes always occur in a child’s body: heat production and heat transfer. Heat production in babies works very actively. A child generates much more heat than an adult, but babies can hardly give off this heat, since their sweat glands are underdeveloped.

Komarovsky, pediatrician: “If the parents are warm, then it may well be that their baby is hot. Touch the back of the baby's head; if it is cold, the baby is cold; if, on the contrary, it is damp, then it is hot. A baby’s normal temperature fluctuates.”

In children of the first months, the source of heat is brown fat, which babies accumulate from the end of intrauterine life. Babies also cannot tremble, so when they freeze, they begin to actively move their arms or legs.

The subcutaneous fat layer is too thin. Because of this, the ability to retain heat inside the body is reduced. Sweating is poorly developed. The baby cannot properly give off excess moisture.

Indicators of the state of heat or cold in infants are the nose, hands and back of the head.

How to measure temperature?

To know the normal body temperature of a child, three measurements are needed - in the morning, in the evening and during the day. You need to choose the average value.

Body temperature can be measured:

• in the armpit - the most common method;
• in the inguinal fold;
• in the mouth;
• in the anus.

A thermometer is required for measurement. You need to place it in the armpit and fix it with your hand for 5 - 10 minutes. If the child does not allow you to measure, then for at least two minutes. At high temperatures, the mercury thermometer will have enough time to warm up.

We do the same in the groin fold.

When measuring the temperature in your mouth, never use a mercury glass thermometer. A child may break the tip.

When measuring in the anus, the thermometer must first be dipped in Vaseline. Then lift the baby’s legs and carefully insert the thermometer into the anus 2 - 3 cm. Measure for three minutes.

An infant's temperature may change due to environmental conditions. The figure 36.6, to which we are all accustomed, cannot be attributed to children under one year old.

The body temperature of a newborn is considered normal:

• in the armpit - 36 - 37.5 degrees;
• in the anus - 1 degree more, that is, 37 - 38 degrees;
• in the mouth - 37.2 degrees.

As a result, the amplitude of normal temperature in a newborn is 2 degrees - 36 - 38 ˚С.

Types of thermometers

1. Electronic. Safe to use. But he is not always accurate in his readings; there are errors of half a degree. After the measurement is completed, it emits a sound or light signal.
2. Mercury. The most accurate. The mercury ball heats up and expands under the influence of high temperature and cools more slowly. The disadvantage of such a thermometer is that it is easy to break. Or a child might chew it, and mercury is toxic.
3. Infrared(rectal, ear, frontal). They measure the temperature tactilely, in the ear or by pressing it to the forehead. Its readings may be overestimated by half a degree.
4. Dummy thermometer. A pacifier thermometer will be useful for those children who suck pacifiers and are capricious during the temperature measurement procedure. It comes with various funny designs on the ring.

Dr. Komarovsky: “In Russia, the main thermometer is a mercury thermometer. It's like a tradition passed down from generation to generation. The main thing is that the thermometer shows the exact temperature.”

Temperature increase

If a baby has a temperature in the armpit of 37.5 degrees, but feels good - eats, does not cry - then worries are in vain.

If such a temperature is accompanied by mucous discharge from the nose, coughing, apathy of the child and poor appetite, then most likely an infectious process begins.

Reasons for rising temperature

1. The child is dressed warmly. The rule for dressing babies in cold weather is “+1 layer from an adult.” This means that you need to mentally add another layer to the clothes that you are currently wearing. In hot weather, the “-1 layer” rule applies.
2. It's hot in the children's room. The optimal temperature at home is 20 - 24 degrees.
3. Dry air, heaters on. They can also artificially overheat the air in a room.

A newborn moves little, so its temperature is higher than that of an adult. As mentioned above - 36 - 37.5˚С. A two-month-old child's temperature is also close to these figures. At the age of 3 months, a child already begins active life activities - the baby rolls over on his stomach and stands up on his arms.

His temperature should be up to 37.3 degrees. At 4 months, a child may have his first tooth, which can cause an increase in temperature.

At 6 months, heat transfer processes are already more pronounced, he can sweat during active games, so for him the upper limit is 37 degrees.

So, we found out that temperature fluctuations are typical for children of the first year. We also figured out what temperature a newborn should have.

To avoid overheating or hypothermia of the baby, Take a few actions as a rule:

• humidify the air in the children's room;
• ventilate the room several times a day for 20 minutes;
• when dressing for the street, adequately assess the weather and the clothes you are putting on your child;
• do not wrap your baby in several diapers if it is hot at home;
• when it changes general well-being baby, consult a doctor.