What is the best way to reduce fever in children? How and how to reduce a child’s high fever: basic methods

When to lower your child's temperature

Children tolerate fever more easily than adults. Sometimes it happens that the baby is unwell, but the mother does not even suspect the child’s condition, since he is still active, eats and sleeps well, and nothing changes in his daily routine. In such situations, temperature does not cause harm, but, on the contrary, warns of an impending disease.

The norm for bringing down the temperature is considered to be 38.5 degrees, but this limit is considered relative. When a person’s temperature rises, an inflammatory process occurs in the body, which the body tries to cope with on its own. If the child is actively behaving, but when you see that the thermometer reflects a critical point in order to knock it down, then you should postpone this process. At the same time, it needs to be monitored every 20 minutes.

If, on the contrary, the child is weak, feels lethargic, apathy and other symptoms in which the child does not behave as usual, and the thermometer shows only 38 degrees, then it is necessary to take medications in this state to bring down the temperature, so as not to start the pathogenic process , and also alleviate the baby’s condition.

How to reduce a child's temperature

When the baby is unwell, the mother asks herself every time: “how to lower the temperature?”, “what is better to choose - suppositories, syrup or tablets?”, “when to start reducing?”, “is it possible to rub the child?”. Each person is individual, so the tolerance of certain components, the reaction and the period of temperature reduction after taking the medicine are different for everyone. It is best to consult with your doctor about medications, who will give the most correct recommendations taking into account the patient’s characteristics.

In most cases, doctors recommend lowering the temperature with suppositories, since if a child refuses to take the medicine, they are easier to insert, and they also begin to act faster than the same medicine, but in a different form - syrup or tablet. So, baby? Depending on the composition, they are divided into two groups: ibuprofen (medicine Nurofen) and paracetamol (medicines Efferalgan, Cefekon, Panadol and others).

When choosing an antipyretic drug, you need to rely on the symptoms of the disease and the age of the child. “Nurofen”, in addition to the antipyretic effect, also has analgesic effects, but its use is possible only from the beginning of the second half of the child’s life. Paracetamol-based drugs are safe for children, but are effective mainly for acute respiratory viral infections. Both drugs should be taken no more than four times a day, six hours apart. If, in the interval between taking the drug, the temperature dropped and rose again, then in order to maintain a six-hour interval in the use of one medicine, you can alternate between Nurofen and, for example, Efferalgan.

Other ways to relieve the condition

During illness, it is necessary to give the child to drink more water so that the baby sweats, and as a result the temperature drops. Ventilate the room more often. Ideally, the temperature in the room drops to 18-20 degrees. This way, you will help your child cope with a high temperature on his own.

There is a controversial opinion about rubbing a child with vodka or alcohol. But, in any case, if you decide to rub your baby with vodka, then you should not manipulate the drink in its pure form, you need to mix it in a 1:1 ratio with warm water. Rubbing occurs throughout the body, arms, legs, neck, forehead. The water you use to wipe your baby should be

Before lowering your child’s temperature, carefully assess his condition. You may have to call an ambulance, and then doctors will help reduce the high temperature. While you wait for the ambulance, undress the child naked and rub him with some water. Never keep your baby in diapers at high temperatures, as they help retain heat in the body.

Health to you and your baby!

Almost all childhood diseases manifest themselves in the form of increased body temperature. This gives parents a reason to react quickly and go to the hospital in a timely manner. If a child develops various diseases, you should definitely consult a doctor, but if the baby’s temperature rises, then resort to lowering it. We will find out further how to bring down a child’s temperature, as well as the main methods that will certainly help achieve the goal.

Basic measures to reduce temperature

Initially, it should be noted that high fever in children is a reason to visit the hospital. The temperature should be reduced when its value exceeds the thermometer mark of 35.5-39 degrees. If a child has pathologies with the nervous system, then the temperature should be lowered much earlier if the reading is above 38.

A child’s temperature indicates that an infection has entered the body, which causes corresponding diseases. It is imperative to reduce a child’s high temperature, since when it increases, hyperthermic syndrome can develop, which will lead to the death of the baby. Almost all mothers know that it is prohibited to allow the baby’s hyperthermia to increase above 40 degrees. To quickly reduce a child’s temperature, it is not enough to use only antipyretic drugs. This will result in parents having to sit and wait for the medicine to take effect. To reduce a child’s temperature, you should adhere to the following actions presented in the algorithm:

1. Provide a flow of fresh air into the room. To effectively reduce your baby’s body temperature, you should initially provide a flow of fresh air in the room. When ventilating the room, do not forget that drafts can aggravate the situation. The air temperature in the room should be 18-20 degrees. It is also necessary to humidify the air, for which it is enough to wet several towels and hang them in the room.
2. Provide your baby with regular fluids. To bring down the temperature, you need to give your baby something to drink regularly. The liquid not only helps reduce fever, but also prevents the development of dehydration. The child should drink regularly every 5 minutes, but in small sips. The most important thing is that the liquid is not hot or cold. The liquid should be at room temperature.
3. Wiping with a damp cloth. You can lower the temperature by rubbing. To do this, use a cloth, such as a towel, and warm water. Rubbing children with vinegar or vodka is unacceptable. Wiping the skin with a damp cloth is not recommended if the child develops a convulsive condition.
4. Light and loose clothing. If the baby is shivering, then you cannot dress him even warmer. To reduce the temperature in children, you need to undress him down to a T-shirt and shorts, and then cover him with a light cloth. It is recommended to change clothes regularly as they become wet very quickly, which causes symptoms of chills.
5. The use of antipyretics. If the above methods do not help, you should resort to using an antipyretic medication. How to quickly reduce a child’s high fever using antipyretics? To do this, it is necessary to give the baby an antipyretic in the form of syrup, rectal suppositories or tablets, when the thermometer readings are from 38.5 degrees, which depends on the age of the baby. Depending on the drug used and the form of its release, the fever decreases mainly for 4-6 hours 20-40 minutes after using the product.

Answering the question of how to properly lower the temperature is quite difficult. Each child has an individual approach, which parents should be aware of. If some methods do not help, you need to resort to others. If allergy symptoms appear during the use of medications, then it is necessary to discontinue this drug.

Reducing fever with antipyretics

How to bring down a child’s temperature of 39 if the thermometer readings are constantly rising? In such a situation, you should definitely use antipyretics. You can purchase medications at any pharmacy, but be sure to indicate that the funds are needed for a child. Before giving your child an antipyretic, call your local doctor and make sure that these actions are correct. How to properly lower the temperature, you should read the instructions for the medication. The most effective and popular antipyretics are:

1. Paracetamol. You can reduce fever even in newborns from 1 month of age. It is one of the safest drugs that is used primarily for children. Even with a slight increase in dosage, nothing bad will happen. It can be given to both small children and school-aged children. Only the form of release of the drug changes: syrups, rectal suppositories or tablets. It is recommended to reduce high fever in a child under one year of age using rectal suppositories. In children from 1 year of age, you can resort to the use of syrups, if there is no allergic reaction.
2. Ibuprofen. A derivative of Ibuprofen is the drug Nurofen. It has the same effect as Paracetamol, but has a different composition. Allows you to achieve a reduction in high fever during viral and bacterial infections. If the dosage of these drugs is increased, side symptoms may occur. If Paracetamol does not help reduce the fever, then you can resort to taking Ibuprofen no sooner than after 2-3 hours.
3. Analgin. This drug has a pronounced antipyretic property. How to reduce a child’s temperature if the above medications do not have the desired effect? To do this, you should use Analgin. It is important to note here that the product is not intended for children, and doctors allow it to be given in extreme cases in order to save the child’s life. If your doctor allows you to use Analgin, check with him about the dosage.

If the above methods do not have the desired effect, you should immediately call an ambulance. The ambulance brings down the temperature using a “lytic mixture”. This is a mixture of three active ingredients that have a positive effect on the child within 5 minutes after intramuscular administration of the drug.

Reducing temperature using traditional methods

How can you reduce a child’s fever using traditional methods? A cold compress, which should be placed on the child’s forehead, relieves intense heat well. This compress is based on the following components: tea tree extract, as well as fir and eucalyptus oils. This compress not only helps reduce fever, but also fights viruses. But when a child’s temperature rises, mothers will not look for ingredients to prepare a compress. Let's look at the most acceptable ways to lower a child's temperature at home, using home methods.

1. Vitamin tea. Let your child drink more, which will speed up the process of removing viruses and infections from the body. It is best if the basis of such a drink is vitamin tea, which can be made using the following ingredients: red currants, rose hips, lingonberries, raspberries, cranberries. All of the above berries belong to the category of antipyretics, so with active consumption of vitamin tea, the baby’s fever will decrease. The advantage of the vitamin drink is the fact that it is enriched with vitamin C, which helps strengthen the immune system.
2. Herbal decoctions. How to relieve a child’s high fever using medicinal herbs? To do this, you should also prepare a special decoction, which you need to drink regularly every 5 minutes. To prepare a medicinal potion you will need: rowan, linden, rose hips, elderberry, nettle, damask leaves and others. The better the decoction is brewed, the more effective the reduction in hyperthermia. Using one dandelion decoction can also reduce a child's high fever.
3. Elderberry infusion. Black elderberry is one of the most effective folk remedies for fighting high fever. To prepare the infusion, brew a spoonful of fruit, then leave and strain. It allows you not only to influence the fever, but also to cure colds.

A constant companion of any infectious disease is an increase in the body. And despite the fact that this is a standard reaction of the body, many parents do not know what to do in this case. They wonder when and if the child should do this at all. In this article we will discuss this issue that worries many parents, as well as the reasons why this happens, the main symptoms, how to shoot down correctly and other useful information.

General information

Body temperature- this is an indicator of the thermal state of the body, which reflects the relationship between the production of heat by our entire body and its heat exchange with the external environment. Normal body temperature varies between 36.5° and 37.2°. Anything above or below these values ​​is considered a deviation from the normal state. An increase in body temperature is a signal from the body that something is wrong with it. Most often, this means that the process of fighting some kind of disease has started. This is a natural protective reaction, which, by connecting various biochemical reactions, destroys foreign microorganisms. It is divided into several subspecies due to the degree of its increase:

• subfebrile - 37-38 degrees;
• febrile - 38-39 degrees.

Everything above 39 degrees is called high temperature, and it also has its own classification:

• pyretic - 39-41 degrees;
• hyperpyretic - more than 41 degrees.

There is another gradation of body temperature:

• The normal indicator is from 35 to 37 degrees (it can fluctuate within these limits depending on gender, age, moment of measurement, individual characteristics, etc.).
• Hyperthermia - body temperature above 37 degrees.
• Fever is a high body temperature that preserves the body's heat regulation processes, in contrast to low body temperature.

Did you know? Temperature fluctuations in children are absolutely normal. It becomes more stable in girls at the age of 13-14, and in boys only at the age of 18.

An increase in body temperature is always accompanied by certain symptoms, and the higher it is, the more these symptoms will manifest themselves:

• general malaise;
• body aches;
• muscle pain;
• headache;
• chills;
• pain in the eyes;
• increased sweating;
• convulsions;
• dizziness;
• heart failure and difficulty breathing;
• delusions and hallucinations.

When body temperature is very high, the activity of the central nervous system is inhibited, severe dehydration occurs, blood circulation is impaired and blood pressure decreases.

Causes of fever in children

Let's figure out why the temperature increases. First, foreign bacteria and viruses enter the body through the respiratory tract or other sources. As soon as their entry is detected, our brain sends a signal to all internal organs to produce special proteins - pyrogens. The presence of such substances in the body triggers the process of increasing temperature.

As soon as this happens, other substances are sent to fight the uninvited guests - these are the protein interferon and antibodies. - the main fighter against unnecessary microorganisms. And here there is a direct relationship: body temperature becomes higher, and more of the necessary protein will be produced.

Important! The peak of interferon occurs at a temperature of 38 to 39 degrees, and these are the conditions that are most effective.

When we artificially reduce it, the production of interferon decreases, and antibodies begin to play the main role. They also successfully defeat the infection, but they do not do it as quickly as interferon, so the recovery process is significantly delayed.

But the body can malfunction, especially for children whose immune systems are not yet as stable as those of adults. And in this case, the temperature may approach dangerous levels for the child - from 39.5° to 41°.

When is it necessary to bring down a child's fever?

Let's consider what temperature should be brought down for a child. If we analyze all of the above and turn to the opinion of the majority of doctors, we can conclude that temperature readings of up to 38.5 degrees are the norm for an infectious disease, and you should not bring it down.

After all, such a reaction of the body only means that the immune system is working well. If you reduce the elevated thermometer readings using special measures, this will weaken the protection and may affect the course of further recovery.

Important! Modern doctors prohibit parents from lowering their body temperature to below 38.5° . The exception is those cases if the temperature is 38 degreesin a child up to, then doctors recommend lowering it.

The exception is children with any neurological seizures or sensitivity to weather changes. In such cases, it is recommended to apply measures at a temperature of 37.5 degrees. Also, if your child feels very unwell, suffers from severe muscle pain or headaches, then in such cases it is also better to resort to lowering the indicators, but before that it is better to first consult with a specialist.

If you don’t know what level to lower the temperature to, then keep in mind that there is no clear temperature standard; it ranges from 36 to 37 degrees for each child, depending on age. For example, in infants this figure is usually closer to 37 degrees, and in older children it is already lower. But all this is individual, and the 36.6° standard is usually not met in practice.

How to properly reduce readings if you can’t use medications

If you see that your sick child’s temperature reaches 39 degrees, and medications are contraindicated for him for some reason, then you can try to bring it down without them.

First, let's explain the processes that occur in us and affect body temperature indicators.

The human body produces heat itself, so if your baby has an elevated temperature, it is necessary to reduce its production. To do this, do not let your little one move a lot, eat heavily and drink hot drinks. It is better to provide him with a recumbent regime, light and cool drinks.

Another important process is heat transfer. Here everything is the other way around, it needs to be increased. Cool air in the room, about 18 degrees, will help with this. At the same time, the child should not freeze; it is enough if he inhales such air. You will also need active sweating; drinking plenty of fluids will help with this.

Important! In order to cause an increase in sweating, first saturate the child’s body with liquid (water, compote), and only then give diaphoretics, such as raspberry tea or decoctions of special herbs.

Thus, by reducing heat production and increasing its output, you can naturally reduce the thermometer readings.

As for non-drug first aid, in case you don’t have any in the house or you don’t want to resort to medications yet, you can use water wipes. However, do not use cold water for this, and do not apply ice or other cold objects. But with this method you will only achieve cooling of the skin itself, but inside the body the temperature not only will not decrease, but will also increase! This occurs due to spasm of skin vessels, which close and do not give off heat for some time. Naturally, such events will only worsen the child’s well-being.

There is another method of wiping, which is used only for adults, but is not recommended for children - wiping with alcohol or vinegar. Physically, this method is quite effective, because sweat with alcohol or vinegar vapor evaporates faster and thus takes away some of the heat. But through the child’s delicate and thin skin, these substances quickly penetrate into the blood, poisoning his body. Here, the younger the child, the faster harmful substances accumulate in his blood. Therefore, use only water for wiping.

Important! The water for wiping should be slightly cooler than the body (about 32-34 degrees), this will be enough to gradually lower the thermometer readings.

What can you do to lower your temperature and what should you avoid?

If the above methods do not help and the child’s temperature does not decrease, then parents need to know how to treat in such cases.

Today there are two substances, the use of which is approved by doctors all over the world as an independent treatment for high fever in a child. These substances are included in a variety of drugs, but they have international names - these are ibuprofen. At the pharmacy, ask for the active ingredient, which will tell you whether to take this antipyretic drug. Medicines based on these two substances are effective and safe and combine well with each other. But, naturally, all these positive properties will occur if the prescribed dose and rules of administration are observed.

Often, in the search for effective antipyretics, you can purchase the wrong drugs and use them without knowing about their dangers. These drugs include aspirin and analgin. The first is dangerous specifically for children in case of illness. It has been confirmed that aspirin can cause acute fatty liver degeneration in a child. This sometimes leads to irreparable damage to liver cells and, in many cases, death. By the way, the age when it is unsafe to take aspirin extends up to 18 years.

Another drug, analgin, is often used by emergency doctors in critical conditions. But doctors strongly advise against using it yourself. After all, this medicine has a whole bunch of undesirable effects that are especially dangerous for a child. Analgin can cause the most harm to the circulatory system.

Important! The interval between doses of antipyretic drugs should be at least 4 hours, and they can only be given 4 times a day.

So, let’s draw a line and remind you once again that only two drugs are suitable for independently lowering body temperature - Paracetamol and Ibuprofen (or drugs based on them), the rest can only be used by experienced specialists.

Doctor Komarovsky's opinion

The famous doctor Evgeniy Olegovich Komarovsky has established himself as a competent pediatrician who gives practical advice and helps many parents get answers to pressing questions for them. Let's find out what Komarovsky thinks about the child's high temperature.

Evgeniy Olegovich believes that each child is individual in his own way, and it is impossible to determine for all children the thermometer indicator at which the necessary measures need to be taken. Some people feel fine even at 39 degrees, but others feel bad even at 37.5 degrees. Therefore, he recommends monitoring the child’s condition and, if he is not feeling well at all, he needs to lower the temperature until the doctor arrives. For these purposes, Komarovsky adheres to the same views that we have already mentioned above, that is:

• Provide cool air in the room (the baby himself should be dressed in warm, dry clothes).
• Give plenty of fluids to drink for better sweating. For these purposes, Komarovsky advises giving a decoction of raisins or compote of dried fruits. He does not recommend giving raspberry tea, which is often used by people, at all, and for older children only as an additional drink. The fact is that raspberries cause too much sweating, and then dehydration.
• Komarovsky does not consider a fan, vinegar, alcohol, cold water, ice and other folk methods to be effective, and in some cases even dangerous.

Did you know? In the winter of 1994, a unique case was recorded in Canada. A little girl who had been in the cold for 6 hours had a body temperature of only 14.2 degrees. Fortunately, she was saved.

He considers it advisable to take an antipyretic in the following cases:

• the child is feeling very unwell;
• the presence of any pathologies of the nervous system that can cause seizures;
• The thermometer readings are above 39 degrees.

Komarovsky considers Paracetamol to be the most suitable antipyretic drug for children, because it is safe, effective and comes in many forms.

These are the main points on how to properly lower a child’s temperature at home and what activities can only make things worse. Always seek help from specialists and do not treat your child on your own. We wish your families health!

Elevated body temperature is a signal that the immune system has entered into battle with infections and bacteria attacking the child's body. Taking an antipyretic can lower the temperature, but the body temperature does not always drop quickly and easily. If the child’s temperature does not go down, then you need to understand whether this procedure is being carried out correctly. Perhaps the reason lies in a serious illness.

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How to lower the temperature correctly?

If a child has a high temperature, the main thing that parents should remember is not to panic. Only clear actions and calm will help you quickly overcome the problem and normalize the baby’s condition.

How to reduce a baby's temperature

You can alleviate the child’s condition and provide first aid before the pediatrician arrives by doing the following:

1. Provide a supply of fresh, clean, cool air. The room where the baby is located needs to be ventilated. The temperature in the room must be maintained in the range of 18-20 ° C, with a humidity of 45-55%.
2. Let's drink more. High temperatures contribute to rapid dehydration of the baby's body. You can avoid severe complications of this process by offering your child warm drinks as often as possible. For a newborn, in addition to breast milk, you can offer warm sweetened water, fruit drinks, and diluted tea.
3. Perform a light rubdown. In combination with antipyretics, rubbing will help to quickly reduce body temperature. Rubbing can only be done with clean, warm water, without adding vinegar or alcohol.
4. Free your baby from warm clothes. Even if the child is chilling, you should not wrap him up. Light clothing made from natural fabrics is ideal.
5. Give an antipyretic. For children in the first year of life, the following antipyretic drugs are recommended for use: Efferalgan (syrup or suppositories), Paracetamol (syrup or suppositories), Nurofen suspension.

Paracetomol - 68 rub. Nurofen - 210 rub. Efferalgan - 97 rub.

Rules for the use of drugs

Most medications contain flavorings and dyes that can cause an allergic reaction. At the first sign of an allergy, you should stop taking the antipyretic drug.

When using antipyretics you must remember:

• Paracetamol, Efferalgan or Nurofen do not reduce the temperature if the dosage is calculated incorrectly (the dose of the drug corresponds to the child’s weight, not his age);
• When using the medicine in syrup form, before using it, the bottle is heated in the hand to room temperature;
• never exceed the calculated dose of the drug;
• the same antipyretic drug in different forms (syrup, suppositories) can be alternated, the interval between doses should not be less than four hours.

How to properly reduce high fever in preschool children

The algorithm for parents' actions when a preschool child has a high temperature is not much different from the manipulations carried out with a newborn. The only difference is that older children can be given antipyretics in tablet form. The dose is calculated based on the child's weight.

Drinking plenty of fluids (juices, fruit drinks, herbal teas) and the necessary microclimate in the room - the ratio of cool, clean air with moderate humidity - will help normalize the situation.

High temperature, as a symptom of the disease, will disappear only when the reasons for its occurrence are identified and the necessary therapeutic therapy is carried out.

How to properly provide emergency care to your child with a high temperature, says Dr. Komarovsky.

How not to lower the temperature

Actions to reduce the thermometer readings may vary.

It all depends on the type of hyperthermia:

• with white, which is characterized by a hot forehead and cold hands and feet, it is forbidden to expose the baby and apply cool compresses;
• with red - characteristic symptoms are reddened and hot skin - do not wrap or drink hot tea.

You should also forget about the harmful consequences of such “grandmother’s” advice on reducing a child’s body temperature:

1. Compress with vinegar. For a child who has very thin skin, vinegar compresses are poison. When it is absorbed by the body, vinegar causes severe intoxication, from which the baby can only be taken out of it in a hospital setting. Important: the younger the child, the greater the danger to his health that compresses with vinegar pose.
2. Rubbing with alcohol (vodka). Similar to the effect of vinegar compresses, vodka, entering the baby’s body through the skin, causes severe poisoning. It is also important to note that alcohol, quickly evaporating, causes vascular spasms, which is fraught with negative consequences at high body temperatures.
3. Cold baths. From temperature changes, the body receives a shock, provoking vascular spasms. Externally, the temperature does drop, but at the same time the child is “burning” from the inside. By practicing this technique, you can provoke respiratory arrest and cardiac dysfunction.
4. Hot tea with raspberry jam is only useful if the child with a high fever is active and drinks a lot. Otherwise, raspberries, as a diuretic, will only speed up the dehydration process.

Popular medications that are prohibited for children

A number of drugs have been identified that are inappropriate for use by children:

1. Amidopyrine is prohibited for use, since the drug inhibits the process of hematopoiesis and provokes the development of leukopenia.
2. Antipyrine is not recommended for use in children, since the main active ingredient of the drug can provoke the development of severe allergic reactions and urticaria.
3. Analgin. Throughout the civilized world, this drug is recognized as highly toxic, inhibiting the hematopoiesis mechanism.
4. Aspirin is prohibited for use by children under twelve years of age due to the risk of liver damage.
5. Nimesulide is prohibited for use in children due to high toxicity and the risk of severe liver damage.

Why may the temperature not change and what can be done about it?

A situation where a child’s temperature does not go down for a long time may arise for the following reasons:

1. Bacterial infection. Most often, children have a high temperature due to sore throat, pneumonia, otitis media, nephritis, and meningitis.
2. Inflammatory purulent process (phlegmon or abscess).
3. Rotavirus infection.
4. Inflammatory pathological processes in the meninges (high temperature accompanied by nausea, vomiting, convulsions or loss of consciousness).
5. Diseases of the endocrine system.
6. If body temperature does not fall below 38°C for a long time (more than 24 hours), the risks of developing irreversible pathological processes requiring immediate medical attention increase significantly.

When should you call a doctor?

The reason to immediately call a doctor for a child who has had a high body temperature for a long time is:

• the child refuses to drink, causing the first signs of dehydration to appear;
• simultaneously with high body temperature, diarrhea or vomiting begins;
• in addition to high temperature, pain in the throat and ears is observed;
• hyperthermia lasts more than a day;
• the child was previously diagnosed with anemia, heart disease, and oncological pathologies;
• an increase in body temperature is accompanied by severe pain in the head, changes in the color of the tongue, lips or nails, difficulty breathing;
• the baby constantly tilts his head forward, excessive salivation appears;
• in children in the first months of life, the fontanel flows or becomes convex;
• the baby constantly cries or, on the contrary, stops responding to any stimuli.

The reason for immediate hospitalization is:

• high temperature in a child in the first months of life, which persists even after taking an antipyretic drug;
• convulsions;
• white fever.

Dear readers, I welcome you to my blog, Lena Zhabinskaya is with you. It's a slushy wet spring outside. Lyova went to a municipal kindergarten, where there are 30 people in the group, and now regularly brings home various viruses.

Since it is impossible to separate two children within the same apartment, all this “wealth” always falls to Eva. What I haven’t seen and what I haven’t encountered. A temperature of 39.5 - 39.8 will not surprise me at all.

But even when it seemed that nothing was helping, we eventually dealt with it ourselves. They shot down and won without calling an ambulance. Today I will tell you how to bring down a child’s high fever.

The most common cause (up to 95% of cases) of increased body temperature in children is ARVI - acute respiratory viral infections, in other words, viruses.

And this cannot be avoided if the child attends a children’s group, be it a kindergarten, a development school, or some kind of club. Moreover, you can simply ride with your whole family in an elevator where a sick person was previously. And you won’t get sick, because you are already adults and have encountered such a virus before and your experienced combat immunity will immediately neutralize it, and the baby will “catch” the disease, because he is not yet familiar with this particular infection.

Children's immunity is still developing, learning to cope with infections, neutralize and defeat viruses. This is his natural state due to age. All children get sick often. Only those who live in a hut in the taiga or a dugout in the desert, where there are no other people, do not get sick.

And the virus is very happy to enter a new healthy organism - of course, 36.6 degrees is the ideal temperature in order to successfully live and reproduce; in such conditions the harmful cell is very pleasant and comfortable. And the body knows this. Therefore, when a malfunction occurs and the immune system detects foreign cells, a whole defense program is activated.

One of its manifestations is an increase in body temperature. The more serious the virus and the stronger the danger, the higher it rises. And the higher it rises, the more the body produces interferon and antibodies - fierce defenders of health, which will ultimately deal with the infection in 3-7 days.

What temperature should I lower and is it necessary to do it?

Despite the fact that increasing body temperature has an obvious positive effect - this is how the body fights infection, you need to be able to knock it down in time.

Everything here is very individual and depends on the specific child and the specific infection. Sometimes with a temperature of 39, children play and ask to eat and go for a walk. And it happens that at 37.5 degrees they lie flat and cry. Therefore, if a child is really unwell, then, of course, you need to be guided by his condition, and not by the marks on the thermometer, and try to help.

The negative effect of a body temperature above 39 degrees is greater than any positive one. Therefore, it is definitely necessary to lower the temperature above 39 degrees.

How to reduce fever without medications

• It is necessary to ensure the air temperature in the room is 18-20 degrees, not higher, and the air humidity is 50-70%.

This is necessary so that the body can dump excess heat during breathing. When we inhale air, it is equal to the ambient temperature. When we exhale it, it is equal to body temperature.

Due to this difference, excess heat escapes and the temperature can drop naturally.

Note that no one says that a sick child needs to be frozen! Dress your baby warmly, ideally in knitted pajamas, cover with a blanket, etc. The baby should be comfortable! We are just talking about the fact that you need to breathe cool air.

The air should be not only cool, but also humid to prevent additional fluid loss from the body. Air humidity is most effectively achieved using an ultrasonic humidifier. And it is controlled using a hygrometer.

• You need to drink a lot, drink, and drink again.

The child must drink a lot, not according to the principle of whether I want it or not. And according to the principle it is NECESSARY!

This is necessary to replenish the deficiency of fluid in the body caused by an increase in body temperature, thin the blood and better supply oxygen to all organs and systems of the body, the ability to often go to the toilet in small ways and thereby get rid of a large number of toxins.

You may ask, how much is this - a lot? Here you need to navigate as follows. You need to drink enough for the baby to run to the potty or fill a diaper 1-2 times an hour, and the urine should be almost clear and odorless.

In order to get the effect of drinking as quickly as possible, you need to strive to ensure that the temperature of the drinks is close to 36.6 degrees - the body temperature at which absorption in the stomach occurs.

The best option to drink, especially if you need to act quickly, is a warm oral rehydration solution. This special powder, which is sold in pharmacies, contains salts necessary to replenish the water-salt balance.

But in general, you can drink anything as long as you drink. Dried fruit compote, tea, mineral water, fruit juice, plain water, etc.

• It is necessary to limit physical activity.

When the baby moves, additional heat is generated. Now we don’t need it, because our task is to get rid of excess heat.

Therefore, the ideal activity now is reading books with your beloved mom under a cozy blanket and watching colorful cartoons that you have long wanted to see, but there was no time.

• It is necessary to consciously reduce the volume and concentration of food.

As a rule, during the period of illness, the baby’s appetite is reduced or completely absent. And this is not without reason. Now all the forces of the body are thrown into the fight against an external enemy - the virus.

Digesting food will divert resources and delay recovery.

That is why during the acute period of a child’s illness it is necessary not only not to insist on food, but to consciously limit the child in it. For example, thin porridge instead of thick. Light meat or chicken broth instead of rich solyanka or borscht, etc.

In addition, it is worth remembering that hot food is an extra source of heat, the excess of which we get rid of. Therefore, you should strive to ensure that the temperature of the food is not too hot.

What medications can lower the temperature

Any medications are secondary in solving the problem of lowering body temperature. If conditions have not been created to effectively lose heat (we talked about them just above), medications will not help.

In this case, the fever may decrease, but only slightly and not for long. And worried parents will wonder why the magic pill isn't helping.

That is why it is imperative to first create conditions for the body to lose excess heat. I can tell you from experience that it often happens that this is enough, and the fever drops to the level at which the child can comfortably tolerate it (about 37.5 degrees), and the use of medications is not required at all.

If not, we add medications, and in the right conditions they work really well.

• Paracetamol

This is the number one medicine that parents will give their child first when the temperature rises, because it has minimal side effects and is usually very well tolerated.

In children's forms it is available in the form of syrups and suppositories.

The active ingredient is paracetamol, but commercial names may vary. These are Panadol, Calpol, Tsefekon D, Efferalgan and many others. The difference may be in the name, manufacturer, color and smell of food additives, price, but in the instructions in the column the international name - paracetamol - will indicate to you that this is the same medicine.

What to choose: syrup or candles? Syrup from the stomach is absorbed much faster, especially if it is first warmed up a little to body temperature.

Suppositories are absorbed more slowly, but last longer.

Therefore, if you need to reduce the temperature very quickly, choose syrup.

And if the fever is not very high, and we need to sleep peacefully at night and get enough sleep for everyone, we will opt for candles.

This applies to a one-year-old baby, a child of 2 or 3 years old. If your child is old enough and is already able to swallow a pill, you should opt for them. They are cheaper and do not contain a bunch of unnecessary additives for taste and aroma.

The dosage of the drug is always indicated in the instructions, but the recommended single dose is 10-15 mg per kg of child weight. You can repeat the dose after 4-5 hours, but the maximum daily dose should not exceed 60 mg per kg of the child’s weight.

• Ibuprofen.

Alternative to paracetamol. Also available without a prescription worldwide. It has slightly more side effects and is not used in children during the first 3 months of life.

The active ingredient ibuprofen is presented to us in pharmacies under the commercial names Nurofen, Ibufen, Macrofen, Solpaflex and many others.

Also available in the form of syrups and candles. A single dosage of ibuprofen is 5-10 mg per kg of child weight. You can repeat taking the medicine no earlier than after 6 hours, and no more than 20 mg per kg of weight in total per day.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen are the safest and are approved for use without a prescription in children all over the world. These are the number one medications that parents should use first (as directed) while waiting for the doctor to arrive.

• Nimesulide.

In many countries around the world, this drug is prohibited for use in principle as it has many side effects on the liver. However, this circumstance is controversial and causes disagreement among many practicing pediatricians.

Many pediatric doctors actively use nimesulide to reduce fever in children in cases where paracetamol and ibuprofen do not cope, because nimesulide is much more effective than these two drugs, even taken together.

In Russia and Ukraine, recently, orders of the Ministry of Health prohibited the use of nimesulide in children under 12 years of age.

However, due to the prevalence of its use in practice, pharmacies offer this drug in the form of tablets, syrups, and powders for the preparation of suspensions.

In pharmacies, nimesulide can be found under the following names: Nise, Nimesil, Nimulid, Alit-baby and many others.

If you live in another country where the use of nimesulide in children is permitted, keep in mind that the single dose of the drug is 1.5 mg per kg of body weight. You can repeat the dose 2-3 times a day, but in total no more than 5 mg per kg of the child’s weight in total per day.

• Analgin.

In our country, it is used in children as an emergency measure to reduce body temperature and only by doctors.

It is an injection of analgin mixed with diphenhydramine (or for example no-shpa, as well as some other drug, if necessary - antiemetic, etc.) directly in a syringe that your baby will receive from an emergency doctor who has come to a call about high blood pressure. temperature.

Why is analgin used only by doctors, and not universally by parents themselves? Because its very serious side effects on the hematopoietic system have been scientifically proven. Hemoglobin levels drop sharply and many important blood cells are destroyed. Rarely, but there are even fatal cases.

Analgin is prohibited for use in many developed countries.

In Russia and Ukraine, this drug is used in children, but strictly as prescribed by a doctor, when other antipyretic drugs have not given any effect, and in the shortest possible courses.

In pharmacies, analgin is offered under the following commercial names: Baralgin, Revalgin, Pentalgin, Spazmalgon - they are all the same thing.

I repeat that ideally any medications should be prescribed by a doctor and taken under his guidance. However, the reality is that more in this matter depends on the parents. The doctor will come and go. And the parents will have to ventilate, give water, calm, change clothes, decide whether to give or not give medicine after a few hours.

Basic rules for the use of antipyretics in children.

• Paracetamol, ibuprofen and nimesulide are given symptomatically. That is, not according to schedule, but in fact. The temperature rose - they gave it up. If I didn’t get up, they didn’t let me.
• Be very careful with the dosage of medications! It’s better to recalculate seven times with a calculator until you are 100 percent sure that you have calculated the dose correctly. Do not hesitate to ask your husband, grandfather, girlfriend, or, in general, another person with mathematical abilities and a brain that is not clouded on this topic to double-check.

Why is this so important? The Internet is replete with horror stories about the terrible nimesulide, which supposedly made several children very ill. When you start reading stories like this, the hair on your head stands on end. Moms write: oh, what nimesulide (nimulide, etc.) is bad, we almost died from it - I gave it 1 tablet of 100 mg for seven days, oh, how bad it was for us, a 7-year-old child. I would like to ask these people: excuse me, what? What is 100 mg for a child weighing about 30 kg? What are you about? 1.5 mg x 30 = 45 mg! That's less than half a tablet!

That is, some woman did not bother to turn on her brain to study the correct dosages, and, out of her stupidity, poisoned her child for several days with twice the dose of medicine, and who is to blame? Bad medicine.

In such cases, I would like to remind parents to be very, very attentive. In our hands is the life and health of a little man who trusts us and for whom we are responsible. In the wrong hands, even the best weapon in the fight for health can turn into a means of murder.

• Be very careful about what you give your child. So, if you give Panadol, and an hour later Nurofen, then everything is fine. Because the first is paracetamol, and the second is ibuprofen. That is, these are different medicines.

But if you give Panadol first, and an hour later Efferalgan, then you will get an overdose of paracetamol, because in both cases the same active substance is hidden under different names! Paracetamol can be used again no earlier than after 4 hours.

Folk remedies

1. Rubbing children with alcohol, vodka, or vinegar is unacceptable and dangerous, because, without bringing a real scientifically proven result, it can cause severe poisoning of a small organism with what is rubbed! Parents should know that alcohol, vodka and vinegar are absorbed and enter the body through the skin and inhaled vapors! Intoxication with acid and alcohol is not at all what the baby needs right now!
2. Wrapping yourself in wet sheets, bathing in cold water, and other physical cooling methods. In addition to the fact that this is uncomfortable, unpleasant and very cold for an already sick child, it is also very dangerous due to the risk of skin vasospasm. This is the body's protective reaction to cold - it blocks the heat transfer mechanism in order to retain heat. And as a result, the skin becomes pale and cold, but the temperature of the internal organs rises. As a result, there is a sharp deterioration in the general condition and a doctor is urgently needed.

Thus, the use of folk remedies, grandmother’s remedies, to reduce a child’s body temperature is not only not useful, but even criminally dangerous for his health.

How to quickly and effectively reduce a high temperature: procedure

As I already wrote, in practice this drug is prescribed and successfully used by most pediatric doctors. In their opinion, the harm from nimesulide is more theoretical and hypothetical.

None of the doctors I know have encountered in their practice severe side effects from nimesulide in children when used correctly.

And vice versa - the harm from analgin, which is injected into a child by an ambulance team, is proven and tangible. Therefore, I personally do everything in my power so that I don’t have to call 03, because I know that an analgin injection may be effective in lowering the temperature, but it is also the most harmful and dangerous.

Therefore, I sincerely urge you not to be lazy and actually carry out the activities listed in the article, which will help your child lose heat effectively and allow safe antipyretics to do their job. Love children and get sick easily (I would like to not get sick at all, but we understand that this is impossible)! Lena Zhabinskaya was with you, bye-bye!