Fever refers to a body temperature that exceeds the upper limit of the normal range, and is a common symptom in children. The normal axillary temperature in children is 36°C to 37°C (rectal temperature is about 0.3°C higher than axillary temperature, and oral temperature is about 0.4°C higher than axillary temperature). If the axillary temperature exceeds 37.4°C, it can be considered as fever. In most cases, fever is a protective response of the body against invading pathogens and is a process in which the body's immune system is fighting against infection. Abnormally high body temperature does not necessarily correlate with the severity of the disease, but high or prolonged fever can affect various regulatory functions of the body, thus affecting the child's physical health. Therefore, for children with confirmed fever, the cause should be actively investigated and the treatment should be targeted at the etiology.
The normal body temperature in children can fluctuate within a certain range due to factors such as gender, age, day and night, seasonal changes, diet, crying, temperature, and thickness of clothing and bedding. A slight increase in body temperature does not necessarily have pathological significance. When a child's body temperature rises, it is important to observe the child's appearance and behavior. For example, a child with a temperature of 38°C who appears dull is more concerning than a child with a temperature of 40°C who is still active. Furthermore, even if a child with low resistance has a serious illness, they may not necessarily have a fever.
External fever: The child is afraid of cold, has fever without sweating or with little sweat, nasal congestion, cough, clear runny nose, and thin white tongue coating.
Traditional Chinese Massage Treatment
Along the midline of the child's inner forearm, push and press from bottom to top; massage Fengchi acupoint (the depression between the mastoid process and the sternocleidomastoid muscle), Quchi acupoint (at the border of the elbow crease), Nianyezhui acupoint (between the seventh cervical vertebra and the first thoracic vertebra), Shixuan acupoint (0.1 cun from the free edge of the fingertips of the ten fingers).
Febrile convulsions: The child has a fever, fear of cold, little or no sweat, nasal congestion, cough, clear runny nose, and thin white tongue coating.
In addition to using methods to treat external fever, massage the back to relieve food stagnation, press and rub Laogong acupoint (between the 2nd and 3rd metacarpal bones in the palm, slightly towards the 3rd metacarpal bone, at the tip of the middle finger when making a fist), and Zusanli acupoint (located four horizontal fingers below the outer knee, along the edge of the tibia). At the same time, the child should rest in bed, drink plenty of water, and the fever will generally subside in 2 to 3 days.
Precautions
In addition to bacterial or viral infections, environmental factors can also cause fever symptoms. High environmental temperatures, heatstroke, or excessive clothing can all cause fever. Therefore, when a baby has a fever, the first step is to lower the ambient temperature. A cool environment helps dissipate heat, so do not close doors and windows and keep indoor air circulation; in summer, a fan can be used to accelerate air circulation, but do not direct the fan towards the baby.
When the body has a fever, the skin surface area has the highest heat dissipation capacity due to its largest surface area. Therefore, the baby should not wear too much clothing when having a fever. For smaller infants, their swaddling or wrapped bedding can be opened up to allow a large amount of body heat to be discharged through loose and cool outerwear, making it easier for body temperature to drop. Some newborns may experience dehydration fever if they are dressed too warmly. In such cases, simply remove some of the clothing, give them more water, and the child's body temperature will return to normal.
Another point is that many parents like to cover their babies tightly with a blanket when they have a fever to help them reduce their temperature. In fact, when a child has a fever, it is best to dress them lightly to facilitate breathing.
