A baby or child with a high temperature can quickly worry parents, but fever is often a natural response of the body when it fights an infection. According to the South African Department of Health, a temperature of 38 °C or higher is considered fever.
Fever on its own is not a diagnosis, however, and the child's general condition and other symptoms must also be taken into account. The Department of Health recommends that a child with fever should be given fluids regularly to prevent dehydration. Breastfed babies should continue breastfeeding. The child should be dressed appropriately for the weather and get enough rest. This also means that a child should not be overly wrapped or covered with heavy blankets.
Although many parents still believe that a child with fever should be sponged down with lukewarm or cold water, this is not recommended according to current South African guidelines. Sponging and cooling can make the child shiver, which can actually raise the body's core temperature.
When a child is uncomfortable or distressed because of fever, paracetamol can be given according to the child's weight and the recommended dose. Fever medication should not, however, be given simply to make the temperature on the thermometer drop. The goal is to relieve the child's discomfort. A temperature of more than 40 °C in a child must be urgently lowered and medical help must be sought. Parents must also urgently seek help if the child has a seizure, develops a rash that does not blanch when pressed, abnormal breathing, persistent vomiting, does not drink or eat normally, is very lethargic or not responding properly, or shows signs of dehydration.
Babies younger than three months with fever need special attention and must urgently be assessed by a healthcare worker. A child who has had fever for longer than 48 hours, or whose condition is worsening, should also get medical advice. In South Africa, malaria should also be considered if a child with fever lives in a malaria area or has recently visited one.
The most important thing is therefore not to focus only on the temperature, but to watch whether the child is drinking, responding normally, breathing and comfortable. If a parent feels something is not right or the child's condition is worsening, medical help should be sought sooner rather than later.
Sources: SA Dept. of Health, SA Medical Journal, SA Medical Journal
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
