What medications for fever in children?
Give that baby when the fever rises? To meet the parents confused by sometimes divergent positions of physicians and reported by the media, the French Food Safety Agency of Health Products (AFSSAPS) issued recommendations in early 2005. A first in France.
Having a child with a fever is always a stressful event. But it is important not to panic because it is often sufficient for an appropriate care to get everything in order.
What is fever?
baby fever baby aspirin acetaminophen ibuprofen bath A fever when the temperature exceeds 38 ° C. This is a natural phenomenon of fight against infections. Bacteria and viruses are less likely to thrive when the temperature is above 37 ° C. Similarly, white blood cells, defenders of the body, are more effective in an environment close to 38 ° C. Wanting to hunt fever is not necessarily the best way to help a child recover. So when your little one has a fever but does not feel bad, it is useless to seek at all costs to lower its temperature. Improve comfort may be sufficient to pass the course.
But beyond 38.5 ° C, the adverse effects of fever prevail. Fever adversely affects well-being of the child. Sometimes, high fever may even result in a small convulsion. These crises, rare, lasting only a few moments but are very impressive. The child, suddenly, shaken generalized muscle spasms. In the vast majority of cases, the crisis is fortunately without consequences, but in this case it is nonetheless important to consult a doctor immediately.
Must consult in case of fever?
In infants (less than 6 months), it is necessary to check for fever because it is difficult to judge only the severity of fever in infants. Among the greatest, if fever is well tolerated and the child continues to drink, eat and play, you can begin to take care of it yourself. If it lasts more than 2 or 3 days without the situation does not improve, or indeed in a crisis of seizures, it must consult.
How to improve the comfort of the child?
Fever which does not usually dangerous, its management will focus on improving the comfort of the child. Before resorting to the use of drugs, Afssaps recommends some physical measurements:
Undress the child (by not removing all her clothes) and remove the covers of her bed and duvets;
The drink as much as possible
Do not overheat the room (about 18-20 ° C).
The recommendations of the type “giving him a bath at a temperature of 2 ° C lower than the body” or “apply wet compresses and ice bags” are no longer recommended by experts: efficacy is limited and these measures could increase the unhappiness of the child. However if your child loves the water and feels good in a bath, do not hesitate to offer him this moment of relaxation.
How to use drugs?
Regarding the use of drugs to fight against fever experts Afssaps are very clear and it is important to remember several key messages:
It should give one antipyretic drug (medicine against fever). If you start with an antipyretic, do not give it another three hours later. Remember, neither association nor alternation!
If your child was guarded by a nanny or grandparents, always check that another drug has not already been given in another form (present in a syrup or suppository for example).
Always follow the dosage and the number of shots given.
Four treatments are available to fight against the child’s fever. These are:
The paracetamol ;
Ibuprofen and ketoprofen (the latter is available only on prescription) and they both belong to the class of anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs);
Aspirin is also an NSAID, but in recent years, is less used in children.
One or other of these treatments can be used, the choice of drug should be taking into account the indications and special precautions indicated on the notice should be read carefully.
If in doubt, please seek advice from a health professional.