Our babies and children will have a fever several times throughout their childhood, although most of the time they will not be worrying cases and the fever will not be a matter of urgency.
Most febrile infections have a viral origin and, therefore, are inconsequential, and fever is also considered as a defense mechanism that can be beneficial. That is to say: if my child has a fever, it is because his body is functioning well, defending itself correctly.
Fever alone should not cause distress or should in principle lead to a danger to the baby's health. Therefore, fever should not be considered as an alarm symptom except in a few exceptions.
We should not be alarmed or go to the emergency department as soon as the thermometer rises a few degrees (the temperature below 37.5ºC is considered normal), although this is almost never easy.
However, there are some cases in which we have to go to the ER from the health center or hospital so that the baby or child is recognized without spending more time.
If the baby is less than 3 months old.
If it has a temperature higher than 40ºC.
If you have 4 days or more with a fever. This is not an alarm sign but you must consult, although not in a hurry, unless your pediatrician has given you other instructions.
If the baby or child suffers from a serious chronic disease (heart malformation, immunodeficiency, cancer undergoing chemotherapeutic treatment).
If you complain of severe headache and vomit several times.
If the child breathes hard.
If you have any of the following alarm symptoms:
Rigidity of the back of the neck: it can only be explored in the child of more than 1 or 2 years and who collaborates. There is neck stiffness if the child is unable to hold a sheet of paper with the chin (closing the mouth) on the chest. However, high fever can cause neck stiffness and it is necessary to lower it to verify that it persists.
Febrile seizure: the child loses consciousness, becomes stiff and begins to shake. Sometimes, you just faint or both happen.
Petechiae They are red spotted spots that do not disappear when stretching the surrounding skin. We would go to the emergency room if they are not petechiae produced by cough and vomiting (they are common in these cases on the face and chest), extend and / or there is decay.
Major decay Fever, however scarce, may cause decay in the child. You should only alert if the decay is important and persists despite being able to lower the temperature below 37.5º C.
What we will have to do in the event of a normal fever, which does not carry any warning sign, is to try to lower the body temperature (fresh environment, baths, anti-thermal) and offer plenty of fluids waiting for the fever to remit and finally disappear.
It's hard for parents to stay calm in cases of baby fever, but If one of the above situations does not occur, it is not necessary to go to the Emergency Department.
