Fever in baby

Tag:fever, temperature, viral infections in baby

Fever in children are common. It is usually due to viral infections which are responsible for cough and cold, gastroenteritis

and so on. In some cases, fever may be related to more serious viral or bacterial infections such as meningitis, septicaemia or abcesses. Fever may also be due to certain non-infection related causes such as malignancies (eg leukaemia) and inflammatory or immune system disorders such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or Kawasaki disease.

Under normal conditions, fever by itself is not harmful or dangerous. Nevertheless, it is advisable to keep watch on fever, especially in newborns and infants. You can use a regular mercury or digital thermometer at home to take the baby’s armpit temperature. Alternatively, you can also use an electronic thermometer to take the temperature inside baby’s ear cavity.

Fever in newborns less than one month of age needs to be taken seriously. Do not hesitate to bring baby to see the doctor immediately if he has a fever, especially if it exceeds 38°C. Having said this, do bear in mind that fever in newborns can occur without an infection. Baby can develop a fever simply due to hot weather, overheated room, or wearing thick clothing. If the fever persists for more than a few hours, take him to the doctor.

Another point to take note is that your newborn can have an infection without having a fever. He may even suffer from a drop in temperature due to a severe infection. These can occur because his immune system is still immature and not able to produce pyrogens, which cause the body’s temperature to rise. Therefore it is wise to consult the doctor whenever baby starts behaving abnormally or you think that he is unwell.

Fever in older infants over one month of age tends to be caused mostly from viral infections. The fever are normally low grade and accompanied by common complaints such as stuffy noses and cough, stomach ache or cramps, and diarrhoea. Fever in children can also be caused by bacteria and other organisms and these need to be treated with proper antibiotics.

In any case, if temperature exceeds 38°C, it is advisable to consult a doctor immediately.