Tag:High fever, temperature, viral infection

A baby is considered having high fever if the temperature is more than 38.5°C

for babies more than three months of age. Fever is usually caused by a viral infection in a child. It is a sign that your child is fighting an illness. Check the temperature and give syrup Paracetamol or Paracetamol suppositories through the anus as per recommended dosage. Sponge the child two to three times (even at night) when the temperature is more than 38.5°C.

* First of all, take off all the clothes.

* Wrap a wet towel around the body. Use another wet towel and sponge arms and face.

* After two minutes, rinse the towels in water and wrap and sponge again

The child may shiver during sponging, but this stops when the temperature is down. After 10 minutes, dry and dress the child in loose clothes and place the child under a fan for half an hour. The fever will settle. Monitor the child to see if he is drinking , eating and playing well in spite of the fever. Give extra fluids and make sure he passes urine as usual. Should the fever continue, consult a doctor immediately.

Symptoms to be worried about:

* Unusually hot or cold body

* Fits, drowsy or unusually quiet or lethargic, hard to wake up or floppy

* Rapid, breathing difficulty grunting, coarse, honking cough, wheezing

* Frequent vomiting and loose stools

* Keeps refusing food and drinks

* Cries for a long time or screams intermittently

* Earache or child pulls ear

Should the symptoms persist, call your doctor or take the child to the nearest hospital.

For babies younger than three months of age with high fever, give syrup Paracetamol as per recommended dosage, sponge and seek medical help immediately.

Article courtesy of Dr SL Koe Paediatrician & Lactation Consultant

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.

Tag:baby physical development, mental development

It is a joy to watch your baby grow each day and it is also one of the most exciting aspects of parenting.

During the first year, you will be astounded by how fast your baby grows. Each baby has his own development pace and do not force the development of your baby but rather encourage him and help where you can.

Physical development always start from head to toe. The first thing he learns is to control his head, followed by body, arms, trunk and legs. As your baby develops, so does his skills. He will learn to master one skill at a time.You may also notice that while he is learning the new skill, he seems to forget the previous skills that he has learned. But not to worry. He will be able to gain back the skills once he has mastered the new one.

As parents, you should help the baby to develop eye and brain connection, and also eye and body connection. You should help the baby to connect what he sees, thinks and does. You can do this by providing stimulating ideas, books, toys and simple activities.

Recent studies have proven that a newborn baby’s eyes perceive the high contrast colours Red, Black and White better than any other colour. Although a newborn baby may not see as clearly as a grown child, he can see objects within 13 inches from his face. That’s why it’s important to provide your baby with visual stimulation in Red, Black and White contrasting colours.

Research shows that a baby’s brain grows especially rapidly during the first two years. By the age of two, your baby would have achieved 80% the brain size of an adult. Red, Black and White stimulates your baby’s brain activity and increases his potential for learning.