Fever is a common occurrence in babies. What every parent and grandparent must understand about fever in babies, though, is that it can be difficult to tell when the fever is high enough to require medical attention. This blog post will teach you how to spot a fever as well as what steps you should take if your baby has one.
If your baby is struck down with a fever, it’s hard not to get really worried. You remember friends talking about febrile convulsions and before you know it, you’re equally hot and bothered with anxiety.
When is a fever something to be worried about?
We spoke to CPR Kids CEO and former pediatric emergency nurse, Sarah Hunstead to nut out the deeper detail of fevers in babies – and work out when parents are right to be worried and when they should take a deep breath, watch and wait.
Observe closely and trust your gut
If your child is older than three months, parents need to take a look at what’s going on and respond accordingly.
“Above three months … it’s not about the number, it’s about looking at your child,” Sarah explains.
“So if they’re crawling around, they’re drinking well, they’ve got good, wet nappies. Maybe they’re a little bit miserable. You know, they’ve got that runny nose, a bit of a cold and they’ve got a fever, but otherwise, you’re thinking ‘OK, they’re all right’ – you know what? They probably are. No matter what that number is on the thermometer.”
And when do you have to worry? Sarah says it’s often pretty clear.
“If they are lethargic, they’re not drinking, they’re sleeping more than usual, they have less wet nappies than usual … If they’ve got any difficulty breathing, maybe they’ve got a color change.
So they’re a lot paler or maybe they’re a little bit mottled [in skin colour]. That’s something to worry about,” Sarah explains, noting that parents should seek medical attention if these sorts of changes are present.
“Call an ambulance”
Above all, Sarah urges parents to use their powers of observation and instinct.
“Trust your gut,” she stresses. “If your child is floppy and you’re having difficulty rousing them, if they’re having breathing problems, call an ambulance.”
“What’s the worst thing that can happen?” Sarah points out. “The ambulance comes and says everything’s okay.”
Brilliant advice, as usual, Sarah.
Conclusion:
What every parent and grandparent must understand about fever in babies is that it can be difficult to tell when the fever is high enough to require medical attention. This blog post will teach you how to spot a fever as well as what steps you should take if your baby has one.
If your child is older than three months, parents need to take a look at what’s going on and respond accordingly. Above all, Sarah urges parents to use their powers of observation and instinct: trust your gut!
What every parent and grandparent must understand about fever in babies are these tips from CPR Kids CEO, former pediatric emergency nurse, Sarah Hun stead.
