at what temperature should you take a 8 month old to the hospital

All kids get a fever from time to time. A fever itself normally causes no harm and can actually be a good thing ��� it's often a sign that the body is fighting an infection.

But when your kid wakes in the centre of the dark flushed, hot, and sweaty, it'southward easy to be unsure of what to practise next. Should you lot go out the thermometer? Call the doctor?

Here'due south more than about fevers, including when to contact your physician.

What Is a Fever?

Fever happens when the body's internal "thermostat" raises the body temperature above its normal level. This thermostat is plant in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus knows what temperature your body should be (ordinarily around 98.6��F/37��C) and volition send messages to your body to proceed it that way.

Most people'due south torso temperatures alter a niggling flake during the course of the 24-hour interval: Information technology's usually a footling lower in the morning and a little higher in the evening and can vary as kids run around, play, and exercise.

Sometimes, though, the hypothalamus volition "reset" the trunk to a higher temperature in response to an infection, illness, or some other cause. Why? Researchers believe that turning up the oestrus is a way for the body to fight the germs that cause infections, making information technology a less comfortable place for them.

What Causes Fevers?

It's important to retrieve that fever past itself is not an affliction ��� it's usually a sign or symptom of some other problem.

Fevers can be caused past a few things, including:

Infection: Most fevers are acquired by infection or other illness. A fever helps the torso fight infections by stimulating natural defense mechanisms.

Overdressing: Infants, especially newborns, may get fevers if they're overbundled or in a hot environment because they don't regulate their body temperature besides as older kids. But considering fevers in newborns tin betoken a serious infection, even infants who are overdressed must be checked by a doctor if they have a fever.

Immunizations: Babies and kids sometimes get a low-class fever afterwards getting vaccinated.

Although teething may crusade a slight rise in body temperature, it's probably not the cause if a child's temperature is higher than 100��F (37.eight��C).

When Is a Fever a Sign of Something Serious?

In good for you kids, non all fevers need to be treated. High fever, though, tin make a child uncomfortable and make bug (such as dehydration) worse.

Doctors decide on whether to treat a fever by considering both the temperature and a kid's overall condition.

Kids whose temperatures are lower than 102��F (38.9��C) oft don't demand medicine unless they're uncomfortable. At that place's ane important exception: If an babe three months or younger has a rectal temperature of 100.four��F (38��C) or higher, call your doctor or get to the emergency department immediately. Even a slight fever tin can be a sign of a potentially serious infection in very young babies.

If your kid is between 3 months and 3 years old and has a fever of 102.two��F (39��C) or college, telephone call to see if your doctor needs to see your child. For older kids, have behavior and activeness level into account. Watching how your child behaves will give y'all a pretty good idea of whether a modest affliction is the cause or if your child should be seen by a doctor.

The illness is probably non serious if your child:

• is still interested in playing
• is eating and drinking well
• is alert and smiling at yous
• has a normal peel color
• looks well when his or her temperature comes down

And don't worry as well much virtually a child with a fever who doesn't want to consume. This is very common with infections that cause fever. For kids who all the same drinkable and urinate (pee) ordinarily, non eating as much as usual is OK.

Is it a Fever?

A gentle kiss on the forehead or a hand placed lightly on the skin is often enough to requite y'all a hint that your child has a fever. All the same, this method of taking a temperature (called tactile temperature) won't requite an accurate measurement.

Use a reliable digital thermometer to confirm a fever. Information technology'south a fever when a child's temperature is at or above one of these levels:

• measured orally (in the mouth): 100��F (37.8��C)
• measured rectally (in the bottom): 100.4��F (38��C)
• measured in an axillary position (under the arm): 99��F (37.two��C)

But how loftier a fever is doesn't tell you lot much nearly how sick your child is. A uncomplicated cold or other viral infection can sometimes cause a rather loftier fever (in the 102�����104��F/38.9�����40��C range), but this doesn't commonly mean there's a serious trouble. In fact, a serious infection, specially in infants, might cause no fever or even a depression body temperature (below 97��F or 36.1��C).

Considering fevers tin ascension and autumn, a child might have chills as the trunk'south temperature begins to rise. The child may sweat to release actress heat as the temperature starts to driblet.

Sometimes kids with a fever exhale faster than usual and may have a faster eye rate. Call the medico if your child has trouble breathing, is breathing faster than normal, or is still breathing fast after the fever comes downwards.

How Can I Help My Kid Feel Better?

Over again, not all fevers need to be treated. In near cases, a fever should be treated only if it's causing a kid discomfort.

Here are means to ease symptoms that often back-trail a fever:

Medicines

If your child is fussy or uncomfortable, you can requite acetaminophen or ibuprofen based on the bundle recommendations for historic period or weight. (Unless instructed by a doctor, never requite aspirin to a kid due to its association with Reye syndrome, a rare simply potentially fatal disease.) If you don't know the recommended dose or your child is younger than 2 years old, call the doctor to observe out how much to give.

Infants younger than 2 months erstwhile should not exist given any medicine for fever without being checked by a doc. If your child has any medical bug, check with the doctor to come across which medicine is all-time to use. Remember that fever medicine can temporarily bring a temperature downwards, but usually won't render it to normal ��� and it won't treat the underlying reason for the fever.

Home Comfort Measures

Wearing apparel your kid in lightweight article of clothing and cover with a light canvas or blanket. Overdressing and overbundling tin can prevent body heat from escaping and can cause the temperature to rise.

Make certain your child's sleeping room is a comfortable temperature ��� non too hot or too cold.

While some parents use lukewarm sponge baths to lower fever, this method simply helps temporarily, if at all. In fact, sponge baths can make kids uncomfortable. Never use rubbing alcohol (it can cause poisoning when captivated through the skin) or ice packs/cold baths (they can cause chills that can enhance body temperature).

Nutrient and Drinks

Offer plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration considering fevers make kids lose fluids more rapidly than usual. H2o, soup, ice pops, and flavored gelatin are all adept choices. Avoid drinks with caffeine, including colas and tea, because they can make dehydration worse by increasing urination (peeing).

If your child also is vomiting and/or has diarrhea, ask the dr. if you should give an electrolyte (rehydration) solution made particularly for kids. You lot tin detect these at drugstores and supermarkets. Don't offer sports drinks ��� they're not made for younger children and the added sugars can make diarrhea worse. Also, limit your child's intake of fruits and apple juice.

In general, let kids swallow what they desire (in reasonable amounts), only don't forcefulness it if they don't feel like it.

Taking it Like shooting fish in a barrel

Make certain your child gets plenty of residuum. Staying in bed all day isn't necessary, only a sick kid should accept information technology easy.

It's best to keep a child with a fever abode from schoolhouse or childcare. Most doctors feel that it'due south prophylactic to render when the temperature has been normal for 24 hours.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

The verbal temperature that should trigger a call to the doctor depends on a child's historic period, the affliction, and whether there are other symptoms with the fever.

Call your doc if you lot have an:

• babe younger than 3 months former with a rectal temperature of 100.4��F (38��C) or higher
• older child with a temperature of higher than 102.two��F (39��C)

As well phone call if an older child has a fever of lower than 102.ii��F (39��C) but also:

• refuses fluids or seems likewise ill to potable fairly
• has lasting diarrhea or repeated vomiting
• has whatever signs of dehydration (peeing less than usual, not having tears when crying, less alert and less active than usual)
• has a specific complaint (like a sore pharynx or earache)
• still has a fever after 24 hours (in kids younger than ii years one-time) or 72 hours (in kids 2 years or older)
• is getting fevers a lot, fifty-fifty if they merely final a few hours each dark
• has a chronic medical problem, such as center affliction, cancer, lupus, or sickle cell disease
• has a rash
• has hurting while peeing

Get emergency care if your kid shows any of these signs:

• crying that won't finish
• farthermost irritability or fussiness
• sluggishness and trouble waking upwardly
• a rash or majestic spots that look like bruises on the skin (that were not at that place before your child got sick)
• blue lips, tongue, or nails
• infant's soft spot on the caput seems to exist jutting out or sunken in
• stiff neck
• severe headache
• limpness or refusal to motion
• trouble breathing that doesn't get meliorate when the nose is cleared
• leaning forwards and drooling
• seizure
• moderate to severe abdomen hurting

Too, ask if your doctor has specific guidelines on when to call nigh a fever.

What Else Should I Know?

All kids get fevers, and in most cases they're completely back to normal within a few days. For older babies and kids, the way they act tin can be more of import than the reading on your thermometer. Everyone gets a little cranky when they accept a fever. This is normal and should exist expected.

Simply if yous're e'er in doubtfulness about what to do or what a fever might mean, or if your child is acting ill in a mode that concerns you even if there's no fever, ever call your doctor for advice.

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Source: https://kidshealth.org/Nemours/en/parents/fever.html

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