Patient's question:
My baby just turned one month old, and she has always had a weak constitution. On top of that, I didn't have enough milk, so she has been eating formula. As a result, her immunity is even weaker. The past two days, she started running a slight fever, and last night it got worse. Initially, it was just a low-grade fever, but by the middle of the night, it rose to over 38 degrees Celsius. It was cold at night, and since the hospital is far away, I was afraid she would catch a cold, so I didn't take her there. I just applied a fever-reducing patch. Now, she's back to having a low-grade fever. How should I handle fever in newborns?Doctor's answer:
First, don't rush to reduce the fever. Instead, you need to figure out the cause of your child's fever. There are many possible causes that can lead to a child's fever. Upper respiratory tract infections, gastroenteritis, tonsillitis, pneumonia, and all kinds of infectious diseases can all cause fever symptoms again. Additionally, infants under one year old may also experience fever due to urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal diseases, or hand, foot, and mouth disease. In many cases, it is necessary for a doctor to make an inference to determine the true cause of the fever. Since the child is still so young, it is even more important not to self-medicate. It is recommended to revisit the pediatric department for a re-examination, understand the cause of the fever, and then take medication that matches the symptoms.