Patient's question:
A 6-year-old child has recurrent fever that doesn't subside. When feverish, their hands and feet are cold (38-39 degrees), and their head and body feel very hot.Previous treatment and effectiveness: They have been on intravenous drips for two days without any fever reduction, and taking fever-reducing medicine at home only slightly lowers the temperature for about half an hour.
What kind of help is needed: How should I do at home?
Doctor's answer:
The following nursing measures can be adopted:(1) In air-conditioned homes, maintain the room temperature between 21℃ and 24℃; let the child rest in bed, uncover the blanket or loosen their clothing to expose the skin;
(2) Encourage the child to drink plenty of cool water or clean fluids, ensuring at least 300 milliliters per night;
(3) Administer fever-reducing medication, and if necessary, repeat it every 4–6 hours. Measure the temperature every 1–2 hours until it returns to the normal range;
(4) If the fever-reducing medication is ineffective, physical cooling methods can also be used, such as giving the child a warm bath (water temperature between 32℃ and 34℃), which helps dissipate heat.
It should be noted that, regardless of whether the fever subsides, the child should be taken to the hospital for a follow-up visit the next day.