Patient's question:
Hello! On the morning of July 28, I noticed that my male baby (4 months old) had a fever. His temperature was measured at 38.5°C. The doctor prescribed Panadol Yellow, Cefixime Suspension (Xike lao), and Tylenol. In the afternoon, his fever several times exceeded 39°C, but then dropped back below 39°C. When his temperature was below 39°C, the baby was in a good mood and even smiled at the adults. At night, his temperature generally stayed below 39°C (during which time we continuously applied a warm towel to his forehead and gave him several warm baths). On the morning of July 29, he still had a fever but below 39°C. At noon, after sweating for a long time, his temperature dropped below 38°C and gradually returned to normal, with no more fever since then. He only had a fever.Doctor's answer:
Hello! First of all, I wish your child a speedy recovery! Below, I will discuss "childhood fever."1) Temperature Monitoring—Measure the temperature every 4 hours. For high-temperature children, measure it every 1–2 hours. After taking fever-reducing medication, if symptoms of collapse such as excessive sweating, pale complexion, and weakness occur, promptly give oral sugar water and contact a doctor.
2) Environment—Keep it clean and quiet, with a temperature between 18–20°C. Ventilate the room at least once a day (move the child to another room) to reduce the concentration of pathogens in the air. Minimize visits from relatives and friends to prevent cross-infection, which also helps the child rest.
3) Physical Cooling—This is a reusable, safe, and effective cooling measure that can be used for early home care in cases of high fever or a history of high-temperature convulsions. It includes the following methods:
1. Cold compress on the head or using an ice bag as a head pillow.
2. Warm water bath—Note: The water temperature should not be too cold or too hot. When adding water during the bath, stir it away from the child. Stop immediately if the child's condition worsens or if there are abnormalities in mental state, complexion, or breathing.
3. Warm towel compress—Soak a large towel in water around 30°C and wrap it around the child's body, leaving only the face and soles exposed for about 10 minutes. The same precautions apply.
4. Alcohol bath—Use 30–50° alcohol. Soak gauze in it and wipe the child's body in the following order:
- Upper limbs: From one armpit → outer upper arm → hand;
- Lower limbs: From one hip → outer thigh → sole of the foot;
- Inner thighs: From the groin → inner thigh.
4) Medication Cooling—Use antipyretics as prescribed by a doctor.
1. Nasal administration of Metamizole, suitable for children under 6 months.
2. Oral antipyretics, such as Acetaminophen or Tylenol.
3. Intravenous antipyretic drugs, such as L-lysine arginine.
Note: All antipyretic medications must be used as prescribed by a doctor, with at least 4 hours between doses (for those with high-temperature convulsions, follow medical advice). Newborns should not be given antipyretics (only packed cooling is needed). Measure the temperature 40 minutes after medication to check its effectiveness.
5) Visit a Pediatric Hospital—Observe the child's mental state, condition, complexion, and breathing. For children with diarrhea, collect stool samples for laboratory tests.
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