Patient's question:
The child has a fever, with a temperature of 37.9 degrees. He was just born a few days ago. Is it necessary to reduce the fever immediately?Doctor's answer:
When a child's temperature is not too high, there is no need to immediately lower their body temperature. When the temperature exceeds 39°C, you can first take a warm bath or sponge bath at home with water at 33°C~35°C. The areas for the sponge bath include the forehead, limbs, groin, and armpits. Avoid using alcohol for sponge baths to prevent a rapid drop in temperature, as even if it falls below 35°C, it can have adverse effects. Various antipyretic drugs, such as aspirin and phenacetin, can easily produce toxic effects in the neonatal period or lead to collapse due to slightly higher medication dosages. Therefore, antipyretic drugs should be used with caution when a newborn has a fever.