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Fevers

Test Your Fever Knowledge
News

Doctors Recommend Riding Out a Fever; Test Your Knowledge

Leaving a high fever untreated may sound crazy to both new and seasoned moms, but it may become standard practice.
by

Leaving a high fever untreated may sound crazy to both new and seasoned moms, but it may become standard practice. According to a new report in the journal Pediatrics, there is no reason to use medication to alleviate a fever in an otherwise healthy child. The report concludes that for children over 3-months-old, medicating may actually lengthen the course of the illness, rather than shorten it, because the drugs confuse the body into thinking that the illness is gone.

Before tossing your acetaminophen and ibuprofen take this quiz to see how much you know about fevers.

Take the Quiz
Medicine Dosing Charts for Children
Health and Fitness

Dosing Card Takes the Guesswork Out of Fighting Fevers

Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, but do you know how big that spoonful actually is?
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Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, but do you know how big that spoonful actually is? According to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, using a kitchen spoon to dose out medicine routinely results in over- and under-dosing elixirs. Researchers involved in the study found a direct correlation between the size of the spoon and the dosage that was poured.

One way to ensure that your sick one receives the right amount of medicine is with the Pediatric Fever Fighter Dosing Card ($4). The two-sided card with a sliding sleeve helps parents determine how much acetaminophen or ibuprofen to give an infant or child based on their weight. Created by an Emergency Medicine physician at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the card takes the guesswork out of dosing. The card also provides information about when to call your child's doctor and tips for reducing a fever faster.

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Taking a Child's Temperature
Behavior Tips

Tot's Hot, There's More Than One Way to Take a Temperature

Trying to wrestle a cranky fevered baby for a temperature reading can be like trying to wash a cat in a bathtub.
by babysugar

Trying to wrestle a cranky fevered baby for a temperature reading can be like trying to wash a cat in a bathtub. But when baby's feeling hot and bothered, it's time to pull out the thermometer and gauge the tot's temperature. Easier said than done, there are some simple steps mama can take to get the job done without screaming and crying.

Infants three-months-old and younger: Children 90-days-old and younger should be carefully watched for fever. To get the most accurate and easiest read, most prefer the rectal route.

  • Rectal: It is often easiest to take a newborn's temperature using a digital rectal thermometer. To ease the pain, parents can lay the child on a changing table as if changing a diaper. Dab a bit of Vaseline on the tip and lift the legs as if applying diaper cream. Insert the thermometer and wait for the beeping when the degree is revealed.
  • If the number is 100.4°F (38°C) or above, the doctor should be notified.

To see how to deal with older babes, read more

Kiddie Wellness: Fevers
Health and Fitness

Kiddie Wellness: Fevers

Earlier in the week, my active son was lying on the couch and being quiet so I knew something was up.
by

Earlier in the week, my active son was lying on the couch and being quiet so I knew something was up. It took just a quick look at his redder than rosy cheeks and tired eyes to know it was his temperature. My son and daughter have had just a few fevers, but the heat of their flushed faces and lil furnace bodies always causes me to worry. On one occasion, our pediatrician recommended acetaminophen to bring the temperature down, but normally we wait it out with plenty of fluids. To see why, read more

High Grade Fevers and Teething
Health and Fitness

Next Time Babe Has a Fever, Don't Blame His Teeth

Two weeks ago, my daughter had a fever for three days.
by babysugar

Two weeks ago, my daughter had a fever for three days. I wondered if she was just teething.

According to the New York Times, I might have been barking up the wrong tree. In two separate studies, the same conclusion was reached:

There was no link between teething and body temperature or high fever. (104 or higher.)

While teething can sometimes cause an increase in body temperature, high grade fevers are often signs of something more concerning.

Source

Fever Kids
Health and Fitness

Baby Wellness: Fever Rule

Yesterday, one of my dear friends hosted an Easter egg hunt at her house for six mums and their tots.
by babysugar

Yesterday, one of my dear friends hosted an Easter egg hunt at her house for six mums and their tots.

My babe and I were supposed to attend, but sadly she woke up with a fever for the third day in a row. I was hoping that she would rise and shine in her usual spunky demeanor. Instead, she was cranky, hot and obviously not feeling up to par.

To see what happened, read more