It is very common in Indonesia, during the Pancaroba Season, many people get ill. Pancaroba Season is a season in between the changing seasons (Indonesia has two seasons: Dry and Rainy Seasons). Usually on February – April is Pancaroba Season from Dry to Rainy Season, and on October – December is Pancaroba Season from Rainy to Dry Season. And my baby is one of those people who got ill.
Through this experience, I would like to share about how to recognize bad fever, and then some tips how to overcome it. I call it bad fever, because sometimes, when my son got fever, he still ate & drank milk as usual and also still played with his friends & toys. But this bad fever caused the opposite conditions to my baby.
Here are the symptoms of bad fever:
1. The body temperature more than 370 Celsius. Regular temperature of human body is 36 – 370 Celsius. My baby’s at that time was 39.5 – 400 Celsius. In some cases, the high temperature can cause fever seizures, depends on the stamina.
2. Your babies usually didn’t want to eat nor drink.
3. They cried and wanted to be carried on a lot.
4. The face, lips and skin looked pale.
5. The eyes became wistful.
6. Sometimes with vomiting.
Since that was the first time my baby got “bad fever”, so I took him to the hospital. When the doctor examined him, he gave some advised how to reduce the fever.
Here are the tips and the preparations you need to do to overcome bad fever at home, which I got from the doctors and also from other sources:
1. Buy thermometer. It is very important to have thermometer at your house. Put it at the first aid box or anywhere easier to search and reach.
2. Always prepared with paracetamol (acetaminophen). Mine is Sanmol Drop (paracetamol syrup with pipette, made by Sanbe Farma). If your child is about 0 – 1.5 years old, it is better to have paracetamol syrup, older than that; you may prepare with paracetamol tablets. Don’t forget to read the instructions and the right dose.
3. If you are breastfeeding your baby, it is better for you to breastfeed your baby when they got fever. Because the fever can cause dehydration, so the baby needs more liquid supply. Or you can give water/milk to your baby, with spoon if needed, around 3 spoons or more, and give a break around 15 – 30 minutes, then give more water. If it is too difficult with spoon, try to give it with pipette.
4. Prepare the compress, put warm water in a bowl and clean cloth. Dampen the cloth and then put it on your baby forehead or in the armpit. Please note, do not use cold water, because it can cause “short circuit” at the brain between the high body temperature and the cold water.
5. Do not cover the baby with thick blanket or put on thick clothes to your baby. Because it can raise the temperature. Just put them off.
6. If your baby got fever seizures (hopefully NOT), try to calm down, do not panic, because when you get panic, you cannot think any other else. Remove toys surround your baby so it won’t harm your baby, and directly go to the nearest clinic/hospital to get immediate help. Then, if you think that your baby needs further treatment at well-equipped hospital, you can ask for reference letter. At least your baby gets immediate help first.
7. Tilt the baby position, so the baby will not swallow nor choke his own vomiting.
8. Always keep important phone number, such as your doctor’s number, hospital, taxies, relatives, neighbors, etc. You can put those numbers next to the phone, or save them in your mobile phone.
Well, that’s all for now. Hopefully this sharing and tips useful for you.
hey thanks for sharing this.newborns get fever easily.This is because their immune system is not as mature as an older baby. Newborns are likely to get many infections until read more....