Fevers are common in children, but how much do you really know about treating them? We asked an expert.
Once the baby years are over, parents get less panicky about every fever their child suffers. But did you know that you shouldn’t use a fever strip thermometer or sponge your kid for more than 30 minutes at a time?
Dr Grace Lim, a paediatrician at Thomson Paediatric Centre, shares her insights on this common childhood illness and when you should raise the alarm.
What’s considered a fever?
A person’s normal body temperature varies with age, general health, activity level, and time of day. It is highest between the late afternoon and early evening, and lowest between midnight and early morning.
A fever is a body temperature that is higher than the normal range of 36.4 and 37.5 deg C.
Most paediatricians consider a temperature above 38 deg C as a sign of a fever.
Why do they occur?
A fever is usually a sign that the body is fighting an illness or infection. These are usually due to viruses, which can clear up without treatment but, occasionally, it is a sign of serious bacterial illness.
How high the fever is does not indicate the severity of the illness.
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