Fever in children is a condition when the child's body temperature exceeds 37°C. Fever itself is not a disease, but a symptom of another disease or condition. Although it does not always require treatment, fever in children needs to be watched out for, especially if it occurs frequently or is accompanied by other symptoms.

Normal body temperature in children ranges from 36-37°C. Fever was defined as a body temperature that is more than 37.2°C when measured in the armpit, more than 37.8°C when measured in the mouth, or above 38°C when measured rectal. If your child feels warmer, like his forehead is warm to the touch, use a thermometer to take his temperature. However, do not use a thermometer that contains mercury or mercury, as they can be very dangerous if they break.

Causes of Fever in Children

Fever occurs as a sign that the immune system is working against the cause of the disease. There are various conditions that can cause fever in children, namely:

Viral infections, such as upper respiratory tract infections (ARI), dengue fever, or pneumonia
Bacterial infections, such as tuberculosis (TB), urinary tract infections, diphtheria, ear infections, rheumatic fever, or meningitis
Other infections, such as malaria
Inflammation, such as Kawasaki disease, arthritis, rheumatic heart disease
Allergic reactions to certain drugs
Post-immunization co-occurrence (AEFI)
Blood transfusion
Teething
Heatstroke, due to being outside for too long when the weather is hot, taking hot showers, exercising, or wearing clothes that are too thick
Cancer, such as leukemia or Wilms tumor

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Symptoms of Fever in Children

The main symptom of fever is an increase in body temperature that reaches 38°C or more, when measured with a thermometer. In response to an increase in body temperature, other symptoms may also develop, such as:

Body feels hot to the touch
Increased or decreased sweat production
Skin looks pale or red
Increased or decreased urine volume
Children want to be in a cool or warm place
Fussy
Child looks more sleepy
Shivering
Not wanting to breastfeed, drink or eat

When to go to the doctor

See a doctor immediately if:

Body temperature measured through the rectum reaches 38°C or more, in children less than 3 months old
Body temperature 38.9°C or more, in children aged 3–6 months
Body temperature over 38.9°C, in children aged 6–24 months
Body temperature over 40°C, at all ages of children

In addition to a number of conditions above, immediately consult a doctor if other symptoms appear that accompany fever, such as:

Not wanting to breastfeed, drink or eat
Prolonged diarrhea or vomiting
Fever does not subside after 1 day (in children younger than 2 years) or 2 days (in children 2 years or older)
Frequent fever, even if it only lasts for a few hours
Symptoms of dehydration, such as infrequent urination, no tears when crying, or looking weak
skin rash
Pain in the ear
Sore throat
Pain when urinating

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Seek immediate medical attention if your child develops more serious symptoms, including:

Don't want to stop crying
Crying in a shrill voice, but sounding weak
Very fussy
Hard to breathe
Looks lethargic and often sleepy
A rash or purplish spots that resemble bruises appear on the skin
Blue lips, tongue or nails
The soft part of the baby's head looks protruding or sunken in
Neck feels stiff
Severe headache
Severe stomach pain
Looks limp or lazy to move
Difficulty breathing that does not improve even after cleaning the nose
Seizures
Loss of consciousness

Diagnosis of Fever in Children

Fever in children can be suspected from an increase in body temperature. The trick is to put your hand on the child's skin. Even so, this method can not give the right results. Therefore, it is recommended to use a digital thermometer that can be used in the mouth, armpit or rectum. However, rectal examination is recommended for accurate results.

Examination of fever by a doctor aims to detect the underlying disease of fever. The doctor will start the examination by asking you and your child's medical history, followed by a physical examination of the child. To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will perform the following tests:

1. Blood Test

The blood test aims to detect a bacterial or viral infection. Through a blood sample, the doctor can find out how well the child's immune system is. Doctors can also examine blood samples to measure electrolyte levels in children, to detect dehydration.

2. Urine Test

The doctor will examine the child's urine sample to see if there is a possible infection in the urinary tract. If needed, the doctor can also run a urine culture to detect the possible presence of bacteria in the urine.

3. X-ray photo

X-ray examination is done to see the condition of the chest, lungs, or heart. X-rays are performed if the child has a fever accompanied by symptoms of cough, chest pain, or shortness of breath.

4. Lumbar Puncture

A lumbar puncture was performed on a child suspected of having meningitis. In this examination, the doctor will insert a needle into the spinal gap to take a sample of spinal fluid, then examine it in a laboratory.

Treatment of Fever in Children

Not all fevers in children need to be treated. In many cases, treatment is only given if the fever makes the child feel uncomfortable or cranky. In such conditions, paracetamol or ibuprofen can be given to relieve fever. However, first consult with your doctor before giving any medication, so that the dose given is in accordance with the age and weight of the child.

Keep in mind, do not give any medicine to children under 2 months of age without a doctor's recommendation. Do not also use aspirin to reduce fever in children, unless advised by a doctor. In rare cases, aspirin can trigger Reye's syndrome in children. Apart from giving medication, parents can help reduce their child's fever by doing the following efforts:

Set the temperature of the child's room so that it is not too hot or too cold.
Provide light clothing and blankets. Do not put thick clothes and blankets on the child so that his body heat is not trapped and makes his body temperature rise even more.
Keep fluid intake in children to prevent dehydration. The fluid given is adjusted to the child's age, it can be in the form of breast milk, ORS, or plain water.
Do not force the child to eat too much, but provide food in sufficient quantities.
Make sure the child gets enough rest before continuing the activity. Children can only return to activities if the fever has subsided for at least 24 hours.

If the fever experienced by the child is quite severe, the doctor will provide the following treatment:

Giving antibiotics, to treat bacterial infections
Hospitalization, to treat more serious infections, such as meningitis
Infusion fluids, to treat dehydration

Complications of Fever in Children

Fever in children aged 6 months to 5 years can trigger febrile seizures. Although it looks worrying, febrile seizures generally do not cause serious consequences. If your child has a febrile seizure, take the following steps:

Remove or loosen the child's clothes.
Do not put anything in the child's mouth.
Place the child in a lying position on his side or on his stomach on the floor.
Keep sharp objects out of reach of children.
Keep holding the child to prevent injury.
Count the duration of the child's seizures.

Do not try to stop seizures in children, as they will usually go away on their own. After the seizures stop, take the child to the doctor so that the cause of the fever in the child can be determined. If the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, seek medical attention immediately.

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Prevention of Fever in Children

Prevention of fever in children can be done by avoiding the underlying disease. Prevention must be done by all family members, including by teaching children to do the same. Prevention efforts that can be taken include:

Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, especially before eating, after going to crowded places, near sick people, after touching animals, or after using the toilet
Bring hand sanitizer, just in case there is no water and soap
Always cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing
Avoid touching areas that are prone to germs, such as the mouth, nose or eyes
Do not share eating and drinking utensils with others
Give children enough water to drink
Consuming healthy, complete and balanced nutrition so that the nutritional needs of children are fulfilled so that the child's resistance is strong
Ensuring children get enough sleep and rest