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Fever Myths: Ice Packs and Cooling Patches May Worsen Symptoms
2008/05/26 22:50
26 topics published
What to do when a baby has a fever? Nearly 50% of parents are clueless! Pediatricians say that when a baby has a fever, it should be handled in stages. If the fever is not managed correctly, it can prolong the fever duration. For children with poor cardiopulmonary function, it may even lead to severe complications due to excessive heart load. However, if the baby's temperature fluctuates and does not subside within 24 hours, and their activity level decreases, they should be taken to the doctor immediately.
According to a survey conducted by the pediatric outpatient department at Shu-Tien Clinic, nearly 50% of parents are unaware that fever management is staged. The survey shows that nearly 60% (57%) of parents would give antipyretics to reduce fever, nearly 30% (28%) would use ice pillows or cooling patches, 13% would bathe the baby in warm water, and 2% would adopt other methods.
Chen Yongqi, the director of the pediatric department at Shu-Tien Clinic, said that when a baby has a fever, it should be handled in two stages. The first stage is the "chill phase," where the initial fever usually presents with "chills" and cold hands and feet. She pointed out that many parents mistakenly use physical cooling methods such as warm baths, ice pillows, and cooling patches. During this phase, keeping warm should be the top priority.
Chen Yongqi explained that humans are homeothermic animals, and the brain's thermoregulatory center is usually set at 37.7 degrees Celsius. When bacteria or viruses invade the body, the immune system fights back, causing inflammation, which manifests as a "fever." During the process of increasing body temperature, chills occur due to heat production. If physical cooling methods are applied immediately at this time, it goes against the physiological mechanism and may prolong the fever duration.
The second stage is the "fever phase," where the hands and feet become hot, and the heart rate and breathing speed up. This stage is suitable for using physical methods to help the baby cool down. After taking antipyretics, physical cooling can be applied after 30 minutes.
Chen Yongqi reminded that after handling the fever in stages, if the temperature drops smoothly, it might just be a temporary discomfort in the child's temperature regulation, not a fever. They should be given more water and rest. Conversely, if the temperature does not drop but rises every 6 hours after taking antipyretics, and the activity level worsens, they should seek medical attention within 24 hours to identify the cause.
Source:
http://blog. pixnet. net/ allshowgirl/ post/ 17137861