Baby has fever and forehead is swollen

Because the body's resistance is relatively weak, it is common for children to have a fever. Generally, when a child has a fever, parents can tell by touching the child's forehead. However, some parents find that their children’s foreheads are swollen when they have a fever. When this happens, they definitely want to know the specific reason. So, what is going on when a baby has a bulging forehead due to a fever? Let’s take a look below.

It is normal for the fontanelle to bulge when the baby has a fever. Changes in the fontanelle are closely related to changes in intracranial pressure. When the fontanelle is protruding, the possibility of increased intracranial pressure needs to be considered. Of course, if the child's mental state is relatively good and there is no nausea or vomiting, it should be a benign increase in intracranial pressure related to fever. After the body temperature returns to normal, the intracranial pressure will slowly return to normal. If the child's mental state is poor and the intracranial pressure is significantly increased, a head CT or cerebrospinal fluid examination is needed.

What to do if your baby has a fever

When a baby has a fever, physical cooling should be the main method. Keep the air circulating in the home and maintain the room temperature between 25℃-27℃. In addition, you can give the baby a warm bath, that is, undress the baby and rub the whole body with a warm water (37℃) towel. Give the baby plenty of water. If the baby's body temperature (rectal temperature or ear temperature) exceeds 38.5℃, you can use antipyretic solutions or suppositories appropriately.

1. Maintain air circulation in the home: If the home has air conditioning, maintain the room temperature between 25℃-27℃. You can place your baby in an air-conditioned room or use an electric fan to blow around him to slowly lower his body temperature and make him feel more comfortable. But if the limbs are cold and the patient is shivering violently, it means that the patient needs warmth, so he should be covered with a blanket. But parents must remember that they must not let their babies face the air conditioner or electric fan to cool down.

2. Take off too many clothes: If the baby's limbs and hands and feet are warm and the whole body is sweating, it means that the baby needs to dissipate heat, so he can wear fewer clothes.

3. Warm water bath: Undress the baby and rub the whole body with a warm water (37℃) towel. This will dilate the blood vessels in the baby's skin and release body qi. In addition, when water vapor evaporates from the body surface, it will also absorb body heat.

4. Use a cooling patch: It helps dissipate heat, but it is not recommended for younger babies because it is difficult for babies to turn their bodies, and an ice pillow can easily cause local overcooling or hypothermia. You can also use a cooling patch. When the water in the gelatinous substance of the cooling patch evaporates, it can take away the heat and will not cause excessive cooling.

5. Drink more water: Let your baby drink more water to help sweating and prevent dehydration. Water has the function of regulating temperature, which can lower body temperature and replenish water lost in the baby's body.

6. Use antipyretics: When the baby's core temperature (rectal temperature or ear temperature) exceeds 38.5℃, you can use antipyretic solutions or suppositories appropriately.

7. Send the baby to the hospital for treatment in time: When the baby's temperature exceeds 38.5℃, after taking antipyretics, or when parents do not know how to deal with it, the baby should be sent to the hospital in time for doctor treatment.