How to deal with a child having a fever at night?

Many children often have a fever in the middle of the night. It is very inconvenient to see a doctor in the middle of the night. Many parents are very troubled by this. They don’t know what to do when their children have a fever. In fact, if the child’s fever does not exceed 38 degrees, physical cooling methods can be used at home. Let me introduce to you some methods of dealing with children’s fever!

First aid measures

(1) You can apply a cold, wet towel to your forehead. It is better to put ice cubes in a waterproof plastic bag and wrap it in a dry towel to apply to your head and neck. You can also apply it to your armpits and groin for better results.

(2) Dilute 75% alcohol with half the amount of water, then use a small towel to wet the alcohol and wipe the head, neck, armpits, chest, back and limbs. If the child's limbs are cold or the skin develops chicken skin after rubbing, you should use warm water slightly lower than the skin temperature to wipe the limbs until they turn red and warm again.

(4) While doing physical cooling, you should also take antipyretics. If you have a history of high fever and cramps, you should also take sedatives. If your home is far from a hospital and transportation is inconvenient, it is best not to rush to the hospital regardless of anything if you have a high fever. You can first perform the above-mentioned emergency treatment at home.

2. Cooling method

(1) Traditional physical cooling method

Place the child in a quiet, cool, well-ventilated place. Use a cold towel or cold water bag to apply to the forehead, armpits, groin and other parts, or use an ice bag wrapped in cloth as a pillow on the head or place it on the above-mentioned parts. You can also use cold water (28-30℃) or alcohol (30-50%) to bathe the limbs, both sides of the torso and the back. If the child develops pale skin or cold skin during sponge bathing, stop immediately. Cold saline (30-32°C) enema can also be used, which is more suitable for those suspected of poisoning. It can reduce the temperature and facilitate the collection of stool samples for examination.

(2) Drug cooling method

For immature children, infants and weak children, antipyretics are generally not used to reduce fever; children aged 0 to 23 months can take Baifuning (antipyretic oral) drops for children, and children aged 2 to 12 years can take Baifuning (antipyretic) solution or chewable tablets for children, once every 4 to 6 hours. The advantage of this antipyretic is that it is absorbed quickly after oral administration and takes effect within 30 minutes. It does not have the irritation to the gastrointestinal tract like traditional antipyretic and analgesic drugs and reduces the impact on white blood cell and platelet function.

(3) Acupuncture cooling method

3. Symptomatic treatment

(1) When the fever is high, water loss increases and appetite decreases, so water and electrolytes should be replenished in time;

(2) For patients who are irritable, have recurrent convulsions, or for whom general cooling measures are ineffective, chlorpromazine and promethazine may be used as appropriate.

4. Treatment methods targeting the cause of the disease

For high fever caused by infection, effective antibiotics should be selected according to the condition. Local infection lesions should be cleared promptly. High fever caused by non-infectious diseases also requires appropriate treatment measures based on different causes.

Generally speaking, when you find that your child has a fever, you should first measure the temperature and then take physical cooling methods. It should be noted that parents should not give their children antipyretics at random. If they need to go to the hospital for treatment, it is best to use antipyretics under the guidance of a doctor. When children have a fever, they must drink more water.