Being a parent can be scary. There are so many things to worry about; after making it through pregnancy and birth you then get the baby home and realize quite how daunting the challenge is. This tiny little child it totally dependent on you, their future is in your hands. There is advice, probably too much advice, about parenting, but what about coping? Coping is more than ‘just getting by’, coping is about getting the information, doing your best and knowing every day that there was nothing else you could have done. This is really put to the test when your baby is ill.
Why Is Fever In Babies So Common?
Some children will get through life without suffering many high fevers, however, there are many parents out there who will be dealing with fever in babies on a regular basis. Babies pick up viruses just like the rest of us, but their immune system is not as developed and every virus for them is a whole new battle. For some parents this will be a night of dealing with fever in babies - regularly. For babies prone to fever, you have to accept that the smallest cold can lead to temperatures off the thermometer.
Where To Start When Dealing With Fever In Babies
Firstly you must establish the level of the fever. Knowing that the baby has a raised temperature is not really good enough; you need to know your starting point. It is no longer advised to bath your baby in cool water, or even to sponge them down. But you must find physical ways to lower your baby's temperature as any medication can take as long as an hour to work. Firstly take off all their clothes. If you have a fan get this running, angle it just above the baby, you do not want this directed at them, you want the fan to circulate the air around them and this breeze will help to cool them down. There are two medications which can be used to lower a fever in babies, paracetamol and ibuprofen, these can be taken together. It is important to read the label and make sure that you give the correct dose. If the fever in babies does not reduce within forty minutes of receiving both the paracetamol and ibuprofen then you should immediately seek medical advice.
For The Mother Who Deals With Fever In Babies Regularly
Firstly it is normal to be stressed when you baby is too hot to touch, some parents will never understand what it is like to feel your own baby burning your skin. You will barely sleep when your babies temperature is off the scale, and if you do you will be so exhausted that you may slip into a deep sleep and then wake up panicked that you baby has got worst and you were sleeping. You must take all the help you can. If you have friends or family get them to help with anything, even if it is loading the dishwasher or sitting watching your baby while you sleep. This is an emotional rollercoaster and you need company on the ride.
Finally, it is worth knowing that convulsions, caused by fever in babies, are not killers and the most damage is to the parents who have to deal with them. Children convulse and then sleep – this is not a coma, it is recovery.
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