Fever: 5 Signs Its Time to See a Doctor
How do you know someone is not feeling well? What are those signs you look for? Depending on what disease, a person not feeling well will present differently. For some its general body weakness, lack of appetite, headache, stomach pains, Dizziness, and others. Especially in young babies that cannot verbally communicate, it may be hard to learn that your child is not feeling well.
One cardinal sign in most diseases is fever. When you touch a baby’s forehead, they’ll feel hotter than normal. Usually, it’s accompanied by other signs like irritability, refusal of feeds, diarrhea, vomiting, crying, and others. Remember a baby won’t tell you they have a headache, feeling nauseous, have stomach pains, etc. It’s the mother to read the signs which are usually come after fevers.
If you notice your baby is hotter than normal, get a thermometer and take it. If the thermometer reads 37 degrees Celcius and above, its time to see a doctor. Don’t wait because when a baby’s temperature becomes very high, they might start convulsing. You don’t want that for your child as it might lead to irreversible complications. You know babies are delicate, therefore if you notice something unusual, act immediately. Are you still reading? Well, stick around as this article unfolds more for you.
Shivering
When you notice your baby shivering and feeling cold to touch, it’s a sign you need to see a doctor. Shivering is caused by fever and comes about when you feel colder than the body’s new set point. As a result, the body has to figure out a way to generate heat to warm it. When your body muscles contract and relax, they generate heat hence chills and shivers. However, it’s important to understand that not all shivering is not caused by fever. Go to the doctor and let him handle the situation professionally.
A Hot and Flushed Face
When you notice your baby’s face flushed and hot, it could be an indication of fever. When you notice that, go ahead and feel the baby’s forehead, stomach, and back to see if they feel hotter than normal. It’s crucial for every mother to have a thermometer in the house so you can tell whether your baby feeling hot is actually a fever or something else.
Irritability
When you notice your baby acting unusual, there must be a problem. Mother’s instinct always tells you when your baby is unwell, so learn to trust it. When your baby’s cry sounds different or too much crying than usual, it could be a sign of fever or any other ailment. Some babies will be lethargic and lazy to feed or play. Keep an eye on a baby with such symptoms and monitor temperature with a thermometer. If it’s consistently higher than 37 degrees Celcius or increasing instead of reducing, talk to your pediatrician.
High Temperature
A high temperature indicates a fever. You will know by using a thermometer either under the armpit or mouth. A reading of 37 degrees Celsius and above indicates a fever. You can first monitor it every 2 hours and see its trend. If the temperature keeps increasing, it’s time to go see a doctor. But if it decreases, it could be the surroundings or clothes. In this case, you want to reduce the baby’s clothes and still monitor it to see its trend.
Loss of Appetite
When you notice your baby refusing food and drinks, it could be a sign of fever. Some conditions might cause irritation of the mouth and hence if your child can take solid foods, they might refuse to avoid pain. A baby with an inflamed mouth caused by fever will refuse to breastfeed. It’s important you regularly check your baby’s mouth for any abnormalities. Also, keep track of your baby’s feeding patterns so you explain to the doctor.
Final Word
Fever is mostly caused by a disease. Since babies cannot communicate verbally, it’s important that you know your baby. You should know when your baby is acting rather abnormally so you find a solution. Some babies with a fever will cry abnormally, be irritable, lethargic, and have a flushed face. Look out for these and monitor their temperature with a thermometer.