When should I take my child to the doctor?
In general, a pediatrician should be consulted if the temperature exceeds 39.0°C.If the fever cannot be reduced, a doctor should be consulted. If the fever lasts longer than one day in a child under two years of age or more than three days in a child over two years of age, a pediatrician should also be consulted. A pediatrician should also be consulted if an infant shows symptoms such as lethargy, repeated vomiting, severe diarrhea, skin rash, unwillingness to drink two or more meals or other unusual behavior. In general, it is sufficient to see a pediatrician in private practice rather than going to the emergency room. Usually 90% of the cases can be cleared here.
Causes of fever in infants
The fever in small children can have many different causes, with various infectious diseases and inflammations being among the most common. Since the immune system is not yet fully developed after birth and is still in the learning phase for some time, babies and small children in particular fall ill much more frequently and easily. In most cases, the carriers are their own parents and infected toys.
The entry ports with the most contact to the environment are most frequently affected, so that the mucous membranes of the nose, throat and ears are often affected by viruses or bacteria. Many of the infections of the upper respiratory tract or the ears then usually show fever in addition to cough, sniffles, ear and throat pain. Likewise, infections of the gastrointestinal tract are usually accompanied by fever, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and vomiting.
In the same way, urinary tract infections, bacterial bone or joint inflammation and rheumatic fever can also be triggers for a rise in body temperature. The latter is a reaction of the immune system to an infection with streptococci in scarlet fever, tonsillitis or otitis media, for example. Another cause can always be childhood infections such as measles, chickenpox, rubella, mumps, etc.
They can also cause the classic skin rashes accompanied by fever. The so-called three-day fever is also a frequent trigger of fever episodes in young children, which usually last for 3 days, are detached from a skin rash and can often trigger an uncomplicated febrile convulsion, but are usually harmless. Nevertheless, in rare cases, more serious infections can be behind a persistently high fever, such as meningococcal meningitis or leukemia.
A feverish reaction to vaccinations that have taken place is also possible, but in most cases this should not be a cause for concern. After injection of the vaccination serum, the infant’s immune system is activated and the defence against the respective pathogen is trained, which can lead to increased body temperatures for a short time. Teething is one of the very frequent triggers of a sudden onset of fever without accompanying cold symptoms, and babies can show the most varied symptoms.
Other common signs for the breakthrough of the first teeth are usually
- Reddened cheeks,
- Reddened gums,
- Changed stool habits (flatulence, diarrhoea or constipation),
- Baby’s teething rash
- Loss of appetite
- And the repeated insertion of fingers and objects into the mouth.
Usually the first teeth appear at the age of six months, at about three years the milk teeth are complete. The typical symptoms of teeth also include those that would otherwise indicate an infection. The cheeks can be red and hot, the child is restless and sleeps badly, has less appetite.
In some cases, fever and diarrhoea can also occur. In general, there is no need to worry, even if sometimes a small infection is added. This can happen because the immune system is temporarily weakened by teething. However, in the case of high fever, prolonged fever or severe diarrhoea, the child should be presented to the pediatrician.
