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Fevers And Infants
Fevers And Infants Fever is your body's way of telling you something is wrong. When an infant gets a fever, it is a parent's worst fright. The infant can not communicate other than crying, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, rapid breathing, excessive drooling, purple rashes or high temperature over 101 degrees Fahrenheit. When a parent is not sure, it's time to call a health professional. There are many causes for these symptoms, and only a health professional will be able to prescribe a treatment that can ease the infant's health issue. Some symptoms are so complicated that only trained specialist will be able to diagnose the cause or causes of the fever. Just knowing that in most cases a fever is an indication that the infant has an illness is no assurance. A low fever by itself, may not be harmful and in fact may help the infant's body fight off an infection more effectively. It is a high fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit in an infant that a parent must take immediate action. Fever in an infant is defined as a rectal temperature above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important that you know and understand how to properly prepare and use this important fever measuring instrument. Read the instructions that came with the rectal thermometer. Any questions ask your doctor or doctor's staff to explain and demonstrate how to properly use the thermometer. Knowing how to read the temperature correctly on the thermometer to determine the infants temperature, will save valuable time and trips to the doctor or to the emergency room. In an infant viruses, diseases, and bacteria can cause a high temperature. The degree of the fever is not always related to the severity of the infant's infection. In may cases only a trained doctor with proper diagnostic tests will be able to determine the cause of the infection. Viruses like Yellow Fever, West Nile, Hepatitis A, Rubella, Hepatitis B, and Marburg can cause high fevers in infants. Determining if the infant has been exposed to anyone of these viruses will be a primary factor in expediting the treatment of the infant. Has the infant been to areas where these viruses are known to be prevalent? Has the infant been exposed to people that are known to have or have had the viruses? What is different about the places the infant has been? Infants are often exposed to diseases like Roseola Inantum (herpes viruses, HHV-6 and HHV-7), Staphylococcal Infection(a Gram-positive bacteria), Bronchiolitis (upper respiratory infection), Pertussis (violent coughing "whooping cough", and Dengue Fever (red rash with high fever of 104-105 degrees Fahrenheit). Again as in viruses, where the infant has been and to whom the infant has been exposed. Diseases in infants often cause diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and dehydration. Rehydration of an infant should be discussed with your prenatal doctor to determine the preferred method suggested by the doctor for each age group of infants. Knowing what to do and what to expect before it happens, will aid in building confidence in the infant's parents. Just because an infant has a slight above normal temperature it does not mean that the infant has been exposed. The infant's temperature could be the results of the infant being overdressed or in a room that is too warm. Usually infants are born with no bacteria either in them or on them. It isn't until the infant is exposed to the outside world, do bacteria have a chance to effect the health of an infant. There are good and bad bacteria. The good bacteria have a "mutualistic" relationship with the infant (what's good for the infant is good for the bacteria) as with all human beings. Good bacteria is needed for digesting food, clotting blood, and the destruction of bad bacteria. Bad bacteria are what make the infant sick. Probably the worst of the bad bacteria is infant botulism. Infant botulism occurs when dirt, dust, or contaminated honey is ingested by the infant. The spores of the Clostridium botulinum bacteria may be contained in these products. This is why you see on labels of honey, "Warning: Do not feed honey to infants under one year of age." Infants have not developed an immune system where as older children and adults have mature digestive systems that can remove the spores from their systems. Infants may also be exposed to bad bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae (a cause of pneumonia) and Haemophilus influenzae (cause of upper respiratory infections). What ever the exposure when an infant begins to wheeze it is suggested that the parent seek professional assistance. If the infants rectal temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit or above seek immediate medical attention. If the oral temperature is 105 degrees Fahrenheit or above seek immediate medical attention. For an excellent checklist for all ages of children see: Fever in Infants and Children at http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/504.html To avoid exposure of an infant to viruses, diseases and bacteria it is suggested that the infant not be exposed to people not having direct daily contact with the infant for the first two to three months while the infant develops its immune system. People known to be unwell or sick should not handle or approach the infant during this period of time while the immune system is developing. Less exposure to viruses, diseases and bacteria may prevent fewer fevers and less trips to the doctor or emergency room. Underexposure at this time is the best medicines for an infant. Research From:
http://www.righthealth.com/Health/Infants%20And%20Fevers-s?lid=yhoo-ads-sb-0032276518
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/504.html
http://pediatrics.about.com/od/fever/a/0707_baby_fever.htm
http://whyfiles.org/shorties/236gut_flora/
http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/botulism.html
http://bacteriality.com/2007/10/17/infants/ zzzzz78
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This intel was contributed by The MUSEUM
The MUSEUM
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May, 2012
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