The normal body temperature of a newborn is between 36.2 and 37.8 ℃ (anal temperature), and when the body temperature exceeds this range, it is called fever. Due to the poor tolerance of newborns to high fever, when the body temperature exceeds 40.0 ℃ and lasts for a long time, it can cause convulsions, brain damage, neurological sequelae, etc. Some parents tend to mess up when they are in a hurry. Cooling down is important, but improper measures taken can add insult to injury. For example, alcohol cooling: wiping a baby’s skin with alcohol can quickly cool down, but the drawbacks outweigh the benefits.
One is that alcohol acts too quickly, which can have counterproductive effects. The baby may start to tremble throughout the body, causing another increase in body temperature.
Secondly, some babies may be allergic to alcohol, which can cause systemic adverse reactions. Such as rash, erythema, itching, etc.
Thirdly, alcohol can be inhaled into the baby’s body through the skin and respiratory tract, causing alcoholism and even coma.
The fourth reason is that alcohol bath can stimulate the vagus nerve, cause reflex heart rate slowing, and even cause ventricular fibrillation and conduction block, leading to cardiac arrest.
Physical cooling is most effective for newborns with fever
The simplest and most effective treatment for newborns with fever is physical cooling. When the body temperature is below 38 ℃, it generally does not need to be treated, as long as more water is fed.
If the body temperature is between 38 and 39 ℃, the blanket that covers the child can be opened, or the child can be changed into a thinner blanket for heat dissipation, or a cold water bag can be placed on the child’s headrest to cool down.
For children with high fever above 39 ℃, gauze dipped in warm water can be used to wipe the neck, armpits, thigh roots, and limbs to cool down. During the cooling process, it is important to note that as soon as a child’s body temperature begins to decrease, cooling measures should be immediately stopped to avoid overcorrection and hypothermia.
When cooling down in summer, it is important to give children plenty of plain water or sugar water.
While using physical cooling, it is also important to ask a doctor to determine the cause of the child’s fever.
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