FEVER TREATMENT IN CHILDREN

Fever Treatment in Children

Fever Treatment in Children

Introduction

Fever occurs frequently in infants and young children and is a common reason for visits to the clinic or emergency department. The differential diagnosis of fever is broad and includes both infectious and non infectious causes, with the majority of febrile children having an underlying infection. There is believed to be an increased risk of medical conditions originating out of inappropriate therapies being used for treating children fever.

This review will examine the range of fever treatments in children and by distinguishing similarities and differences in the research attempt to identify the predominant theories, arguments and findings related to these treatments and identify what is the best fever treatment on the basis of scientific evidence. In addition to the drug options, a number of physical or non-drug methods with isolated researches have also been taken in the account.

Thesis Statement

“Although medicine literature and practice provides a range of therapeutic options for febrile fever, the efficacies of each of these treatments should be weighed against each other in light of extensive evidence”

Fever is the elevation of body temperature above normal values. If body temperature is between 37 º and 38 º, the condition is referred to as tens or fever; if it is between 38 º and 39.9 º as high fever, and if it's above 40 °, its intense fever or hyperthermia. The scientific data available in recent years are no longer considers fever as a danger to the child (except in some except special cases) (Sears 2010). Often, fever is only a symptom of an ongoing disease. The specter of hyperthermic seizure was the major motivation of the proposed treatments so far and the experts are reassuring about it. It occurs in 2-5% of febrile children and, until the age of 5 years (Chiappini 2009). Since there is more reason to fear hyperthermia in children, finding the apyrexia is no longer an end in itself. Conversely, the discomfort of the young patient acquires its full importance. And relief of fever may respond to a decrease in activity, alertness, appetite, social relationships or to headaches or mood changes (Enarson 2009).

The role of Antipyretics

Antipyretics such as ibuprofen have proven to be effective treatment for children with fever. Its mechanism of action is based on inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. It produces a more pronounced decrease of temperature and maintains the antipyretic effect over time (6-8 hours) having the antipyretic action, it is analgesic and anti-inflammatory. It can also be associated to the amino acid L-arginine gastroerosivo decreasing irrigation. The recommendable dose for adults is 400-600mg/6-8 hours and for the, it is 5-10mg/kg/6-8 hours.

In children with a history of fever and convulsions, the risk of recurrence is high during the two years following the first episode, especially if the first attack occurred before age 2 years, and no drugs were administered, which have been studied versus placebo (including ibuprofen, acetaminophen, diazepam, alone or in combination), has demonstrated a preventive effect when given at ...