PAEDIATRIC FEVER

Nursing Care for Paediatric Fever in Children



Nursing Care for Paediatric Fever in Children

Paediatric Fever

Fever is an adaptive response, used by almost all vertebrates, as part of the acute phase reaction of the immune response. It involves complex coordination of regional phenomena, neuroendocrine and behavioral. Febrile response may be caused by a variety of infectious agents and other non-infectious conditions that trigger the inflammatory response. Its manifestations are stereotyped and independent of the cause (Annane , et al. 2002). The cardinal manifestation of fever is the elevation of body temperature in one to four degrees Celsius above normal. The mechanism of this elevation appears to be an increase in the thermostat set point temperature of the body, located in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus. The thermoregulatory mechanisms are activated to maintain a higher temperature, are the same as normally used to maintain body temperature at normal conditions when exposed to a cold environment. The most important of these is the redistribution of blood flow from the skin to deeper vascular beds in order to reduce heat loss through the skin. This paper will discuss the Pediatrics fever and the priorities for the nursing care which should be given to the child in the case study. The paper will also discuss the prevention and managing febrile convulsions in children (Baker, 1993).

Pediatrics fever is defined in the elevation of body temperature due to a change in the "set-point" hypothalamic to values of 38 ° C or more, measured in the rectal area. This measurement is preferred because it is closest to the actual core temperature; skin temperature (axillary, inguinal) is inaccurate, because of the difficulty in procedure and greater dependence on ambient temperature changes. The stereotypical nature of the febrile response, independent of the causal disease, has led several researchers to hypothesize that there should be some endogenous substance, secreted during inflammation, to produce the febrile response. Today there are several known mediators involved in this response. The coordinated series of events that result in the occurrence of fever begins with stimulation by microorganisms, endotoxins and other exogenous substances system monocyte / macrophage, which synthesizes and releases cytokines. These molecules reach the hypothalamic level, where they stimulate the synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), hitherto known as the main responsible for the change in the level of regulation of the hypothalamus (increased "set point" hypothalamic) (Baraff, 1993).

The phenomenon fever is a sign of disease that occurs with a relatively high frequency in children. It constitutes about 60% of the complaints in morbidity outpatient care and pediatric emergency services. Usually due to an infectious etiology pathology, most often viral, banal and self-limited and requires no specific treatment (or not available).

Priorities of Nursing Care for Lachlan

Lachlan is a 4 year old boy who has been brought into the emergency department overnight by his mother as he has been unwell for 2 days, and has had a fever up to 38.7°C at home. His mother became concerned when Lachlan appeared lethargic and refused to eat ...