How long apart should fever reducers be given to children?

Fever is a common health problem in young children. In addition to applying a warm towel, wearing cool clothes, and wiping the body to lower the child's body temperature, parents can also give the child fever-reducing medicine if the child has a fever that is too high. However, parents need to learn how to use fever-reducing medicine for children properly to ensure safety and avoid dangerous consequences from taking the wrong medicine.

Parents can monitor the child's temperature with a thermometer (mercury or electronic thermometer). For children under 4 years old, parents should measure their body temperature in the anal area to accurately determine body temperature. As for children from 4 years old and above, parents can measure their body temperature by putting a thermometer in their mouth; Have the child clip the thermometer to the armpit or use an electronic thermometer to measure the temperature through the child's forehead or ear area according to the manufacturer's instructions for using the thermometer.
Children's body temperature will show the following diseases:
For children aged six months and older, body temperature exceeding 38°C needs medical intervention as soon as possible according to expert recommendations medical. The method of reducing fever will be based on the current condition of the child. For example, children with lethargy and poor appetite will need more aggressive, quick and powerful treatment than children who are still alert and hyperactive.
Children aged 3 to 6 months should see a pediatrician when their temperature is above 38°C. In addition, infants under three months of age need immediate hospitalization if their temperature reaches 38°C.

There are many causes of fever in children that we often encounter such as:
Fever caused by viruses such as viral fever, dengue fever, flu, cold. Fever caused by bacteria causes infections such as pneumonia, tetanus, strep throat, bacterial meningitis. Fever due to teething. Fever due to vaccination: Some vaccines such as tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis... can cause mild fever in children after injection. This is just a normal reaction after the injection, usually it will go away on its own in 1-2 days. In addition, fever due to a number of other causes such as drug side effects, food poisoning, endocrine disorders (hyperthyroidism), inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis ...
It is important that parents It is important to note that when a child shows signs of fever, take a child's temperature, if the fever persists (above 38.5 degrees Celsius), the child should be taken to the doctor as soon as possible for timely treatment.

If the child has a fever, the first thing parents need to do is measure the temperature to assess the degree of fever of the child. From there, there will be timely and accurate treatment directions. In addition, we can help children reduce fever in the following ways:
Give your child plenty of warm water to drink to prevent dehydration when fever occurs. If the child does not want to drink water and cannot drink water for more than an hour, parents should consult a medical professional to find an early remedy. When a child has a fever, they will eat less, so parents should give them liquid foods such as porridge, soup or give them warm milk. Loosen diapers or dress your baby in loose, airy clothes. Avoid wearing clothes that are too thick, too tight, causing the child to get stuck, difficult to escape heat, leading to a higher fever. Let the child rest: When the child is sick, the body always feels tired, so the mother needs to give the child more rest to quickly lower the fever. However, parents always monitor the child's condition, to avoid letting the child fall asleep for too long while having a fever. Wipe the baby's body with warm water, especially the forehead, neck, armpit and groin area. This method will help the child feel comfortable and lower the body temperature quickly. When the baby has a fever, the mother should also add foods rich in vitamin C and calcium to help the child quickly reduce the fever and recover better such as drinking orange juice, grapefruit juice, guava juice, ...

If the child has a low fever, below 38 degrees Celsius, it is usually less harmful, so antipyretics should not be used. Because the use of antipyretic drugs will change the natural course of the disease, affecting the process of monitoring the results of specific treatment drugs. At this time, parents only need to apply normal and natural fever-reducing methods for children. When a child has a high fever above 39 degrees Celsius, it is necessary to lower the fever as soon as possible.
Reducing discomfort and lowering body temperature to normal are both goals in treating fever, but it is important to identify and treat the underlying cause of the fever so that the child's fever can be brought down properly. and recover quickly.
Treatment of fever includes the use of various antipyretics (over the counter or prescribed by a doctor) as well as a variety of non-pharmacological measures.

For children under 3 months old, parents should not arbitrarily give the child fever-reducing medicine but need to consult a doctor. Dosage is based on the child's weight, not age. Parents need to calculate the child's weight carefully to ensure that the correct dose of fever-reducing medicine is used, which quickly reduces fever and is safe for the health of the child. Should not be in a hurry to give children fever-reducing medicine right away or overdose or not comply with the time interval between 2 doses of medicine. If the medicine is taken in the wrong way and in an overdose, the child can be in danger. Use guaranteed drugs, origin, clear expiry date. Do not arbitrarily give children a combination of many fever-reducing drugs at the same time. For young children, fever-reducing medicine is a commonly used drug, so parents should learn how to use fever-reducing drugs for children safely and effectively, and at the same time avoid risks. about baby's health. Parents should also store fever-reducing medicine safely in the family medicine cabinet to be ready for use when the child has a fever that is too high.

Each type of antipyretic has a different duration of action. Therefore, depending on the medicine that the parents are taking, the time to take the antipyretic medicine apart from each other may change. According to experts, for every 1kg of child's weight, 10-15mg of Paracetamol is used per dose with an interval of 4 to 6 hours between 2 doses.
For cases of fever reduction included in the treatment regimen or taken in combination with other drugs, parents must absolutely not give their children fever-reducing drugs without the guidance and prescription of a doctor. because of the potential for overdose.
Dosage of some drugs:
Acetaminophen (paracetamol)
Adults: 10-15mg/kg body weight/time. The interval between 2 doses is 4-6 hours. Children: Similar to adults. Ibuprofen
Adults: Each time taking antipyretics 4-6 hours apart Children: The interval between two doses lasts about 6-8 hours Aspirin
Adults: Every four hours to take the medicine. Children: Do not give aspirin to children, unless directed by a doctor. Antipyretic drugs are usually not recommended to be used for more than 5-7 consecutive days without the guidance of a doctor. Do not give children more than 5 doses of fever reducer continuously within 24 hours unless directed by a doctor.
When giving fever-reducing medicine to a child, it is necessary to read the instructions carefully to know what kind of medicine to give to the child, before or after eating, at what time of day and for how long. In addition, parents should also pay attention to the date of manufacture and expiry date indicated on the packaging of the drug product. Usually antipyretic drugs have a shelf life of 24-36 months. However, when the packaging of the medicine has been torn off (powder form) or the tin packaging (capsule form) removed and not used, the medicine should be discarded immediately and should not be stored.
Special note, when the child has the following signs, parents need to take the child to the hospital immediately:
Continuous high fever, taking fever-reducing medicine but the body temperature still does not come down. Children are lethargic and lethargic. Children have cyanosis, convulsions. For children under 3 months of age, when the temperature rises to about 38 degrees Celsius, they should immediately take the child to the hospital for examination. Above are the answers about fever-reducing drugs and how to use fever-reducing drugs properly that parents can refer to. Proper use of antipyretics helps stabilize the child's body temperature quickly, safely and effectively. However, parents should carefully read the instructions or instructions of the doctor before giving them to children to avoid overdoses that affect the health of children.
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