FEVER strikes on kids..

I spend almost all of my time in the hospital laboratory on this what I call "ANALYSIS PUZZLE".I spend 8 hours a day, 6 days a week analyzing case studies on body fluids and other specimens aiming to provide the doctor the exact diagnosis on certain diseases.One moment, I had this pediatric patient admitted for being highly febrile for a week and even had episodes of seizures at home.The mother caught my attention for as if she tends to ignore what was going on with her daughter.I know it wasn't plain fever.It implies something serious.It is just so sad that some of the parents were less informed of the possibilities of children having fever and getting sick so fast.

Kids gets sick so fast.Its a fact!One moment,they're actively playing;the next moment they're cranky and disorganized and then,they stagger or lie down eventually.Whats worst is that some of them doesnt whimper nor cry,you'll end up clueless about how they feel because they can't tell you what's wrong.They just obviously feel awful.

I have read a chapter of Dr. T. Berry Brazelton's book aiming to explain to parents the touchpoints of children becoming sick.I might as well share this to you guys so you wont panic whenever emergencies occur.

anyway,FEVER is actually not an ILLNESS but an "INDICATOR" that our body's energetically fighting an infection.It is actually a healthy response of the immune system against viral and bacterial infection.Toddlers are likely to have high fever because their bodies' temperature-regulating mechanisms are still immature.But this doesn't mean they immediately need a dose of antibiotic,unless,the feverish child is really too ill to fight the battle herself.The best thing we can do as parents, is to give our child a chance to build up her immunity by fighting most diseases on her own.

When our child is febrile,we must monitor her temperature.TAKE NOTE: TAKING A SMALL CHILD'S TEMP. IS NOT EASY! *Dont use ORAL THERMOMETERS on WRIGGLERS and kids less than 5 yrs. old.It might be dangerous.SECOND, dont focus on "DEGREES" alone,rather, take not of how your child reacts.If a feverish child seem to play actively,it is much less worrisome compared to a febrile child that is limp and inactive.

HALLMARKS:
1. IS YOUR CHILD'S NECK STIFF?CAN YOU BEND IT FORWARD ONTO HER CHEST?
A child with MENINGITIS cannot bent forward.whereas, with plain aches from a flu won't like bending but is able to do so. A REAL STIFF NECK NEEDS ATTENTION!

2. IS THERE INTERFERENCE WITH HER AIR PASSAGE?
Children with fever breathe faster than normal.But if there's WHEEZING or CRACKLE
with each breath,BETTER SEEK MEDICAL HELP.

3. DOES SHE PULL ON HER EARS AS IF THEY WERE PAINFUL?
She might have ear infection with high fever.IT REQUIRED MEDICATION!

If you have these 3 symptoms: CALL YOUR PHYSICIAN; IF NOT;you can try home remedies but never forget to seek medical help from the experts.

The BEST WAY to take care of a sick kid is to pick him up,comfort and assure him that you'll help in making them feel better.

ILLNESS is a time both children and parents reach out for each other and children will remember for the rest of their lives the way their parents took care of them when they were sick.

FIND A WAY TO STAY HOME WITH THEM.WORKING PARENT IS NOT AN EXEMPTION.