Overheating of the child: heat stroke, symptoms and causes. Symptoms of heat stroke in children - the consequences can be fatal

Heat stroke is a pathological condition that occurs as a result of overheating of the body of an adult or child under the influence of external thermal factors. This is a form of hyperthermia, that is, an increase in body temperature. Violation occurs in the human body important processes, which can result in cardiac and respiratory failure, loss of consciousness and even death.

Symptoms and treatment heat stroke in adults and children, as well as the principles of first aid are discussed later in the article.

Heat Stroke - Definition

At optimal conditions reactions occur in the human body that provide support constant temperature body. Fluctuations of 0.5-1 o C up or down are considered the norm.

As a result of a series of reactions in the human body, heat is generated. Its transfer to the external environment through the surface of the body is called physical heat transfer. Heat can be given off through the production of sweat, urine, feces, and fluid that evaporates when respiratory processes. If more heat is produced than is given off to the external environment, the body temperature rises.

What part of the brain is involved in the control of such mechanisms? There are so-called heat and cold receptors. They are sensitive to external temperature changes. Excitation from the receptors enters the hypothalamus (a region of the brain) through the conduction pathways. It is here that the center responsible for thermoregulation is located. Specific reactions occurring in this center change the ratio of heat transfer activity and heat generation.

Heat stroke develops when the mechanisms of thermoregulation fail. First, compensatory mechanisms are activated, but with prolonged exposure to pathological external factors(high temperature environment) they are depleted. Hyperthermia develops, and the numbers can cross the line at 41-42 o C.

Important! Heatstroke is pretty hard. Lethal outcome is typical for every third case.

Causes

Heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate physical processes heat exchange. The causes of pathology can be:

violation of sweating on the background of chronic systemic diseases;
high ambient temperature (for example, work in a hot shop);
excessive physical activity in conditions of high temperature;
combination of one of the causes with the reception alcoholic beverages and narcotic substances;
high air humidity;
wearing warm clothing in hot weather;
insufficient fluid intake (dehydration);
diseases of the central nervous system and heart;
treatment with certain medications;
a combination of a pathological weight of a person with a high temperature outdoors or indoors.

Symptoms

Heat stroke is a condition that is accompanied by a violation of the balance of water and electrolytes, as well as a change in the course of vital processes. A severe degree is manifested by the development of general intoxication, a change in the pH of the blood to the acid side, insufficiency of the heart and blood vessels, and the renal apparatus. Some clinical cases may be accompanied by a stroke, pulmonary edema.

Symptoms of heat stroke develop depending on the clinical form of the pathological condition. In addition, the symptoms depend on the duration of the victim's stay in conditions of high temperature, the intensity of the influence of thermal factors, age, the presence of concomitant heart diseases, nervous system.

The following patients are at risk for heat stroke:

with high blood pressure;
diseases of the endocrine apparatus;
allergic conditions;
pathologies of the liver;
anorexia;
obesity;
vegetative-vascular syndrome.

Important! Carefully monitor the well-being in conditions of exposure to the sun or in a hot room should be children, the elderly, women during the period of bearing a child.

How heatstroke manifests itself depends on the severity of the condition. Initially, there is weakness, drowsiness, a feeling of fatigue. Victims complain of headache, dizziness, bouts of nausea and vomiting, excessive sweating.

Later, there is pain in the muscles during movement and at rest, ringing in the ears, symptoms of dehydration. When observing the victim, you can notice the appearance of impaired coordination of movement. This stage is characterized by a high temperature, the amount of urine excreted decreases. How many days the temperature lasts during heatstroke depends on the severity of the pathology and timely assistance.

The nature of breathing changes. Breathing becomes noisy, it can be heard from a distance. The pulse quickens, hallucinations, convulsive attacks occur. The most severe form of heat stroke is coma.

In the blood and urine of the victim against the background of heat stroke, the following clinical changes occur:

decrease in the number of platelets in the blood;
a decrease in the level of fibrinogen;
high numbers of leukocytes in the blood;
in the urine - the appearance of cylinders, leukocytes and protein.

Consequences of heat stroke

First aid for heat stroke should be provided already in the first hours after diagnosing the pathology. In this case, after a few days the patient's well-being will improve, and the symptoms will disappear. Another option may be the appearance of complications of heat (or sun) stroke:

Thickening of the blood - lack of fluid in the body leads to the fact that the patient's blood becomes excessively thick. This is fraught with thrombosis, heart attacks, heart failure.
Insufficiency of the renal apparatus is a severe pathology that develops as a result of heat stroke. The defeat is also provoked by metabolic products that appear under the influence of significant numbers on the thermometer.
Acute respiratory failure - appears as a result of changes in the work of the respiratory center, located in the brain.
Damage to the central nervous system - manifested by indomitable vomiting, loss of consciousness, speech, hearing and visual disorders.
shock - dangerous complication, which occurs due to fluid deficiency, electrolyte imbalance and blood supply to internal organs.

Important! First aid for heat stroke is mandatory measures that will allow you to quickly restore the patient's condition and prevent the occurrence of the above complications.

First aid for heat stroke

First first aid in case of heat stroke (or sunstroke), it pursues the following goal: lowering the body temperature of the victim and restoring the main vital functions of the body. At the first symptoms of pathology, you need to call a medical team, and at this time, carry out a number of activities before their arrival.

Eliminate the cause

Urgent care begins with the fact that the patient is transferred to the shade, if he was under the scorching sun, or to a cool room. If the patient has received heat stroke, for example, in a hot shop, he must be taken out of the working room to one where there are coolers or air conditioners.

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The victim must be placed on a couch or bed with a raised foot end. This will improve the blood supply to the brain.

Take off the clothes

A person needs to be stripped to underwear, because any clothes that will be on him slow down the body's cooling mechanisms.

Shower and compresses

Cool water procedures are one of the stages of emergency care. If the patient is able to stand under the shower, it is necessary to cool the skin with water. Such a long procedure is 3-5 minutes, but the water temperature should not be less than 19-20 ° C.

Lack of consciousness and an excessively serious condition will not allow manipulation. Such victims can be applied cold compress on the forehead or periodically splash on the face cold water.

Fighting dehydration

The presence of consciousness in the patient is an indication for the consumption of a large amount of cool liquid, but not more than half a glass at a time (so as not to provoke an attack of vomiting). You can add some salt to the glass. This will help maintain the balance of electrolytes in the blood.

Fresh air

Difficulty breathing is a sign of an asphyxic form of heat stroke. To provide access to fresh air, you need to take the victim outside (the condition is the temperature is below 28 ° C, the absence of direct sunlight) or into a cool room, pointing a fan at the person.

Ammonia

Ammonia vapor has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, therefore it is effectively used in case of loss of consciousness.

Resuscitation measures

Respiratory or cardiac arrest is an indication for immediate resuscitation of the victim. It is necessary to start without delay, without waiting for the arrival of the ambulance.

The provision of first aid (PMP) for heat stroke provides for a ban on:

the use of excessively cold water to cool the body;
applying cold compresses to the chest and back;
the use of alcoholic beverages.

Important! In addition to providing assistance, medical treatment of pathology in a hospital is necessary.

Heat stroke treatment

Assistance measures medical care the victim is the prerogative qualified specialists. Prevention of dehydration is based on infusion therapy. Intravenous drip administered:

saline sodium chloride solution;
Ringer;
glucose solution.

Before infusion, the solutions are slightly cooled, but not below 26 ° C. To support the work of the heart and blood vessels, cardiac glycosides, cardiotonic drugs, solutions that restore bcc, and other medicines are prescribed. The most used are Adrenaline hydrochloride, Mezaton, Refortan.

Measures to prevent cerebral edema include the use of sodium thiopental. This medication not only reduces the need for oxygen in the brain cells, but also stops seizures.

Antipyretic drugs from the NPS group will not be effective. Active substances drugs inhibit the production of neurotransmitters inflammatory response, and in pathology resulting from exposure to sunlight, disorders have a different mechanism of occurrence.

Important! The treatment regimen is selected only by the doctor. Self-administration of drugs is not allowed.

Features of the treatment of heat stroke in a child

What to do with heat stroke in a child, every parent should know. First of all, it is necessary to differentiate the pathological condition in the baby. Heatstroke in infants can occur even in conditions of acceptable temperature for adults. For example, we are talking o wrapping the child in warm clothes, if the temperature regime does not require it.

Children as young as 3 often get hit at the beach. This is facilitated by the aggressive rays of the sun, as well as the inattention of parents. It is important not to let the child go to the beach between 10 am and 4 pm. Another point worth paying attention to is the lack of drinking. Children do not always talk about what they want to drink, and parents forget to offer them water, juices, fruit drinks. The result is dehydration under conditions of elevated ambient temperature.

The first manifestations are excessive excitability, capriciousness, tearfulness. Later, on the contrary, motor activity decreases, apathy, drowsiness, even loss of consciousness occurs. Parents complain about the following signs pathologies in their children:

vomit;
hyperthermia;
symptoms of dehydration;
convulsive seizures.

Important! If no measures are taken, and the baby's body continues to be in the same conditions, respiratory arrest, heart failure, development of renal failure and cerebral edema, and the appearance of a coma are possible.

Be sure to call a team of qualified specialists. Until they arrive, you need to monitor the vital signs of the body (breathing, pulse, pupillary response to light). First aid is provided similarly to adults (see above).

Antipyretic drugs, like any other, except for the pharmacy Regidron (powder for preparing a solution), should not be given to the baby. It is important to change the temperature of the environment in which he is located before the ambulance arrives (not abruptly and not critically!), Solder with water, saline solutions.

Prevention

It is better to prevent the development of severe pathology than to try to restore health. Prevention measures include the following items:

avoid exposure to the sun in the middle of the day;
wear a hat, glasses, light clothing made from natural fabrics;
reduce the level physical activity while staying in heat;
drink plenty of water (you can cool, but not cold!);
refuse to abuse alcohol;
give preference to low-calorie foods.

Take care of yourself and be healthy!

Video

In hot, poorly ventilated conditions and high humidity, there is a high risk of heat stroke. Due to the high air temperature, the human body quickly overheats, the metabolism becomes much faster, and the vessels swell, while the permeability of the capillaries increases significantly. Therefore, with heat stroke, a person’s well-being deteriorates sharply and a number of alarming symptoms appear. This is where the questions become especially relevant: how long does a heat stroke last, and also how can this condition be overcome?

What are the risk factors for heatstroke?

Heatstroke can affect not only those who spend time under the hot sun, but also drivers in their cars, shop workers, athletes and other people of various occupations. Even employees of saunas and baths or an office employee in which the air conditioner has broken down are at risk.

There are 3 components to heatstroke:

Heat.
High humidity.
Excessive heat production.

Also, muscle activity can lead to heat stroke.

At first glance, heat stroke does not seem so serious and dangerous to human health and life, but without timely help, it can lead to vascular collapse, coma and even death. A person with heat stroke needs outside help and prompt recovery water-salt balance. And, if you suspect that a person close or even unfamiliar to you has symptoms of heat stroke, then hurry to offer him help.

Risk of heat stroke in children

Heat strokes are especially common in children, since, taking into account their anatomical features, increased heat production is often pathological.

This is due to the following features:

children's bodies are much smaller;
heat transfer and heat production are not stable;
the core of thermogenesis is easily irritated;
compensatory mechanisms are unstable.

Heatstroke manifests itself much more strongly than in an adult and can cause:

the strongest expansion of capillaries;
blood clots and arterial-venous shunts;
the occurrence of metabolic pathology;
intoxication of the body;
hypoxia and other disorders.

All this is detrimental to a young organism and can lead to the development of kidney, liver and heart disease.

Heat stroke symptoms and first aid

Heat stroke can be identified by the following symptoms:

dry mouth and thirst;
weakness and body aches;
severe headache;
difficulty breathing and stuffiness;
pain in the chest;
constant aching pain in lower limbs and back.

Also, with heat stroke, breathing and the frequency of myocardial contractions are accelerated. Hypothermia causes the skin to turn pink with signs of irritation. After some time, blood pressure begins to decrease significantly and urination is disturbed. Sometimes in children with heat stroke, the body temperature reaches 41 degrees, which is very bad for health and is fraught with serious complications.

Symptoms that require urgent hospitalization:

the face looks swollen;
the skin has a cyanotic appearance;
breathing is complicated and intermittent;
pupils noticeably dilated;
disturbing muscle cramps appeared;
fever;
diarrhea and gastroenteritis;
urination stops.

How long a heat stroke lasts depends on many factors, but, first of all, on its degree. So, mild degree heat stroke is accompanied by redness of the skin and a temperature of up to 39 or even 41 degrees. This state can last for 2-4 days spent on vacation. If brain neurons were damaged as a result of heatstroke, then even long-term treatment with the use of modern medicines will not help to fully restore health.

There is a group of people who are especially at risk of getting heatstroke. It includes those who have an innate sensitivity to heat, as well as people who suffer overweight, endure excessive stress and are in a state of psycho-emotional overstrain, have cardiovascular and endocrine diseases, neurological diseases, are in a state of alcoholic intoxication, smoke, wear tight clothes, etc.

Most often, heat stroke manifests itself in the form of severe thirst (a person cannot get drunk in any way), weakness, muscle pain and gradual acceleration of the pulse. If the disease progresses to more severe form, then convulsions appear, involuntary defecation and urination occur. The condition may worsen and the patient will begin to vomit and bleed. Although children are more at risk from the sun than adults, they are able to heal themselves without the need for hospitalization due to their reactivity. Adults, on the contrary, endure even a small heat stroke much more difficult and, even with an average degree, require immediate mandatory hospitalization.

If the first signs of a blow are found, it is necessary to provide assistance to the victim and carry out the following procedures:

drink as much as you can more water to stop dehydration;
loosen the collar and belt;
cool the skin
remove synthetic clothing;

In most cases, simply taking the person to a cool room or shade, giving water, and moistening the skin with cool water is enough to bring relief. If symptoms indicate moderate or severe degree heat stroke, you should do everything the same, but also lay the victim down, raise his legs and call an ambulance.

Medical care for heat stroke

With moderate or severe heat stroke, qualified medical attention is needed.

As a rule, the following drugs are used for treatment:

Antipyretics (paracetamol and ibuprofen);
Vasoconstrictors (cavinton, vinpocetine, trental);
Painkillers (analgin and infulgan).

Antipyretic drugs are used only if the temperature has exceeded 39 degrees. Basically, small doses of paracetamol are used; for children, antipyretics are prescribed in the form of suppositories. In very severe cases, infulgan is used intravenously. Antipyretics can reduce the duration of the course of the disease and normalize blood supply. If the patient is not on the mend, in rare cases, hydrocortisone and prednisolone are used. It is necessary to introduce these drugs very carefully, gradually increasing the dose and reducing them when it is canceled. Also, patients are given cleansing enemas and recommended daily cool showers to relieve overheating.

How to treat heat stroke at home

There are a number of ways to manage symptoms of heat stroke at home:

apply cool compresses to the head to relieve headache and lower the temperature
apply cold compresses to main vessels and liver to reduce fever and prevent complications;
wash the stomach;
do warm enemas;
wrap in a cool sheet or diaper.

Wrapping yourself in a cool cloth is one of the simplest and oldest ways to deal with heatstroke. In particular, babies are often wrapped in diapers, as this can quickly lower the body temperature, soothe and reduce the discomfort caused by heat stroke. You can also take a cool shower, standing under water for as long as possible. At mild form a jolt of cool packs and compresses is usually enough to feel relief. Several procedures and rest will allow you to quickly forget about heat stroke and return to a normal life rhythm.

If all these actions do not bring results and there is no noticeable improvement in the condition, then medications are needed.

In order to avoid complications, it is worth using special preparations and mixtures in addition to physical methods in time. So, it is safest to prepare a lytic mixture (chlorpromazine, dibazol and pipolfen are mixed in novocaine), which quite effectively fights the effects of heat stroke.

For even greater results, you can use droperidol, and with muscle cramps, sodium oxybutyrate and seduxen will help. You should not use antipyretics when the temperature dropped to 37.5 and carry out active drug treatment, unless there are good reasons for this. Particular care must be taken when handling children. Do not rush to apply therapeutic procedures and "knock down" the temperature. With heatstroke, it is important to prevent complications, and fever is only one of the symptoms and is not the object of treatment.

When does heat stroke start and how long does it last?

It is difficult to determine the duration of heat stroke, since its first symptoms can always be noticed at the very beginning. Often, dry mouth, feeling thirsty, weakness and headaches already indicate that you have received a heat stroke. However, these symptoms may not be noticed, and only when an arrhythmia appears, the temperature rises and other symptoms manifest themselves, it becomes clear that the matter is heat stroke. Further, it can go into a severe stage, and even cause damage to the nervous system.

Heatstroke and the fever that accompanies it have stages of development and decline:

Prodromal (often proceeds almost imperceptibly);
Rise (sometimes critical or lyrical);
Stability;
reverse lysis.

In the beginning, heatstroke seems to warm up. The nervous system is in an extremely increased tone, but there are no peripheral arteries, at the same time, the blood flow is "centralized". Due to problems with peripheral microcirculation, the so-called " goose-flesh”, she is joined by chills, trembling and an acute sensation of cold. Not missing this moment and starting to act already at this stage, you can prevent backfire and overcome heat stroke faster. At different people symptoms at this stage manifest themselves in their own way and with varying degrees strength. Someone clearly feels the changes, while others begin to understand that they received a heat stroke only at the stage of rising fever.

The development of the disease is critical when the rise in temperature to high levels occurs very quickly (on average, in 40-45 minutes), but also quickly decreases if measures are taken and treatment is carried out. The lyrical course of the disease is much more dangerous and longer. It is largely prolonged and may not be accompanied by a constantly high temperature, but it is accompanied by lethargy, drowsiness, pressure drop and accelerated heartbeat. It is important to rest during this entire period and not try to endure the disease on your feet, because serious complications are possible.

With rest and proper treatment, you can quickly move into the stability phase, when deterioration is no longer observed, and move into the reverse lysis stage. At this stage, you will experience a noticeable drop in temperature and an improvement in well-being.

How to avoid heat stroke

As already mentioned, there are people who are predisposed to heatstroke, but they can avoid danger if they are careful. It is important to avoid dehydration, small stuffy rooms, not to be in the sun for a long time and not to wear heavy dense fabrics in hot weather. If you feel unwell, try to go to a place where there is shade and coolness, drink water, moisten your face and head with cold water.

Children must be carefully monitored, always wear a hat, give water to drink and not let them play in the sun for a long time. Even if you or your child is at risk, only attentiveness and caution determines whether there is a real chance of getting heat stroke. Avoid treatment and severe consequences very easy, just follow simple rules. If it was not possible to protect yourself, then it is worth taking all possible measures so that the heat stroke lasts as little as possible and does not deliver you serious reasons for worry.

No one knows how many days a child's temperature can stay when overheated? Here's how to be? I read that the pace without visible symptoms maybe when overheating, but it is possible, the heat here is unbearable. Plentiful drink. As already mentioned, if after being outside the temperature has risen and the child does not sweat, then he has overheated in the sun and he begins to show signs of dehydration.

Already returned home. Still overheating. Anyway small child at such a temperature, it is NECESSARY to show a doctor, and not console yourself with the theories of 'overheating', 'teeth' (doctors say that such a disease does not exist')))).

Of course, it is better to avoid heat or sunstroke, but if this happened, then the baby needs to be given urgent help. When determining how long a heat stroke lasts, one must take into account the course of the disease. If first aid for heat stroke is not successful, the baby's health is deteriorating, he has lost consciousness, turns blue, vomiting is present, call the brigade medical workers. A child who has suffered a heat stroke is placed on bed rest, as well as adjusting the diet to full recovery organism. Analyzing the causes of overheating of the child, it is alarming that the cause is, if not the parents, then the wrong care of the grandparents. True, if the apartment is very hot, then it can be. Most likely sick, and other symptoms are not required.

When the thermometer moves to 39, parents panic, but if the temperature reaches 40, moms and dads are seriously scared, and only one question worries them - what to do? To listen to the breath, examine the neck well, there are still doubts, the temperature lasts 2-3 days - take tests. By 14 o'clock, when they began to put to bed, having felt, they realized that it was on fire. The thermometer showed 38.2, again all the same measures, after 38.5 they gave Nimulid. And I don’t know where to run ... At night, the pace fell, rose, they knocked it down with candles, nurafen, wiped it ... now it’s 38.6 again. Gave nurafen. Before going out with the baby for a walk, every mother first tries to assess what the weather is like outside. On the road, you should always have a bottle of water, because heat stroke can begin in just a matter of minutes. Yesterday they shot down at 13, 17, 22, 5.00. In the morning everything was fine, but by 15.00 it rose again to 39.5. There are no more symptoms. He eats well and goes to the toilet normally.

Severe overheating leads to vomiting, frequent bleeding. There are no other manifestations - no cough, no runny nose, no snot, the stool is normal, there is no nausea and vomiting, no rash. Is this kind of overheating possible? Before the advent unpleasant symptoms pulling muscle pains are observed, the patient experiences constant thirst. Gradually, the human pulse quickens, cardiac arrhythmia develops. Gradually, with the development of the disease, a decrease in blood pressure, a violation of urination progresses. The presence of all of the above symptoms at the same time leads to the development internal diseases kidneys, liver, heart.

Especially high risk Infants and young children are susceptible to heatstroke. A child can get heat stroke when they are outside for too long in very hot weather, especially if they are dehydrated or dressed quite warmly. Riding in a hot car or having a child in a parked car is also a huge danger. Heatstroke can set in within minutes in a car where the temperature rises very quickly and is much higher than the temperature outside.

What is heat stroke?

Heat stroke is a condition that occurs due to overheating of the body and is life-threatening. With this pathology, the body is not able to regulate own temperature, which can rise to 40–41° C and above. This often leads to brain damage or even death if first aid is not provided in a timely manner.

Forms

There are four clinical forms of heat stroke, namely:

asphyxic, with the condition dominated by symptoms such as respiratory failure and fever up to 38–39 ° C;
hyperthermic, in which the main symptom is pyritic body temperature (40–41 ° C);
cerebral - dominated by symptoms from the nervous system;
gastroenteric, dyspepsia is more often observed.

Symptoms

Heatstroke is manifested by symptoms such as:

Strong headache;
weakness;
dizziness;
confusion;
nausea;
accelerated breathing and heartbeat;
loss of consciousness;
lack of sweating;
redness, dryness and fever of the skin;
body temperature 40 ° C or higher.

Being in a car in hot weather is a possible cause of heat stroke

You can suspect heat stroke in a child if he starts drinking unusually large amounts of fluids, complains of fatigue, or his skin is cold and wet. An older child may complain of leg or stomach cramps.

In very young children, heat stroke can be diagnosed by having characteristic symptoms. The child will be irritable, lethargic, the reaction when tickling the skin, or when addressing the child by name, will be slow or absent. Vomiting, shallow breathing, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, and less dark urine may also occur.

First aid

In case of heat stroke, it is necessary to lower the child's core temperature as quickly as possible, as he may lose consciousness.

First you need to call the ambulance service. Then completely free the child from clothes and put him in a cool place. If there is no room nearby, you need to find a shadow.

While waiting for an ambulance, you can wipe the child's body with a rag or washcloth dipped in cold water, turn on the fan (if it is not there, you can just wave something, for example, a magazine).

It is not advisable to give anything to drink to a child, except perhaps breast milk, or, if he is older than 4 months, some water.

Note of the doctor: the use of antipyretic drugs is not advisable, since they will not reduce the temperature during heat stroke.

Is prevention possible?

There are several rules that must be followed to prevent the development of heat stroke, namely:

in summer, check heat wave warnings, follow the weather forecast;
do not stay in the sun between 11 and 15 hours of the day;
if you still need to go outside, stay in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a hat;
avoid physical activity during a period of extreme heat;
give preference to light, loose, light-colored cotton clothing;
drink plenty of cold drinks;
avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks;
eat more salads, fruits and food containing water;
take cold showers or baths more often;
you can also put a damp towel on back neck;
keep your room cool (close windows, curtains or blinds during the day and open at night when the temperature drops, turn off unnecessary electricity, use fans);
keep more plants in the house;
be more attentive, carefully observe the elderly and infants;
never leave children alone in the car.

How long can heat stroke last?

With fast and effective treatment, recovery from heatstroke is almost without problems, although some people may become more sensitive to hot weather. Initial recovery takes about 1–2 days in the hospital, and longer if organ damage is found.

Experts suggest that full recovery from heat stroke and its effects on the internal organs can take from 2 months to a year. However, the benign prognosis declines rapidly if complications increase. The brain and other organs (lungs, liver, kidneys) can be damaged by overheating, causing long-term health effects.

Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition and can lead to the death of the patient. Therefore, it is necessary to remember all methods to prevent the effects of excessive heat on the body and to monitor children who are very sensitive to the effects of heat.

What are the risk factors for heatstroke?

There are 3 components to heatstroke:

Heat.
High humidity.
Excessive heat production.

Also, muscle activity can lead to heat stroke.

At first glance, heat stroke does not seem so serious and dangerous to human health and life, but without timely help, it can lead to vascular collapse, coma, and even death. A person in a state of heat stroke needs outside help and prompt restoration of the water-salt balance. And, if you suspect that a person close or even unfamiliar to you has symptoms of heat stroke, then hurry to offer him help.

Risk of heat stroke in children

Heat strokes are especially common in children, since, taking into account their anatomical features, increased heat production is often pathological.

This is due to the following features:

children's bodies are much smaller;
heat transfer and heat production are not stable;
the core of thermogenesis is easily irritated;
compensatory mechanisms are unstable.

Heatstroke manifests itself much more strongly than in an adult and can cause:

the strongest expansion of capillaries;
blood clots and arterial-venous shunts;
the occurrence of metabolic pathology;
intoxication of the body;
hypoxia and other disorders.

All this is detrimental to a young organism and can lead to the development of kidney, liver and heart disease.

Heat stroke symptoms and first aid

Heat stroke can be identified by the following symptoms:

dry mouth and thirst;
weakness and body aches;
severe headache;
difficulty breathing and stuffiness;
pain in the chest;
constant aching pain in the lower extremities and back.

Symptoms that require urgent hospitalization:

the face looks swollen;
the skin has a cyanotic appearance;
breathing is complicated and intermittent;
pupils noticeably dilated;
disturbing muscle cramps appeared;
fever;
diarrhea and gastroenteritis;
urination stops.

How long a heat stroke lasts depends on many factors, but, first of all, on its degree. So, a mild degree of heat stroke is accompanied by redness of the skin and a temperature of up to 39 or even 41 degrees. This state can last for 2-4 days spent on vacation. If brain neurons were damaged as a result of heat stroke, then even prolonged treatment with the use of modern drugs will not help to fully restore health.

There is a group of people who are especially at risk of getting heatstroke. It includes those who have an innate sensitivity to high temperatures, as well as people who are overweight, suffer from excessive stress and are in a state of psycho-emotional overstrain, have cardiovascular and endocrine diseases, neurological diseases, are intoxicated, smoke, dress in tight clothes, etc.

Most often, heat stroke manifests itself in the form of severe thirst (a person cannot get drunk), weakness, muscle pain and a gradual acceleration of the pulse. If the disease flows into a more severe form, then convulsions appear, involuntary defecation and urination occur. The condition may worsen and the patient will begin to vomit and bleed. Although children are more at risk from the sun than adults, they are able to heal themselves without the need for hospitalization due to their reactivity. Adults, on the contrary, endure even a small heat stroke much more difficult and, even with an average degree, require immediate mandatory hospitalization.

If the first signs of a blow are found, it is necessary to provide assistance to the victim and carry out the following procedures:

drink as much water as possible to stop dehydration;
loosen the collar and belt;
cool the skin
remove synthetic clothing;

In most cases, simply taking the person to a cool room or shade, giving water, and moistening the skin with cool water is enough to bring relief. If the symptoms indicate a moderate or severe degree of heat stroke, you should do the same, but also lay the victim down, raise his legs and call an ambulance.

Medical care for heat stroke

With moderate or severe heat stroke, qualified medical attention is needed.

As a rule, the following drugs are used for treatment:

Antipyretics (paracetamol and ibuprofen);
Vasoconstrictors (cavinton, vinpocetine, trental);
Painkillers (analgin and infulgan).

How to treat heat stroke at home

There are a number of ways to manage symptoms of heat stroke at home:

apply cool compresses to the head to relieve headaches and reduce fever;
apply cold compresses to the main vessels and liver to reduce temperature and prevent complications;
wash the stomach;
do warm enemas;
wrap in a cool sheet or diaper.

Wrapping yourself in a cool cloth is one of the simplest and oldest ways to deal with heatstroke. In particular, babies are often wrapped in diapers, as this can quickly lower the body temperature, soothe and reduce the discomfort caused by heat stroke. You can also take a cool shower, standing under water for as long as possible. For mild shock, cool packs and compresses are usually sufficient to provide relief. Several procedures and rest will allow you to quickly forget about heat stroke and return to a normal life rhythm.

If all these actions do not bring results and there is no noticeable improvement in the condition, then medications are needed.

When does heat stroke start and how long does it last?

Heatstroke and the fever that accompanies it have stages of development and decline:

Prodromal (often proceeds almost imperceptibly);
Rise (sometimes critical or lyrical);
Stability;
reverse lysis.

In the beginning, heatstroke seems to warm up. The nervous system is in an extremely high tone, but the peripheral arteries are not, at the same time the blood flow is "centralized". Due to problems with peripheral microcirculation, the so-called "goosebumps" appear, chills, trembling and an acute feeling of cold join it. Not missing this moment and starting to act already at this stage, you can prevent unpleasant consequences and overcome heat stroke faster. Different people experience symptoms at this stage in different ways and with varying degrees of severity. Someone clearly feels the changes, while others begin to understand that they received a heat stroke only at the stage of rising fever.

The development of the disease is critical when the rise in temperature to high levels occurs very quickly (on average, in 40-45 minutes), but also quickly decreases if measures are taken and treatment is carried out. The lyrical course of the disease is much more dangerous and longer. It is largely prolonged and may not be accompanied by a persistent high temperature, but it is accompanied by lethargy, drowsiness, a drop in blood pressure, and an accelerated heart rate. It is important to rest during this entire period and not try to endure the disease on your feet, because serious complications are possible.

How to avoid heat stroke

Children must be carefully monitored, always wear a hat, give water to drink and not let them play in the sun for a long time. Even if you or your child is at risk, only attentiveness and caution determines whether there is a real chance of getting heat stroke. Avoiding treatment and serious consequences is very simple, you just need to follow simple rules. If it was not possible to save yourself, then it is worth taking all possible measures so that heat stroke lasts as little as possible and does not give you serious cause for concern.

Before going out with the baby for a walk, every mother first tries to assess what the weather is like outside. Unfortunately, on hot days, neither a cap nor a scarf will help protect a child from heatstroke. Heatstroke occurs due to the fact that the little one is dressed like cabbage in fairly hot weather.

Especially if the baby wears clothes that are not made of natural fabrics that do not allow air to pass through, overheating can be provoked. Therefore, pediatricians strongly recommend that mothers purchase walking clothes made of cotton and carefully monitor the air temperature. To protect the head, a headdress with a visor is ideal to cover the face at the same time. Heat stroke in a child is a serious and dangerous phenomenon. What symptoms in the child's well-being are a cause for concern?

Symptoms of heat stroke in babies

Recognizing that a child has overheating, especially when the baby is not yet able to speak, is difficult, but possible. Mom needs to take a closer look at well-being and behavior. Heatstroke in a young child is similar in symptoms to ordinary sunstroke.

The following signs are cause for concern:
The child becomes inactive; looks exhausted, lethargic;
The peanut often yawns, redness occurs on the skin;
The baby is hot, but there is no sweat;
Lack of urination;
Appetite disappears, the child does not want to eat even his favorite treats, refuses sweets;
Sudden onset of diarrhea, nausea, vomiting;
Convulsive manifestations and fainting indicate a very strong heat stroke. Need to urgently call ambulance.

Obvious signs of overheating

With heat stroke, a person rapidly removes fluid from the body. Dehydration may well set in within three hours. Especially if overheating is accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting. Known in medical practice deaths. Therefore, as soon as the mother has the slightest suspicion, it is better to play it safe and call a doctor.

If the doctors offer to go to the hospital, it is recommended not to refuse, to follow their advice. Under supervision, the baby will quickly determine the severity of overheating and take appropriate measures. Medicines will be prescribed the right dosage. It is believed that complications in a child after heat stroke can be far from harmless. Although at first glance it may seem to the mother that the danger has passed.

What measures can be taken to make you feel better before the doctor arrives?

In order not to waste time waiting for a doctor, a mother can significantly alleviate the child's condition by resorting to simple actions:

The most important step in this moment- Get away from the sun. It is best to go home and wait for an ambulance in a cool room. If the event happened on vacation, on the beach, you should immediately go to the hotel room. The baby should be completely isolated from stuffiness and direct sunlight. You can turn on the fan in the room. If there is air conditioning, then creating sharp drop temperature is undesirable. You need soft, comfortable coolness.

Clothes should be removed from the child so that the body can “breathe”. Just in case, even if there is no vomiting yet, let the baby lie on its side. It's safer that way. Next, you should start wiping the body with a soft, damp cloth, paying attention to the knees, elbows, the area behind the ears, and the face. Many mothers believe that ice water will be the most effective for rubbing. In fact, this is fundamentally wrong. Rubbing and compresses are allowed to be done only with warm water.

Next important step is drink. It is very good if the baby drinks a lot in similar condition. Drink slowly and in small sips so as not to induce vomiting. When the doctor arrives, he will probably immediately decide to make a saline injection. But while waiting, it is better not to waste time and slowly give the patient water to drink.

Parents are not recommended to give their child medications, which, for example, are actively advertised on television. Taking antipyretic drugs alone will not bring the effect. Tablets should be prescribed by a doctor after a thorough medical examination.

Treatment

After making an accurate diagnosis, namely the severity of heat stroke, depending on the presence or absence of convulsions, cases of fainting, drugs are prescribed orally, subcutaneous injections or droppers are placed. Widely used solutions of glucose, sodium chloride. If doctors determine that the overheating is so strong that there has been a weakening of the heart muscle, then subcutaneous injections of caffeine - benzoate are prescribed.

A child who has suffered a heat stroke is put on bed rest, as well as adjusting the diet until the body is fully restored. It is recommended to lie more, because in a small patient the temperature can change dramatically: either rise or fall sharply.

With heat stroke, it is forbidden to consume large amounts of carbohydrates. Priority should be given to products plant origin, in which a lot of dietary fiber, mineral components. You need to keep drinking more. Mineral waters, compotes, tea with lemon, herbal decoctions and even bread kvass are well suited. Eat buttermilk effectively. For the period of treatment and recovery, it is used 2-3 times a day.

How long does a heat stroke last?

As a rule, a fever in a child with overheating lasts from one to three days. Each organism individually suffers a disease. It is customary to bring down the temperature if it rises to 38-38.5 degrees. If within three days after the start of treatment for overheating, the temperature continues to hold, it is better not to make decisions on treatment on your own, you should consult a doctor.

Unfortunately, heat stroke in children is not uncommon. All parents are advised to take measures to prevent it, think in advance how to dress the baby, carefully monitor his well-being on the street. Pediatricians are "judgmental" about parents who visit the beaches at noon. Indeed, for a small child with delicate skin, this is simply prohibited.

It can happen not only overheating, but also a burn. Being in the sun until 11 o'clock and after 16 o'clock, children also need to play under an awning or a special beach umbrella. You should always take water with you when you go for a walk. It is impossible to appear in the sun without a hat.

Overheating of the child can occur not only due to the active sun, but also a long stay in stuffy room, a car with the windows closed, during a long trip to public transport where a lot of people congregate. Be sure to regularly ventilate children's rooms, if possible, avoid long trips by transport.

If you still need to go, you should never be shy to ask others to slightly open the window on the bus. On the road, you should always have a bottle of water, because heat stroke can begin in just a matter of minutes.
Take care of your kids, let them always stay healthy!

Absolutely anyone should be aware of this, because overheating occurs very quickly even in an adult. But parents of kids are simply obliged to remember this always! Because heat stroke in children happens much more often and comes much faster, and the danger thermal effect the higher than younger child. If it so happens that your baby, who has been in the sun for a long time or in strong heat, has diarrhea, vomiting, or a high temperature, he is lethargic and pale - do not read further our article, but urgently call an ambulance! In the meantime, strip your baby naked and wrap him in a sheet soaked in cold water!

But if the situation is not so critical, read it carefully and remember it for the rest of your life: this is true at any age.

Heat stroke in children: consequences

Often we underestimate the seriousness of the "banal" overheating.

Heatstroke means a violation of the processes of thermoregulation in the human body, or rather, its pathological overheating. It is necessary to distinguish sunstroke from heatstroke: in the first case, a health disorder occurs due to exposure to direct sunlight on the head, in the second - due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures (when the body produces too much heat, but cannot adequately give it away). That is, wearing the “correct” headgear and avoiding exposure to the active sun allows us to avoid getting a sunstroke, but does not exclude the onset of a heat stroke. Overheating can even happen indoors or in a car if the ambient temperature there is very high and the child stays in such conditions for a long time. Moreover: even in winter, a child can get a heat stroke (for example, if his mother wraps him up tightly and puts him to sleep near the radiator), but in summer, of course, such cases occur most often.

AT normal conditions our body is able to produce heat and release it when needed. Thus, the optimal mode is maintained in which the body functions normally.

Heat transfer occurs in several ways. The simplest ones are the expenditure of energy for warming the inhaled air and perspiration. Therefore, the higher the temperature and humidity of the environment, the less heat we release from ourselves, which means that the risks of getting a heat stroke increase. In general, the following factors contribute to overheating:

Extreme heat (over 30 degrees).
High humidity.
Unsuitable clothing (too warm or poorly breathable - synthetic).
Prolonged exposure to sunlight (lack of shade).
Intense physical activity.
Lack of moisture in the body (insufficient drinking).
Overweight (obese people are less able to release heat).
Belonging to the first phototype (fair-skinned fair-haired people).
Some diseases of the central nervous system.
Reception of some medicines(in particular, antiallergic).
Violation of heat transfer mechanisms.

Should stop at last paragraph. Always remember that in young children the center of thermoregulation in the brain is still underdeveloped and continues to form during the first years of life. And therefore, the younger the child, the worse his body is able to adapt to changing environmental conditions, including heat. Consequently, overheating occurs more often in children under one year old, but it remains the most dangerous at the age of 3 years: such crumbs must be especially protected from the sun and heat.

If a heat stroke occurs in an infant, then, regardless of the severity of the state of health, it must be urgently taken to the hospital without fail! The consequences of overheating can be irreparable. Complete dehydration of the body of a newborn occurs within a few hours!

Heat stroke is accompanied by multiple disorders in the body, which together lead to damage to the brain and central nervous system. Due to the strong heating of the body from the inside and outside, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, blood clotting, oxygen starvation of tissues, and inhibition of the whole organism occur. Everything is violated metabolic processes, internal hemorrhages, pulmonary edema and meninges, myocardial dystrophy and other dangerous disorders, up to coma and collapse. With a high degree of heat stroke, such lesions may be incompatible with life.

Of all natural factors that threaten a person, heat stroke ranks first in terms of deadly risks. This means that in no case should you ignore the fact that your child has overheated, even if he remains conscious, without vomiting and fever. Help is needed for any degree of overheating. But for this you need to know how to determine heat stroke in a child.

How to recognize heat stroke in a child: symptoms and signs

We urge you to re-examine carefully the factors that contribute to overheating, and when exposed to any of them, and especially when several of them are combined, always watch children very carefully. That is, if a fair-skinned well-fed child under one year old went to the sea, the air temperature is high, and you do not want to sit in an air-conditioned room all day, then an eye and an eye is needed for the baby! Because the risks of getting a heat stroke increase many times over!

So, how do you know if a child has a heat stroke?

Initially, he becomes capricious, lethargic, too aggressive or, on the contrary, weak and inactive, may complain of headache and dizziness, nausea or abdominal pain, fatigue. Difficulty breathing and palpitations are observed. Redness and increased sweating of the skin gradually join, the baby becomes less and less active, the temperature rises, but not necessarily immediately to critical levels: at first it can be subfebrile or slightly higher. In the eyes of the child it may darken, the head may hurt. When the CNS lesions become more serious, vomiting, fainting, convulsions, nose bleed, bluish mucous membranes. The pulse becomes very weak and frequent. Delusions, hallucinations, even coma. Before this, the child becomes apathetic, adynamic, muffled, pale, all reactions and reflexes become dull, the skin gets hot and dry (lips - first of all), the temperature rises very strongly (up to 40-41 ° C and even higher!). The excretion of sweat, tears and urine is minimized or stops (urine darkens sharply) - this condition is already critical: if the victim is not urgently hospitalized, even death is possible.

It should not be thought that the duration of the entire process described is long: heat stroke occurs abruptly, the symptoms develop suddenly and very quickly. And the most important thing is just to start acting immediately if you only suspect the first signs of heat stroke in a child.

Knowing what to do for heatstroke in children can save someone's life. If we are talking about the lives of our own children, then the value of such knowledge cannot be overestimated.

Sun and heat stroke in children: treatment

So, no matter how badly the baby has suffered, it must be shown to the doctor. For minor lesions, treatment can be done at home, but an examination by a doctor is still necessary: he will assess whether hospitalization is required and tell you how to bring down the temperature and how to treat heat stroke in a child in this case. specific case. It is possible that it will be necessary intravenous administration drugs or intramuscular injections.

Let's say right away that it is impossible to say how long heat stroke lasts and how quickly it passes, because in many respects it depends on a whole set of factors (the age of the child, environmental temperature indicators, the duration of stay warm, his state of health, the timeliness and compliance of the assistance provided to him etc).

Keep in mind that there is no point in giving a child an antipyretic for heatstroke: it will not have the desired effect. Emergency assistance includes the following:

Immediately transfer the victim to a cool room (18-20°C). If this is not possible, then at least in the shade. If there is no shadow nearby, it must be created (for example, to build a canopy from improvised means).
Lay it horizontally, freeing from clothing.
Apply a cool compress to the forehead and under the back of the head. You can use any cooling methods available at the moment: dousing with cold water, blowing with a fan or fan, etc.
It is desirable that the child take cool bath or shower. If this is not possible (due to their absence or serious condition victim), then you should wipe the body with cool water, you can wrap it in a sheet soaked in cold water.
If the child remains conscious, you need to drink it, but in small portions, so as not to induce vomiting. In addition to water, it will be useful to give electrolyte solutions (such as Regidron, and in their absence, add half a teaspoon of salt and soda to half a liter of water), sweetened or acidified tea. But pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky advises in this case to give the child a salted drink to drink - to restore the water-salt balance in the body, disturbed due to dehydration.
If you lose consciousness, you should give a sniff soaked in ammonia cotton wool.
In no case do not give the child to eat until he feels relieved and asks for it himself.
For a few days after heatstroke, bed rest and avoiding the sun are essential.

How quickly heat stroke passes and how long the temperature lasts depends on the specific situation. But it can almost always be avoided if you follow the rules of caution and keep an eye on your children.

Heatstroke in a child at sea

Of course, if you are stuck in a traffic jam, sitting in a car without an air conditioner under the sun on hot asphalt, and there is nowhere to hide, then it is extremely difficult to avoid overheating. But even in such conditions, everything possible must be done to reduce the danger to the health of the baby - follow the recommendations below (at least those that are possible in a particular specific situation).

But we need to talk about trips to the south separately. Pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky notes: adaptation of the body (including its adaptation to a higher temperature regime) occurs within 7-12 days, that is, during this period, upon arrival at sea, extra care should be taken.

To minimize your child's risk of heat stroke, consider the following tips:

The child must wear a hat made of natural breathable fabric (preferably a light color)!
Clothing should be light, breathable, loose fitting to the body. Naturally, in the heat it should be at least.
The child must drink! Often, a lot during the day (one and a half to two times more than usual). The warmer it is around, the more difficult it is for the body to give off heat (it is necessary to have something to sweat and through something - that is, drink a lot and dress at least), the more intense the loss of fluid by the body and the more actively it should be replenished. Even one year old baby when the heat is over 30 degrees, there is a need for additional soldering, says Komarovsky. The easiest way to do this is to inject the liquid into the mouth in small portions through a syringe on the side of the cheek.
Better not feed. If the kids don't have an appetite, don't force them. The most satisfying meal is recommended to be transferred to the cool time of the day (early morning or evening). During the day, feed less, focus on vegetable and dairy products. Heavy proteins (meat) and fats are kept to a minimum.
It is better for infants during a period of extreme heat or a change in climatic conditions not to introduce new complementary foods.
Try to limit your child's physical activity during the peak of the heat: the more intensively he moves, the more heat his body produces and the greater the risk of overheating.
Do not go to the beach from 10-11 to 16-17: during this time, avoid being in the sun and in the heat. The rest of the time, use sunscreen anyway.
Swimming on the beach is better than sunbathing. If kids jump into the water every five minutes, they won't get heatstroke because their bodies have time to cool down regularly. But if a mother makes a child chattering her teeth sit on the warm sand and “wait for a sunstroke,” says Dr. Komarovsky, then they can wait.

Constantly monitor the behavior and well-being of the baby and do not miss the onset of malaise (or rather, do not allow overheating). As you now understand, doing this (as well as not doing it) is not difficult at all. But if trouble happened - do not rely on your own strength and knowledge. Call (or find) a doctor anyway!

May your children be healthy!

Especially for nashidetki.net - Elena Semenova

An increase in body temperature is possible with various diseases in childhood. At the same time, the question of whether to shoot it down causes a lot of conflicting opinions.

Some of the parents have heard that with a fever, the body fights the disease more actively, and if the temperature is brought down, the duration of the disease will increase. Others have heard that her elevated values, and drugs against it are very dangerous and threaten serious health problems.

As a result, some parents are afraid to bring down the temperature even in cases where this is required, while others give medicine to the crumbs even with a slight increase. Let's see what really needs to be done in these cases, and whether this symptom is a sign of the disease.

How to measure the temperature correctly?

Measurement in the armpit area is the most accessible and simple, therefore it is the most common.

However, there are other ways to measure:

In the mouth (oral temperature is determined). For measurement, a special thermometer in the form of a dummy is usually used.
In the rectum (determined rectal temperature). This method is used when the child is less than 5 months old, since children older than six months will resist the procedure. A thermometer (necessarily electronic) is treated with cream and inserted into anus baby about two centimeters.
In the inguinal fold. The baby is laid on its side, the tip of the thermometer is placed in a fold of skin, after which the child's leg is held in a position pressed against the body.

It is important that the child has a separate thermometer, and before use it should be treated with alcohol or washed with soapy water.

It is now easy to measure in infants with a pacifier thermometer

Also, when measuring, you must be guided by the following rules:

In a sick child, measurements should be taken at least three times a day.
Do not take the temperature if the baby is very active, crying, has taken a bath, is warmly wrapped up, and also if the air temperature in the room is high.
If you are taking oral temperature, it should be done 1 hour before eating and drinking, or 1 hour after, as drinks and food increase oral temperatures.

Normal values

Features of temperature in babies infancy are impermanence and rapid rise for any illness. In addition, in infants under one year old, it is normally slightly higher than in older children.

The normal temperature for a child younger than 12 months is considered to be less than +37.4°C, and for a child older than 12 months - less than +37°C. These are temperature measurements in armpit, as well as in the inguinal fold. For rectal measurements, less than +38°С is considered the norm, and less than +37.6°С for oral measurements.

The most reliable indicators are given by the use of a mercury thermometer, and electronic thermometers have a significant error. To find out how different the indicator of an electronic and mercury thermometer is, measure the temperature with two thermometers at once from any healthy family member.

Classification

Depending on the indicators, the temperature is called:

Subfebrile. The indicator is up to +38 degrees. Usually, this temperature is not brought down, allowing the body to produce substances that protect it from viruses.
Febrile. The increase is more than +38°С, but less than +39°С. Such a fever indicates the active struggle of the child's body with the infection, so the tactics of parents should take into account the condition of the child. If it is severely worsened, antipyretic drugs are indicated, and medicines can not be given to a vigorous and calm child.
Pyretic. Indicators on the thermometer from + 39 ° С to + 41 ° С. This temperature is certainly recommended to be reduced with medications, since the risk of seizures increases.
Hyperpyretic. The most dangerous temperature is over +41°С. Seeing such an indicator on the thermometer, you should immediately call an ambulance.

pros

Allows you to quickly diagnose many diseases in early period and start timely treatment.
With the influenza virus, high temperature is important for high level interferon, which allows you to successfully overcome the infection.
At elevated body temperature, microorganisms stop multiplying and become less resistant to antibacterial agents.
Fever activates immune system baby, enhancing phagocytosis and antibody production.
A child with a fever stays in bed, due to which his forces are fully directed to fight the disease.

One of the complications is the appearance of seizures.
With a fever, the load on the child's heart increases, which is especially dangerous if the crumbs have rhythm disturbances or heart defects.
With an increase in temperature, the work of the brain, as well as the liver, stomach, kidneys and other internal organs, suffers.

stages

To start the mechanism for raising body temperature, it is usually necessary foreign substances that enter the child's body - pyrogens. They can be various infectious agents, represented by unicellular, viruses, protozoa, fungi, bacteria. When ingested, pathogens are absorbed by white blood cells (leukocytes). At the same time, these cells begin to produce interleukins that enter the brain with blood.

Once they reach the center of body temperature regulation, located in the hypothalamus, these compounds change the perception of normal temperature. The baby's brain begins to define a temperature of 36.6-37 degrees as too low. It instructs the body to produce more heat and at the same time spasm the blood vessels to reduce heat transfer.

In this process, the following stages are distinguished:

Heat is produced in the baby's body in greater quantities, but heat transfer is not increased. Body temperature rises.
Heat output increases and a balance is established between heat production and its removal from the body. The temperature is decreasing, but not to the norm.
Heat production is reduced due to the death infectious agents and decreased production of interleukins. The heat output remains high, the child sweats and the temperature returns to normal.

It should be noted that the temperature can decrease lytically (gradually) or critically (dramatically). The second option is very dangerous with vasodilatation and a decrease in blood pressure.

Is immunity really developed?

Numerous studies have confirmed that in some infections, elevated temperature contributes to a faster recovery. It was also found that the use of antipyretics for some time prolongs both the time of the disease itself and the period of contagiousness. But, since these effects do not apply to all infections that occur with high fever, it is impossible to talk about the unambiguous benefits of fever.

Scientific studies have shown that the high temperature active compounds (including interferon) in some cases help to recover faster, and in some diseases they affect their course negatively. In addition, for many children this is a very dangerous condition.

What will happen if you do not bring down the heat?

For a long time, high temperature was considered a factor that could disrupt blood clotting and cause overheating of the brain. Therefore, they were afraid of it and tried to reduce it in every possible way. However, modern scientific research has shown that it is not the high temperature itself that leads to health problems, but the disease that manifests itself as such a symptom.

At the same time, doctors note that fever is dangerous for children with chronic pathologies internal organs, symptoms of dehydration, disorders physical development or diseases of the nervous system.

The danger of hyperthermia lies in the large expenditure of energy and nutrients to maintain a high temperature. Because of this internal organs overheat and their function is impaired.

Maximum allowable values

It is determined primarily by the age of the baby:

If you see numbers on the thermometer above those indicated in the table, this indicates a high probability of a serious illness, therefore it is extremely important to urgently call a doctor with such temperature measurement results.

When are antipyretics needed?

If the child is less than 2 months old.
When the baby has diseases of the cardiovascular system.
In the past, the child had convulsions at a high temperature.
If the child has diseases of the nervous system.
When a child has hyperthermia caused by overheating.

Additional symptoms

High fever is rarely the only manifestation of a child's health problems. Other signs of disease join it.

red throat

Redness of the throat against the background of fever is characteristic of viral and bacterial infections affecting the nasopharynx. Such symptoms often appear with tonsillitis, scarlet fever and other childhood infections. The child complains of pain when swallowing, begins to cough, refuses food.

The combination of high fever and runny nose most often occurs with viral infections, when viruses infect the nasal mucosa. The child may also have symptoms such as weakness, refusal to eat, difficulty breathing through the nose, lethargy, sore throat, cough.

Cold feet and hands

The condition when, at elevated temperature in a child pale skin and its vessels are spasmodic, called white fever. To the touch, the limbs of the baby with such a fever will be cold. The child usually has chills. This condition requires immediate medical attention medical care. The child's body should be rubbed with hands, but wiping with water and other methods should be used. physical cooling forbidden. To relieve spasm of skin vessels, the doctor will recommend taking an antispasmodic, for example, No-shpu.

convulsions

Increased body temperature can cause seizures. For their association with fever, such convulsions are called febrile. They are diagnosed in children under 6 years of age with indicators above + 38 ° C, as well as in children with pathologies of the nervous system at any numbers.

During febrile convulsions, the child's muscles begin to twitch, the legs can straighten and the arms bend, the baby turns pale, does not react to the environment, it is possible to hold the breath and turn blue of the skin. It is important to immediately lay the baby on a flat surface with his head turned to the side, call an ambulance and not leave the baby for a minute.

Febrile convulsions very dangerous. You need to call a doctor immediately! Vomiting and diarrhea

Such symptoms against the background of elevated temperature usually indicate the development intestinal infection, however, they can also be caused by the use of certain products by a small child. In babies younger than 3 years old, the intestines have not yet fully matured, so those foods that are normally tolerated by older children can cause dyspepsia and fever.

In addition, the combination of fever with vomiting can signal not only the gastrointestinal tract. Such symptoms are characteristic of meningitis and acetonemic syndrome. In children younger than 7 years of age, vomiting may occur at elevated body temperature and without brain damage or digestive system. It happens at the peak of the temperature increase, usually once.

Abdominal pain

The appearance of complaints of pain in the abdomen against the background of fever should alert parents and cause an ambulance call. This may also appear serious illness requiring surgery (for example, appendicitis), and kidney disease, and diseases of the digestive tract. To clarify the cause, the child will be prescribed tests and additional examinations.

No additional symptoms

The absence of other signs of the disease often occurs during teething, as well as in situations where the disease is just beginning (other symptoms appear later). High fever, as the only symptom, is often noted with kidney infections. You can confirm the disease with urine tests and ultrasound examination.

Causes

The elevated temperature is defensive reaction the body of the child for the ingress of infectious agents into it, but can also be due to non-infectious causes.

Highly common cause fevers are infectious diseases:

Disease	How does it manifest itself besides high temperature?	What to do?
	The appearance of a runny nose, dry cough, complaints of sore throat, body aches, muscle pain, nasal congestion, sneezing.	Call a pediatrician, give plenty of fluids, if necessary, give an antipyretic.
Chickenpox or other childhood infection	Rash, sore throat, enlargement lymph nodes in the neck area.	Be sure to call a doctor so that he accurately establishes the diagnosis and recommends the correct treatment.
	The appearance of pain in the ear, as well as discharge from the ear, cough, runny nose.	Contact a pediatrician to examine the child and prescribe the appropriate treatment for the situation.
Infectious mononucleosis or strep throat	Severe sore throat, plaque on the tonsils, swollen lymph nodes in the neck.	Urgently call a doctor to clarify the diagnosis and immediately begin treatment.
Urinary tract infections	Pain in the lower back or abdomen, painful and frequent urination, changes in smell and appearance urine.	Contact a pediatrician to take tests, identify the disease and begin treatment.
Intestinal infections	Bouts of vomiting and nausea, spasmodic pain in the abdomen, upset stool.	Give the child more to drink, stop feeding, call the pediatrician.

An increase in body temperature is also possible with diseases of non-infectious origin, for example, with problems with hormones, pathologies of the nervous system and other health disorders. It may also indicate acute surgical diseases requiring immediate medical attention.

Teething

This cause is very common in young children, but the indicators are usually up to + 38.5 ° C. In rare cases, the fever can be very high and the child refuses to eat and is lethargic.

Additional signs that indicate precisely the connection between teething and high temperature will be increased salivation, reddening of the gums, restless capricious behavior of the baby. The child will chew miscellaneous items and hands.

Overheat

In case of overheating, parents notice a connection between the increase in temperature and the effect of heat on the child, for example, a fever appeared after a long stay in the sun. In infants, the use of excessively warm clothing can lead to overheating. Also, parents themselves can provoke overheating when slight increase wrap the baby.

The danger of overheating is associated with the risk of heat stroke. It is manifested not only by a high temperature, but also by a violation of consciousness, convulsions, disorders of the heart and breathing. Heat stroke is a reason to immediately call an ambulance.

Vaccinations

Preventive vaccination can cause a rise in temperature for several days after the procedure. In this case, the child may experience swelling and pain at the injection site. These symptoms indicate the development of immunity and are considered acceptable side effects of vaccinations. At the same time, antipyretics can be given even with a slight rise in performance.

If after 1-2 days the temperature after vaccination does not decrease, it is necessary to determine whether its increase is caused by another reason, for example, viral infection. Read more in the article about fever after vaccination.

When to call a doctor?

The doctor should be called in each case of fever, since only a specialist can determine what caused and how to treat the baby.

The doctor will prescribe effective methods treatment and will control the course of the disease

Indications for an immediate call to the doctor are the following situations:

The temperature rose above the indicators considered maximum for a certain age of the child.
The fever provoked the appearance of convulsions.
The kid is disoriented, he has hallucinations.
If there are others dangerous symptoms- vomiting, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, ear pain, rash, diarrhea and others.
The child's temperature is elevated for more than 24 hours and during this time the condition has not improved.
The baby has serious chronic diseases.
You doubt that you are able to correctly assess the condition of the baby and help him.
The child got better, but the temperature rose again.
The baby refuses to drink and the parents report symptoms of dehydration.

What to do?

Once the cause has been identified, it is necessary to determine how to deal with such a symptom. Taking into account the condition of the baby, his age, temperature numbers and related facts, parents and the doctor decide whether antipyretic drugs are needed.

Antipyretics

In most cases, such medicines allow, albeit for a short time, to improve the condition of the child, allow him to sleep and eat. With sore throat, otitis, teething, stomatitis, these drugs reduce pain.

Will rubdowns help?

Used in the past, rubbing with vinegar, alcohol, or vodka is now considered harmful by pediatricians. Doctors do not advise wiping the child even with a cool towel, because such actions provoke vasospasm in the child's skin, and this, in turn, will reduce heat transfer. In addition, alcohol-containing liquids, when rubbed, will actively enter the child's body, which is fraught with poisoning of the baby.

Rubbing is permissible only after using drugs prescribed by a doctor that relieve spasm of peripheral vessels. For the procedure, only water at room temperature is used. In addition, you can wipe the child, provided that the baby does not mind, since with resistance and screams, the temperature will increase even more. After rubbing the child should not be wrapped up, otherwise his condition will worsen.

Wiping with cool water can be done only after taking drugs that relieve spasms of peripheral vessels Food and liquid

A child with a fever should drink often and a lot. Give the baby tea, compote, water, fruit drink or any other liquid that he agrees to drink. This is essential for heat dissipation through greater evaporation of sweat from the skin, as well as faster elimination of toxins in the urine.

Feed the baby should be given in small quantities. Let the child eat according to his appetite, but not much, because when digesting food, the body temperature will increase. Both dishes and drinks offered to the child should have a temperature of about 37-38 degrees.

Folk remedies

It is recommended to drink tea with the addition of cranberries: it stimulates active sweating. At the same time, such a drink should be given carefully - in babies up to a year old, it can cause allergies, and older children should not use cranberries for any stomach diseases.

Another wonderful folk remedy with an antiseptic and antipyretic effect is raspberries, which can be given to a child in the form of jam, juice or tea. But in cases where there is a risk of allergies, the use of raspberries is best avoided.

Cranberry juice is an excellent remedy for ARVI for both adults and children. How safe is the treatment?

Usage modern drugs that reduce the temperature are considered safe if the following conditions are met:

Do not give children under 18 years of age aspirin and other drugs that contain acetylsalicylic acid.
Do not exceed the dosage recommended in the instructions.
Do not take drugs if there are contraindications to them.
Do not lower with antipyretics elevated temperature, which is a symptom of chickenpox (this increases the risk of complications).

How many days does the child have a high temperature?

It is not the fever itself that is dangerous for the baby, but the cause of the appearance of this symptom. If the parents do not know what provoked the temperature rise in the baby and the next day after the increase in the condition did not improve, and additional alarming symptoms appeared, you should immediately seek medical help. In this way, you will establish the cause of the child's illness and be able to act on it, and not just on a symptom.

If the parents know the cause of hyperthermia, and it is not dangerous, the child was examined by a doctor and prescribed therapy, then the temperature can be brought down within a few (3-5) days, observing the child. If there are no positive changes in the course of the disease over the past three days, despite treatment, you should call the doctor again and undergo an additional examination.

rules

After choosing a specific drug to reduce the temperature, determine the desired single dose according to the instructions.
Antipyretics should be taken only when necessary.
The next dose must be at least 4 hours after the previous dose for paracetamol or 6 hours for ibuprofen.
A maximum of 4 doses of the drug can be taken per day.
Medicine taken by mouth is washed down with water or milk. It can also be drunk during a meal - so the irritating effect of medicines on the gastric mucosa will be reduced.

What medicines to choose?

Paracetamol and ibuprofen are the drugs that are recommended in childhood with a high temperature. Both drugs equally reduce pain, but ibuprofen has a more pronounced and prolonged antipyretic effect. At the same time, paracetamol is called safer and is recommended as the drug of choice for infants in the first months of their life.

Infants are often given such drugs in the form of rectal suppositories or syrups. This is due to the convenience of using these forms - they are easy to dose and give to the child. In older children, preference should be given to tablets, syrups and soluble powders.

Medicines taken by mouth begin to work within 20-30 minutes after they are taken, and rectal suppositories- 30-40 minutes after administration. Candles will also be the most preferred option in the presence of bouts of vomiting in a child. In addition, syrups, powders, and tablets often contain additives for taste and smell, which can cause allergies.

You may hear recommendations to take paracetamol and ibuprofen together or in alternation of these drugs. Doctors believe that it is safe, but not necessary. The combination of these drugs works with the same effectiveness as taking ibuprofen alone. And if you gave this medicine, and the temperature does not decrease, you should not give paracetamol additionally, it is better to immediately call an ambulance.

Why shouldn't aspirin be given to children?

Even in adulthood, it is advised to avoid the use of aspirin at a temperature if possible, and for children under 18 it is completely contraindicated.

In childhood, aspirin has a pronounced toxic effect on the liver and is the cause of the development of serious complications, which doctors call "Reye's syndrome." With this syndrome, internal organs are affected, in particular the liver and brain. Also, taking aspirin can affect platelets, cause bleeding and allergies.

If there are no other antipyretic drugs in the house, aspirin should not be given to the child anyway. If you have purchased any new medicine recommended for colds or flu, be sure to check if it contains acetylsalicylic acid.

Aspirin has many side effects and should not be used in children

In the room, lower the air temperature to 18-20 degrees to increase heat transfer (if the baby does not have a chill). You should also take care of sufficient humidity (60% is considered the optimal level), since the dryness of the air will contribute to the loss of fluid by the child's body and the drying of the mucous membranes.
When choosing clothes for a child, make sure that the baby is not cold, but you should not overheat the baby with excessively warm clothes either. Dress your baby in the same way as you are dressed or a little lighter, and when the baby starts to sweat and wants to undress, let him give off more heat in this way.
Limit the activity of the child, because some children run and jump even at temperatures above 39 degrees. Since movement increases the production of heat in the body, distract the child from active play. However, do it in such a way that the baby does not cry, because due to tantrums and crying, it will also rise. Encourage your child to read books, watch cartoons, or do some other quiet activity. It is not necessary to force the child to lie down all the time.