Question
A three-year-old and four-month-old child’s body temperature reached 38 degrees Celsius starting from the afternoon, and now it has risen to 38.7 degrees Celsius. The child has fallen asleep. Do I need to wake the child up to take antipyretic medication?
Answer
For a three-year-old and four-month-old child, if the body temperature reaches 38.7 degrees Celsius, even if the child is asleep, they should be woken up and given antipyretic medication to avoid convulsions that may be caused by high fever. Generally, it is recommended to administer oral antipyretic medications such as ibuprofen or use rectal indomethacin suppositories when the body temperature exceeds 38.7 degrees Celsius. If the body temperature is below 38.5 degrees Celsius, it is advisable to take physical cooling measures, such as increasing fluid intake and using warm water to wipe down the child.