Question
A child has had a fever for six days, with temperatures between 38 and 38.5 degrees Celsius, and has maintained a good appetite and normal bowel movements. Initially, the child cried at night but has since improved in sleep. The cause of the illness is unknown.
Answer
The child’s fever is due to inflammation in the body, and the redness of the throat suggests a respiratory infection. An elevated white blood cell count in the blood indicates that the pathogen is bacterial, whereas if it were viral, the count would be normal or low. The initial use of penicillin is the best antibiotic for bacterial infections, while ribavirin is an excellent antiviral medication for children. Azithromycin, added later, is a preventive medication against mycoplasma. The treatment is correct, and the repeated fever is because there is inflammation in the respiratory tract. It is necessary to continue anti-inflammatory treatment until the inflammation is completely eliminated, and then the child’s temperature will fundamentally decrease. Currently, only drugs like ibuprofen can temporarily reduce fever when the temperature rises. When the fever recurs, give similar antipyretic analgesic drugs and continue anti-inflammatory treatment. Once the inflammation is completely resolved, the temperature will decrease. In terms of daily care, when the temperature is high, ice bags or alcohol rub baths can be used to reduce fever. If there are no ice bags, use filled water cola bottles placed in the refrigerator to create ice, wrapped with a towel and placed on areas where large blood vessels pass, such as under the armpits or in the groin, to reduce fever; or use high-concentration alcohol on the outside of the arm to use alcohol’s heat conduction to reduce fever. Wish for a speedy recovery.