First Things First: Being Prepared
Being a new parent is an exciting time. But it can also be a time that’s filled with questions. Many of these questions leave parents unprepared and faced with having to search for an “emergency room near me” in Harker Heights when that time could have been better spent helping a distressed child. For that reason, we recommend that parents take time right now to identify pediatric emergency care in Harker Heights, TX like Express ER so they can be best equipped to handle any health emergency that surfaces.
Defining a Fever in Children
Does your child have a hot forehead? Are you wondering if it’s a fever? Chances are it could be. Hot foreheads are a common sign of your child’s internal thermostat raising their body temperature above its normal level. The average normal temperature of the human body is about 98.6 degrees, so anything above this number is cause for concern. If you’ve taken your child’s temperature and wonder whether a fever is at hand, following are some guidelines to use:
- Orally (mouth) over 99.5 F is considered a fever
- Rectally (bottom) over 100.4 F is considered a fever
- Axillary (underarm) 99.0 F is considered a fever
Although some fevers are considered relatively normal, with many of them subsiding in less than 24 hours, pediatric emergency care in Harker Heights, TX should be considered when:
- Infants ages 3 months or younger with a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher
- Children between 3 months of age to 3 years old that have a fever of 102.2 F or above
Symptoms to Look for Besides a Temperature Reading
In all cases, treatment of your child’s fever will be based on the child’s symptoms, an examination, and a discussion with the doctor. Some of the most common symptoms that parents report include:
- Your child is not playing as they normally would
- Your child is lethargic, or not eating and drinking as well as normal
- Your child is not as alert or as happy as normal
- Your child’s skin doesn’t look a healthy color
- Your child has persistent diarrhea and/or vomiting, sore throat, ear ache, chronic medical condition, rash, or pain with urination
What You Can Do at Home While Awaiting Treatment
There are a few things you can do at home to offer comfort and care to a feverish child before taking them to urgent care in Harker Heights. These include cold compresses, a lukewarm sponge bath, adjusting the ambient temperature, and providing electrolytes. However, you should NEVER place your child in an ice bath as an attempt to reduce their temperature.
