What should I do if a 3-year-old child has a fever of 37.8°C?

May 04, 2023 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Ma Yan
Introduction
Fever refers to an elevated body temperature. For a 3-year-old child with a fever of 37.8°C, treatment should be based on the underlying cause. If the fever is due to a cold, use cooling patches or gently wipe the forehead with a warm, damp towel to reduce body temperature. It's also necessary to take cold medication to relieve symptoms. When fever results from indigestion, prokinetic drugs that enhance gastric motility should be used; common medications include domperidone tablets. If the fever is caused by anemia, iron supplements such as ferrous sulfate tablets or ferrous succinate tablets should be administered for treatment.

Fever refers to an elevated body temperature. For a 3-year-old child with a fever of 37.8°C, treatment should be based on the underlying cause of the symptoms, such as colds, indigestion, anemia, etc. Specific analyses are as follows:

1. Cold

When a cold is caused by an upper respiratory viral infection, cooling treatments may include using fever-reducing patches under medical guidance or applying warm towels to wipe areas such as the forehead, neck, and armpits to lower body temperature. Additionally, symptomatic relief can be achieved by taking cold medications as directed by a physician. Commonly used drugs include pediatric paracetamol-phenylephrine granules, pediatric Chaiqin Qingre granules, and compound paracetamol amantadine granules.

2. Indigestion

When food accumulates in the gastrointestinal tract and cannot be digested, it may ferment and build up, leading to fever. It is recommended to take prokinetic medications under medical supervision to improve gastric motility. Commonly used drugs include Jianwei Xiaoshi tablets, Xingpi Yang'er granules, and mosapride citrate tablets, which help alleviate symptoms.

3. Anemia

Anemia may lead to decreased immunity, making the body more susceptible to infections by pathogens, thereby causing fever. It is advisable to take iron supplements such as ferrous sulfate tablets, ferrous succinate tablets, or ferrous fumarate tablets under medical guidance to relieve anemia and improve symptoms.

In addition, conditions such as hyperthyroidism, leukemia, and lymphoma may also cause fever. It is recommended to visit a hospital for a thorough examination to identify the exact cause and receive targeted treatment.