Children with fever: should we let them sleep?

Fever is a symptom clear that the body is fighting an infection or a disease and it is something common in the first years of lifewhen children start to go to school and come into contact with different microbes.

Fever, then, is not a disease, but a defense mechanism of the body and does not always require treatment, although it is advisable to consult a pediatrician. Despite this, many parents are distressed when it happens to their children and very often wonder if children with fever should be allowed to sleep. In this article we tell you when sleep can help recovery.

Should children be allowed to sleep when they have a fever?

It is not possible to give a categorical answer to this question, as it will depend on many factors, such as how high the body temperature is, the cause of the fever or the other symptoms that the child presents.

In general, and as long as your breathing is normal and the fever is not very high, there is usually no problem to let the child sleep. In fact, sleep can help the body recover faster.

The child should be well hydrated and comfortable while you sleep, keep your pajamas and bedding light to prevent overheating.

In any case, whenever a child is sick or has a fever, it is necessary to monitor your symptoms and their evolution and contact the doctor if you have any questions or if one of the cases that we have discussed above occurs.

When is it considered that there is a fever?

A frequent question is to establish when there is a fever, at 37 °C? at 38 °C?… And it is that the normal temperature of the body varies a bit from person to person and depending on the time of day.

According to the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (AEPED), as a general rule it is considered that the temperature is elevated when it reaches 37.5°C underarm or the 38°C if taken rectally.

According to the AEPED, it is necessary to consult the pediatrician in the following cases:

when the fever lasts more than 48-72 hours.If the child’s temperature is 40°C or more (in the case of babies between 3 and 6 months, if the temperature exceeds 39 ° C). If the child is very irritable or sleepy.If you have bad aspect general or difficulty breathing.If you see a Rash on the skin.If the child has less than 3 months oldshould be evaluated by a pediatrician regardless of the temperature you have .

Main causes of fever in children

Most commonly, the fever is due to a viral or bacterial infectionsuch as the common cold, flu, ear infections, urinary tract infections…

Other causes of fever in children include:

Some inflammatory or autoimmune diseasessuch as juvenile inflammatory arthritis. Some vaccines they can cause a slight rise in temperature while the body is developing immunity.some medicationslike antibiotics, have fever as a side effect. exposure to high temperatures can cause body temperature to rise.

It is also believed that the teeth eruption It can cause a little fever (more like a fever), although there is no consensus on this.

It is advisable to consult the pediatrician to find out what is the cause and the most appropriate treatment.

How is fever in children treated?

It must be taken into account that the fever is just a defensive reaction of the body, not a disease. Therefore, the fever itself does not need to be treatedbut the discomfort that may cause.

As indicated by the AEPED, the objective is “treat the child and not the thermometer“. If the child is well, playing and not feeling sick, it is probably not necessary to give fever-reducing medicines.

If the fever is high and the child is unwell, the doctor may prescribe antipyretics.