Page 80 - Petelin Ana. Ur. 2022. Zdravje otrok in mladostnikov / Health of children and adolescents. Proceedings. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 80
avje otrok in mladostnikov | health of children and adolescents 80 its effects can be a source of anxiety for parents their entire childhood.
Much of the available information on fever is non-fact-checked and
incomplete, which may stir confusion among parents. Such information
should be provided to parents by healthcare professionals, who are also
professionally trained in health care education. Parents mostly trust
healthcare professionals and are quick to rely on their guidance. In-
depth knowledge and awareness can facilitate encounters with febrile
seizures for parents, since it makes it easier for them to recognize the
onset of the condition and reassures them such convulsions are not
life-threatening. Healthcare professionals should be the most reliable
source of information for parents; however, it is vital that healthcare
professionals are able to provide the key information and choose the
most suitable method of passing it on.
Keywords: fever, febrile seizures, parents
Introduction
The average (normal) body temperatures for children vary, depending on many
factors, including the child‘s age, daily activity levels and given the time of the
day. Infants tend to have higher temperatures than older children. In addition,
fever is an important part of the body‘s defense against infection and viral dis-
ease. Thus most mild fevers do have a beneficial effect, it might happen that a
child with a fever may become more uncomfortable as the temperature rises
and it can make children feel foggy and tired (American Academy of Pediat-
rics, 2015). Moreover, increased body temperature is a symptom, certainly not
a disease. It actually stimulates the body‘s immune and protective response,
and at the same time it is an important part of the body‘s defence against in-
fection or disease (Herlihy, D’Acremont, Burgess in Hamer, 2016). Like other
forms of inflammation or infection, a fever enhances the innate immune de-
fence and is beneficial for the organism as it strengthens the inflammatory re-
sponse and the functioning of the overall immune system. In addition, it also
reduces the formation of toxic substances and it plays a significant role in cer-
tain infections by inhibiting the production of certain microorganisms. It al-
so supports the immune system‘s attempt to gain advantage over infectious
agents, such as viruses and bacteria, it helps the immune cells to work better
and makes the body less favourable as a host for replicating viruses and bacte-
ria that are temperature sensitive. Also, it increases the rise of antibiotic resist-
ance and improves the binding of iron into cells which inhibits the growth of
bacteria (Strgar, 2019). It is not recommended to immediately or suddenly low-
er the elevated body temperature as a sudden and extreme change in temper-
ature can have a negative effect on the course of the disease. Children with a
healthy heart and a stable blood flow can easily tolerate even extreme temper-
atures as high as 40 ⁰C. Adults should start to bring a child‘s fever down when
their body temperature exceeds 38.5 ⁰C. When there is a child, who is subject to
febrile seizures (febrile convulsions), we should start lowering his elevated body
Much of the available information on fever is non-fact-checked and
incomplete, which may stir confusion among parents. Such information
should be provided to parents by healthcare professionals, who are also
professionally trained in health care education. Parents mostly trust
healthcare professionals and are quick to rely on their guidance. In-
depth knowledge and awareness can facilitate encounters with febrile
seizures for parents, since it makes it easier for them to recognize the
onset of the condition and reassures them such convulsions are not
life-threatening. Healthcare professionals should be the most reliable
source of information for parents; however, it is vital that healthcare
professionals are able to provide the key information and choose the
most suitable method of passing it on.
Keywords: fever, febrile seizures, parents
Introduction
The average (normal) body temperatures for children vary, depending on many
factors, including the child‘s age, daily activity levels and given the time of the
day. Infants tend to have higher temperatures than older children. In addition,
fever is an important part of the body‘s defense against infection and viral dis-
ease. Thus most mild fevers do have a beneficial effect, it might happen that a
child with a fever may become more uncomfortable as the temperature rises
and it can make children feel foggy and tired (American Academy of Pediat-
rics, 2015). Moreover, increased body temperature is a symptom, certainly not
a disease. It actually stimulates the body‘s immune and protective response,
and at the same time it is an important part of the body‘s defence against in-
fection or disease (Herlihy, D’Acremont, Burgess in Hamer, 2016). Like other
forms of inflammation or infection, a fever enhances the innate immune de-
fence and is beneficial for the organism as it strengthens the inflammatory re-
sponse and the functioning of the overall immune system. In addition, it also
reduces the formation of toxic substances and it plays a significant role in cer-
tain infections by inhibiting the production of certain microorganisms. It al-
so supports the immune system‘s attempt to gain advantage over infectious
agents, such as viruses and bacteria, it helps the immune cells to work better
and makes the body less favourable as a host for replicating viruses and bacte-
ria that are temperature sensitive. Also, it increases the rise of antibiotic resist-
ance and improves the binding of iron into cells which inhibits the growth of
bacteria (Strgar, 2019). It is not recommended to immediately or suddenly low-
er the elevated body temperature as a sudden and extreme change in temper-
ature can have a negative effect on the course of the disease. Children with a
healthy heart and a stable blood flow can easily tolerate even extreme temper-
atures as high as 40 ⁰C. Adults should start to bring a child‘s fever down when
their body temperature exceeds 38.5 ⁰C. When there is a child, who is subject to
febrile seizures (febrile convulsions), we should start lowering his elevated body
