In children, especially under 3 years old, the cerebral cortex is not fully formed, where the hypothalamus is present, which is also responsible for thermoregulation. Therefore, babies often have a fever. With this phenomenon, the child may experience chills. All parents need to know how to help in this situation.
General information
Usually, chills are considered a protective reaction that prevents hypothermia. With a similar phenomenon in children occurs:
- The appearance of "goosebumps" due to spasm of blood vessels that are on the surface of the body. This is how the body's defense reaction against dehydration proceeds, limiting evaporation.
- Trembling of the muscles, which increases the production of body heat. The masticatory muscles contract first.
- Arises chewing curl up.
When a child has a chill, the metabolism is activated, the synthesis of interferons increases. The body is getting ready as its defenses come into play.
Why does this phenomenon occur?
What causes chills inchild? A short fever comes from hypothermia when immobile. It quickly disappears if the child is changed into dry clothes, warmed, and given a warm sweet drink.
Another chill in a child appears when:
- nervous strain, severe stress;
- intoxication of the body - acute respiratory infections, intestinal infections, pneumonia;
- taking medication;
- vaccinations, Mantoux reactions;
- general exhaustion after a prolonged illness, intense exercise or beriberi;
- vegetovascular dystonia (usually occurs in adolescents);
- increased intracranial pressure (up to 1 year);
- failure in the endocrine system (with hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus).
There are also rare causes of chills, which include:
- Renaud's syndrome, involving the defeat of small vessels at the tips of the fingers, toes, nose, earlobes;
- gastritis, which causes bad breath;
- hypopituitarism - a decrease in the production of hormones by the pituitary gland.
In any situation, parents need to learn to recognize the occurrence of chills in a child. It is also important to be able to provide first aid, and in case of repeated occurrences of attacks, you should consult a doctor.
Symptoms
Signs of severe chills in a child are cold hands and feet, teeth chattering. Then the child has a slight trembling of the muscles of the body, he wants to shrink into a ball. Symptoms include the appearance of:
- weaknesses;
- failurefrom communication;
- loss of interest in the outside world.
Pimples appear on the skin at the onset of a fever due to contraction of capillaries. Babies with this phenomenon cry for a long time. Older children breathe shallowly with a groan. Severe chills often scare parents as they are similar to convulsions.
Recognition
When chills appear small muscle contraction. The child feels cold. Children who can talk usually tell their parents about it themselves. They also want to wrap up warmly, curl up into a ball to minimize heat transfer.
Convulsions are presented in the form of periodic muscle contractions with a large amplitude, which may not be under the control of consciousness. With cramps, one part of the body is involved, rarely all muscles are affected. The child's eyes roll back and contractions run through his body.
If after 3-5 minutes the attack does not stop, the child loses consciousness. Chills can turn into convulsions, so parents need to know the mechanism for the development of fever.
With and without temperature
Fever often appears before a rise in temperature. This indicates the beginning of the body's struggle with the threat of infection. Chills in a child at a temperature means the presence of infectious diseases, in which the synthesis of interferons is activated in the body, which increase immunity, and the reproduction and vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms are blocked.
With a feverthere is an ache, pain in the eyes. Among the reasons, one should not exclude teething in infants, a reaction to vaccination. At high temperatures, acute inflammations are observed - from sinusitis to inflammation of the kidneys, bladder. In this case, an imbalance of sodium and calcium macronutrients appears, which is noticeable on a general biochemical blood test.
Childs in a child without a fever can be a sign:
- an imbalance in the body of the hormones norepinephrine and adrenaline due to stress, including hypothermia or overwork;
- appearance in the body of endogenous pyrogens, which are considered poisonous metabolic products of pathogens;
- failure of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems of the central nervous system.
If a baby has chills up to 3 months old, you need to call an ambulance. Children under 3 need immediate help if the fever lasts more than 15 minutes.
How to restore the state?
What to do with a chill in a child? When the first signs of fever occur, the baby is placed in a crib, covered with a light blanket, and woolen socks are put on over cotton ones. Then you need to give him a warm sweet drink. They can be compote with dried fruits, fruit drink with cranberries, lingonberries. Green tea with lemon will do. Drink should be given in 5-10 ml, but often.
To prevent dehydration, oral glucose solution (10%), sold in ampoules in pharmacies, is used. Use warm to soothe babytea with mint and honey. Melissa is also added to the grass if the child is over 1 year old. Babies are carried on the hands and more often applied to the chest.
If a child has a chill at a temperature - what to do? The aromatic oil of lavender perfectly eliminates nervous chills: 2-3 drops are added to peach oil (50 ml), and then rubbed on the feet and palms of the child. If after that the chills remain, as well as vomiting, you need to immediately call an ambulance. This may be a sign of severe intoxication of the body, in which dehydration appears with unpleasant consequences.
How do they bring down the temperature?
Paracetamol and Ibuprofen are used to lower the temperature in children. The drugs are available in different forms: for the little ones they choose syrup or suppositories, and for older children there are tablets. Efficiency does not depend on cost. It depends on the manufacturer and dosage. For the remedy to be effective, the child must drink it in the following amount:
- "Paracetamol" - 10-15 mg per 1 kg of weight.
- "Ibuprofen" - 5-10 mg per 1 kg.
There are also combined remedies. But no medicine can be drunk more than 4 times a day and more than 3 days in a row. With chills, suppositories will be less effective due to centralized blood circulation. It is advisable to choose syrup or tablets.
Children under 12 should not be given Aspirin. Undesirable use and "Analgin". When the temperature does not drop, the doctors introduce a lytic mixture in which such a medicine is present. Before useof any drug, it is advisable to consult a specialist, as well as read the instructions. Only the right remedy will be effective and safe.
What is forbidden?
After the onset of the first symptoms of chills and as they develop (without fever), parents need to know that there are prohibited activities. This applies to:
- warming baby in bath;
- installing mustard plasters, including calves;
- wrapping up in warm and uncomfortable clothes or in a blanket;
- heating the indoor air with electric heaters, as this will lower the humidity, which will only aggravate the baby's condition.
Do not give medicines without a doctor's prescription, including antispasmodics. Because of this, blood pressure can drop sharply and loss of consciousness can occur. Valerian should not be given to a child for sedation. It works only with regular use, when the body has its supply. Motherwort tea for relaxation is effective, but it has an unpleasant taste.
Prevention
In order to avoid chills, you need to strengthen the immune system:
- reasonable hardening;
- exercise;
- balanced diet with high protein content;
- regular intake of vitamin complexes prescribed by a doctor.
When children are prone to chills, they should go to the pediatrician at least once every 6 months. This will allow timely identification of the causes of this phenomenon and prescribe treatment. Parents should take into account thatcauseless chills without fever, especially if it recurs, you need to see a doctor. Insurance in this case will not hurt.
