White fever in a child

A child with white fever can worry any parent. This is the name given to a situation in which a child feels cold in their hands and feet despite having a marked increase in body temperature. It’s critical to comprehend the symptoms of white fever, how it can harm your child, and how to treat it.

White fever is usually a symptom of a fever rather than a distinct illness, despite the fact that it sounds alarming. It can happen when a child’s body is having problems controlling its temperature due to a high fever. This frequently occurs when the body responds to a viral infection, like the flu or a cold, by causing temperature fluctuations.

Early detection and diagnosis are key to effective management of white fever. You can make sure your child gets the right care and attention by being aware of the warning signs and knowing when to consult a doctor. We’ll look at the signs, symptoms, and suggested course of treatment for white fever in the sections that follow.

What is it?

Fever isn’t regarded as a disease in and of itself. In many acute infectious and inflammatory diseases, it arises as a protective response. The thermoregulation apparatus responds to heat by converting certain substances that enter from the outside—pyrogens. They are typically not separate substances but rather parts of different viruses and harmful microbes. They work at the level of the brain, changing the location of the hypothalamus, which is the center of thermoregulation.

Medicine is familiar with different types of fever, but all of them (regardless of the cause) are conventionally divided into red and pale, designated by the main color of the skin during the disease. The second type includes white fever. The body needs a high temperature because during illness it stimulates the production of interferons, proteins necessary for immune defense processes. However, too high a temperature becomes dangerous for the baby in itself. White fever is accompanied not only by high temperature, but also by impaired blood circulation, as well as an imbalance between the body"s production of heat and its release. A spasm of peripheral vessels develops, and this is very dangerous, especially for babies from birth to one year.

Symptoms and signs

The term "white fever" captures the essence of the child’s condition as accurately as possible. When a child’s temperature is high, they appear pale, develop bluish circles under their eyes, and their lips and nasal bridge take on a blue hue. Because of the visible bluish vascular network, skin affected by white fever is sometimes referred to as "marbled." Affected hands and feet get extremely cold, almost icy, from poor blood circulation. Many babies are happy even when they have a high fever. Everything is different when the child has white fever; he is extremely weak, extremely lethargic, and exhibiting all the signs of intoxication.

The baby’s heart rate fluctuates, and its pulse is quick. Youngsters who are able to verbally communicate their grievances may complain of having strong chills or feeling cold. There could be an increase in blood pressure. When a child’s temperature rises above 39.0 degrees, they may experience delirium, hallucinations, and clouded consciousness. They also frequently start having febrile seizures.

Cold hands and feet are the primary symptom that sets white fever apart from other fevers. Parents are required to give their child emergency care if they become aware of this. In the event that the temperature rises above 39.0 degrees, you should dial 911.

A "pale test" is an additional diagnostic tool that can be used. White fever leaves a light spot on the skin that takes a long time to return to its original color when you gently press on it with your thumb.

First emergency aid

The goals of first aid for white fever include ensuring blood flow, restoring vascular permeability, and warming the child’s limbs. For this reason, using common fever-reduction techniques like cold rubbing and wrapping is strictly prohibited. This will only cause the baby’s condition to deteriorate and result in an even greater loss of heat. When a child has pale fever, you should never rub alcohol, vodka, or compounds containing alcohol on them. Instead, you should wrap them in a cool, damp sheet.

Make an ambulance call and, in the interim, give the child light massages, rubbing and squeezing them between your palms, while you wait for a medical team to arrive.

Any heat source will do, such as a heating pad or a bottle of warm water. Additionally, administer antipyretic medications.

Medication based on paracetamol is thought to be best for kids. You can administer "Ibuprofen," a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, at an age-appropriate dosage. Giving two or more antipyretic medications at the same time is not recommended. Since the use of aspirin in childhood can cause the occurrence of severe and potentially fatal Reye’s syndrome, aspirin and drugs based on it should be avoided. Antipyretic medications can be administered to children in a variety of dosage forms (tablets, suppositories, syrups, powders), but it is best to restrict this list to tablets or syrups in the case of white fever. Vasoconstriction may make the introduction of rectal suppositories ineffective.

Antispasmodic medications can be given to the child to prevent vascular spasm. One year later, "No-shpa," "Papaverine" for up to a year, but with a strict age-appropriate dosage. It is preferable to wait for the doctors to arrive if there are questions about the necessary dosage of the medication. Children are given a "lytic" injection by ambulance doctors during high temperatures. This injection consists of an antispasmodic (typically "Papaverine"), an analgesic, and an antipyretic (Analgin). Antihistamines, such as "Suprastin," are occasionally added to the lytic injection in order to lessen mucous membrane swelling and stop the onset of croup, edema, and serious consequences.

Before the ambulance arrives, it is imperative to provide warmth, but not to overheat the child, so that the fever does not begin to intensify. In addition, you should give your child plenty of warm drinks. This will help reduce the risk of dehydration and febrile seizures. If the child refuses to drink on his own, you need to use a syringe without a needle and pour the drink drop by drop (or give the baby a drink with a teaspoon). Forcing a child with white fever to eat is a parental crime. Firstly, the baby has absolutely no appetite, and secondly, the body needs strength to fight the infection that caused the fever, and not to digest food. That is why nature has come up with everything so that appetite is one of the first to disappear during illness and one of the last to appear.

Any parent who has a child with white fever may find it concerning, but being aware of the symptoms and knowing how to treat them can help tremendously. This kind of fever frequently needs to be treated right away. It is characterized by pale skin and cold extremities despite a high body temperature.

It’s critical to keep a close eye on your child’s condition and seek medical attention if needed if they have white fever. The symptoms can be controlled at home with easy steps like making sure the child wears light clothing and drinks plenty of water. However, expert care might be required in more serious situations.

You can better protect your child from white fever episodes and make sure they recover safely and swiftly by being informed and aware of what to do.

When a child has a high fever and their skin appears pale, it is called "white fever." It may indicate poor circulation, which is frequently brought on by the body’s attempt to control a rising body temperature. White fever is different from normal red or flushed fever in that it may be a sign that the body is having trouble cooling down. Parents should be aware of any additional symptoms and seek medical assistance if their child appears abnormally weak, cold, or has difficulty breathing, as these conditions may call for immediate medical attention.

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