A rise in the temperature of the body - febrility is a form of defensive reaction of the organism to viral or bacterial infection (as in 90% of cases it is the cause of a rise in the body temperature in children). The most common cause of febrility is acute respiratory viral infection. Higher temperature can be a result of vaccination (DPT, MMR), tissue damage (trauma), effect of some medications, dehydration of the body, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, endocrine disorders, and metabolic disorders. Hyperthermia can also occur due to increased production of heat (due to physical activity), reduced heat loss (over-warming) or heat stroke due to high outdoor temperature.

Febrility occurs because of the raised temperature threshold level in the hypothalamic center in the brain.

What is a normal temperature? When is the temperature increased?

Body temperature changes during the day. It is lowest in the morning and highest in the afternoon, after a meal or after physical activity.

Thermoregulatory center in newborns, infants and young children is under-developed, so too much clothing or too warm room can easily lead to a rise in body temperature.

• The normal temperature measured in the armpit of the child is up to 37°C, and normal temperature measured rectally (in the butt) is up to 37,5°C.
• Raised temperature measured in the armpit in a child is the temperature higher than 37,5°C and measured rectally higher than 38°C.
• Temperature higher than 38,5°C measured in the armpit, or 39°C measured rectally is high.

How to measure the temperature?

• It is recommended to measure the temperature axillary (in the armpit) when using the medical thermometer
• Temperature can be measured rectally in infants that do not have diarrhea
• Temperature measurement is done in the ear canal or on the forehead with a special digital thermometer

The temperature is measured for 3 to 5 minutes. Digital thermometer reads temperatures in just a few seconds up to one minute. It is not reliable and not recommended to measure the temperature by placing a hand on a child`s forehead.

How to lower the temperature?

Many of you know from personal experience what it`s like when a child has a fever. You must be wondering how to make it easier for a child during the night, how to lower the temperature, which product to use.

Physical measures to lower the temperature:

• Showering with warm water. Shower a child with warm water which temperature is 32-33°C for a period of a few minutes, avoiding the face and head. Repeat the procedure until the temperature reaches at least 38°C. For children aged up to one year it is better to apply the wrapping in wet towel or cloth diaper of room temperature.
• Frictions - massaging with alcohol and water solution in the ratio 1: 1. One should be careful when applying this method, especially in infants and young children, because the inhalation of alcoholic vapors and to a lesser extent absorption through the soft skin can lead to poisoning. Implementation of these measures is justified only in cases of extremely high temperatures and in children who experience cramps of brain origin, condition known as "Shock".
• A sick child should drink more water, because the high temperature enhances fluid loss, which may be undesirable or even dangerous especially in smaller children. 
• The temperature can be lowered by wearing loose-fitting cotton clothing, removing the heavy blanket (used "to make child sweat"), staying in a room that is ventilated and not too warm, in which the child can move freely.

The child should not be cooled down when s/he is shivering, ie when the hands and feet are cold, because it only worsens the condition. Only when the arms and legs become hot, showering with warm water or massaging should be applied.

The physical method is best applied about half an hour after antipyretics (medicines to lower the temperature).

Medicines for lowering the temperature:

• The drug of choice and a drug that should be found in the home pharmacy to regulate fever in children is acetaminophen, known under the trade names Paracetamol, Febricet, Panadol etc. It has few side effects and good antipyretic and analgesic effect. This product should be used at the exact intervals of every 6 hours and in case of high temperature every 4 hours.
• Ibuprofen, a drug known to us under the commercial name Brufen or Nurofen is also often used for controlling fever. It has good antipyretic properties, but it can cause problems with the digestive organs. Therefore, it should be given always after meals.
• A drug that effectively reduces fever and relieves pain, metamizole known as Analgin or Novalgetol, can be dangerous because of possible damage to the bone marrow.
• A drug that, until recently, was considered indispensable in the regulation of fever, Aspirin, should not be used in children under 15 years, due to the many side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, bleeding of the digestive tract, bleeding disorders. It can, although rarely, cause serious damage to the brain and liver - a condition known as Reye syndrome.
• Antibiotics should not be given to the child unless prescribed by a doctor. Antibiotics are not drugs used to lower the temperature. The result of uncritical use of antibiotics is undesirable increase of the development of bacterial resistance, the emergence of infections caused by these resistant bacteria. In such infections application of new broad-spectrum antibiotics is necessary, which sometimes have higher toxicity, and are certainly much more expensive.

Fever is not a disease; it is only a sign of disease. Consult your doctor, because treatment of the underlying disease leads to normalization of temperature. The proper attitude towards the elevated temperature will help to make this symptom better used in the diagnosis, monitoring of the disease progression and the effects of treatment of disease that caused the febrility.