Feverish Illness in Children
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Transcript Feverish Illness in Children
2007
FEVERISH ILLNESS IN
CHILDREN
Detection of fever
Children aged 4 weeks to 5 years
Measure temperature by
Electronic thermometer in axilla
Chemical dot thermometer in axilla
Infra red tympanic thermometer
Assessment of child with
fever
Check
Airway
Breathing
Circulation
Decreased level of consciousness
Use traffic light system to predict risk of
serios illness
Look for source of fever
Detecting fever
Take all reports seriously
Do not measure temperature by
oral or rectal route
Do not use forehead chemical
thermometers
Assessment
Measure and record
Temperature
Heart rate
Respiratory rate
Capillary refill time
Assessment
Assess for signs of dehydration
Prolonged capillary refill time
Abnormal skin turgor
Abnormal respiratory pattern weak
pulse
Cool extremities
Safety netting
Provide carer with verbal and/or written
information on warning symptoms and how
to access further health care
Arrange follow up appointment
Liase with other healthcare professionals,
includin gout of hours providers to ensure the
carer has direct access to a further
assessment
Traffic light system
Green
Activity – responding normally
Respiration – normal
Hydration – normal skin and eyes, moist mucous
membranes
Other – no amber or red signs
Traffic light system
• Amber intermediate risk
– Pallor reported by carers
– Activity not responding normally to social cues,
wakes only with prolonged stimulation, no smile
– Respiratory - nasal flaring, tachypnoea
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Age 6-12 months RR > 50/min
Age > 12 months RR > 40/min
Oxygen sats < 96 in air
crackles
Traffic light system
• Amber intermediate risk
– Hydration
• Dry mucous membranes
• Poor feeding in infants
• CRT > 3 secs
• Reduced urine output
– Other
• Fever > 5 days
• Swelling of joint or limb
• Non weight bearing/not using an extremity
• New lump > 2cm
Traffic light system
• Red high risk
– Colour – pale mottled or ashen blue
– Activity –
• no response to social cues
• Appears ill
• Unable to rouse or won’t stay awake
• Weak high pitched continuous cry
– Respiratory
• Grunting
• Tachypnoea > 60
• Moderate or severe chest indrawing
Traffic light system
• Red high risk
– Hydration
• Reduced skin turgor
– Other
• Age 0-3/12 temp > 38’C
• Age 3-6/12 temp > 39’C
• Non blanching rash
• Bulging fontanelle
• Neck stiffness
• Status epilepticus
• Focal neurological signs or focal seizures
• Bile stained vomiting
Management
• All green features
– Child can be managed at home
• If any amber feature and no diagnosis
reached
– Refer to paediatrician or give safety net
instructions
• If any red feature
– Refer urgently to paediatrician
Admission to hospital
• Consider
– Social and family circumstances
– Other illnesses child or family have
– Carers anxiety
– Contact with serious infectious diseases
– Recent travel abroad
– Previous family experience of serious illness
– If fever has no obvious cause and is lasting longer
than expected
Antipyretic interventions
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Tepid sponging
Do not over dress or under dress child
Consider paracetamol or ibuprofen
Take views of parents into account
Do not administer paracetamol and
ibuprofen at same time
• Do not routinely give antipyretics with sole
aim just to reduce fever or prevent febrile
convulsion
Care at home
Advise carers
Of antipyretic interventions
To offer regular fluids
Look for signs of dehydration
Sunken fontanelle
Dry mouth
Sunken eyes
Absence of tears
Poor overall appearance
Care at home
Advise carers
Seek advise if they see signs of dehydration
How to identify a non blanching rash
Check child during the night
Keep away form school or nursery
Notify school or nursery of the illness
Care at home
Advise carers to seek further help if
Child has a fit
Develops non blanching rash
Feel child's health getting worse
Fever lasts more than 5 days
They are distressed or concerned or unable to look
after their child
Specific Diseases
Meningococcal disease
Non blanching rash
Ill looking child
Purpuric lesions > 2cm
CRT . 3 seconds
Neck stiffness
Specific Diseases
Meningitis
Neck stiffness
Bulging fontanelle
Decreased level of
consciousness
Convulsive status epilepticus
Specific Diseases
Herpes simplex encephalitis
Focal neurological signs
Focal seizures
Decreased level of
consciousness
Specific Diseases
Pneumonia
Tachypnoea
0-5 months RR> 60/min
6-12 months RR > 50/min
> 12 months RR > 40/min
Crackles in chest
Nasal flaring
Chest indrawing
Cyanosis
Oxygen saturation < 96%
Specific Diseases
UTI age in children > 3 months
Vomiting
Poor feeding
Lethargy
Irritability
Abdominal pain or tenderness
Urinary frequency or dysuria
Offensive urine or haematuria
Specific Diseases
Septic arthritis
Swelling of a limb or joint
Not using an extremity
Non weight bearing
Specific Diseases
Kawasaki disease
Fever lasting > 5 days
Bilateral conjunctival injection
Dry cracked lips, strawberry tongue, injected
pharynx
Change in extremities – oedema, erythema,
desquamation
Polymorphous rash
Cervical lymphadenopathy