A child’s temperature isn’t the only thing that is unusually high when they’re down with a fever; the same goes for their parents’ stress levels too. Chin up, because this can get better with proper fever management steps and tools.
Fever in children is scary, especially when your child is very young. It’s heartbreaking to see them experience the discomforts of fever symptoms on one hand. On the other, fever in children requires constant monitoring in case their symptoms (including temperature) worsens. When that happens, a trip to the doctor is most probably required.
Caring for a child who’s down with fever can be stressful, and you’re definitely not alone in feeling this way. We put together three stories shared by mothers about what it’s like for them when their children have a temperature, their worries, and how things eventually get better with proper care and tools.
“Fever phobia”
“Whenever my son develops a fever, it feels as if the world is crashing down on me. As he’s only a toddler, alarm bells start ringing in my head if I sense that his body temperature is higher than usual. There’s different temperature thresholds between infancy and toddlerhood, so my husband and I are always Googling to try to make sense of each temperature reading. While that’s happening, we’re also trying to decipher his cries to find out if he has any other symptoms like stomach ache or ear pain. Not to mention the interrupted nighttime sleeps, which can be exhausting for all of us. I guess you can say I have fever phobia. ”
– Lena
What’s the accurate temperature reading?!
“As a parent of two tweens who were sick with influenza A recently, I can say the most stressful thing is trying to get an accurate temperature reading. Messing around with unreliable thermometers that give inaccurate readings doesn’t help with the situation at home. Is my daughter’s temperature 37.6°C, or is it actually 39.1°C? The only way to know is to go to a doctor, or get a hospital grade thermometer.”
– Evelyn
You have to be constantly alert
“I prioritise closely monitoring my boys’ temperatures when they have fever. Typically, I check their temperature every four hours. I also do at least three readings with short pauses in between to maintain consistency in the thermometer readings. Trying to get an accurate reading can be challenging, especially during the night as you need to be careful not to wake them up. The poor dears are fighting an infection and need all the rest they can get. There was once I overslept and missed the four-hour window, only to wake up to my son shivering uncontrollably. Thankfully, our family doctor supported and guided us through that challenging moment.”
– Steph
Fever in children is stressful, but using the right fever management tools can make a difference.
Having the right tools is key to effective fever management, the most important of these being a thermometer. Every family needs a reliable thermometer that provides accurate readings. Braun offers that in the form of its ThermoScan 7+ ear thermometer, along with other features that are useful for families with young children.
Braun’s ThermoScan 7+ isn’t just trusted by parents, but is a top choice among paediatricians as well. The ear thermometer uses the brand’s ExacTemp technology to help parents get accurate readings, confirming proper positioning with light and beep. Unlike most ear thermometers, it has a pre-warmed tip that minimises the cooling effect it has on the ear canal to get accurate readings. Plus, it’s more comfortable for the little ones. Coupling this with Braun’s silent night mode feature, you don’t need to worry about disrupting your child’s precious sleep time.
Another helpful feature Braun’s ThermoScan 7+ has is the AgeSmart technology. This feature tells you what each reading means for your child according to their age group. For example, a temperature of 38.5°C will be shown with yellow display to indicate this is a normal fever temperature for children aged three and above. However, the thermometer will have a red display for the same reading for children below three years old to indicate that they’re having high fever. This greatly reduces the guessing work for parents, allowing them to focus on helping their child feel better.
You can learn more about Braun’s ThermoScan 7+ via its website and Facebook page; or grab one from its official stores on Lazada and Shopee, or your nearest pharmacy.
This post is in partnership with Braun.
