Muscle aches or lower back pain that is severe or lasts longer than 2 days. Never use a mercury thermometer. For infants and toddlers, be sure to use a rectal thermometer correctly. A rectal thermometer may accidentally poke a hole in perforate the rectum.
It may also pass on germs from the stool. Here are guidelines for fever temperature. Rectal or forehead temperature of Fever that lasts more than 24 hours in a child under 2 years old. Or a fever that lasts for 3 days in a child 2 years or older. Many hospitals have people trained to help children cope with their medical care or hospital experience.
These people are often called child life specialists. There are also things you can do to help your child get ready for a test or procedure. Start with the tips below:. Use short and simple words to describe the test to your child.
Younger children tend to have a short attention span. So talk with them shortly before the test. Older children can be given more time to understand the test in advance. Many parents are surprised when informed that their baby needs a spinal tap, especially if the child doesn't appear all that sick. But the test is considered vital since certain causes of meningitis, such a group B strep bacteria , don't always manifest with the classic signs of the disease.
This is important since the lack of symptoms doesn't make the condition any less serious. By performing an LP, a doctor can quickly confirm the diagnosis and prescribe the right course of treatment. In addition to meningitis, spinal taps may be used as a means of therapy rather than diagnosis.
This includes treating a condition called hydrocephalus in which fluid accumulates in the brain, most commonly in babies with severe intraventricular hemorrhage. A lumbar puncture is an invasive procedure that requires careful consultation to ensure that it is both appropriate and safe, especially for premature babies.
Deciding whether or not to do one is never an easy choice. There are several potential risks related to an LP. Depending on the situation, the parent may or may not be allowed into the room during the LP. The procedure takes around 30 minutes and involves the insertion of a thin needle between the bones of the lower spine. Babies are often positioned on their sides with their knees tucked under their chin. Newborns may be seated upright in a tucked position. Once the child is correctly placed, the lower spine area will be cleansed with an antiseptic.
The doctor performing the procedure will wear sterile gloves to prevent infection. What would your child's doctors do if you refused a spinal tap after a long discussion of the risks and benefits? It would likely depend on the situation, but it might range from observing the infant in the hospital to calling child protection services and charging the parent with medical neglect if they conclude that your refusal is putting your child's health in jeopardy. To help avoid fevers and the need for a septic workup, it can help to limit your baby's exposure to people during the first two or three months of her life.
In particular, every person who holds your baby should wash their hands thoroughly. Those people who are unwell—even with a cold—should not touch or come too close to your baby. That may sound silly to new parents who want to show off their new baby, but the consequences may be exposing your baby to viruses and other germs, a fever, and a trip to the ER for a spinal tap. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. National Institutes of Health.
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I Accept Show Purposes. Young children and babies will be held in position by an assistant. A doctor then puts a needle into the spaces between the spine bones see white arrows in the figure below to the area where the fluid is.
This area is called the subarachnoid space. A lumbar puncture is an uncomfortable test, and sometimes painful. In addition, babies and small children do not like being held in place and will often cry.
Your child may be given some cream or an injection to help numb the area where the needle will go in, and some children can be given medicine to make them feel calmer and less scared. A lumbar puncture is a safe test.
Sometimes doctors are not able to get fluid, and they may have to try more than once. A small number of children may have a headache or backache for a day or two after the test. The risk of any serious complications, including bleeding, infection or damage to nerves, is extremely low.
After the procedure, your child can be bathed normally. If there is a dressing or sticking plaster e. BandAid on your child's back, it can be taken off the next day or left to fall off by itself if your child prefers.
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