Fever, sometimes coupled with the appearance of pimples, is a common symptom in young children, which can be associated with different types of infection.

Invited from Europe 1, a doctor in a pediatric unit details the situations that must give rise to an emergency consultation.

INTERVIEW

Fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea ... In young children, certain symptoms can be particularly impressive and cause parents' concern.

In his book

Urgences or not urgences

, the doctor "Toubib", an emergency physician in a pediatric unit at the origin of the Facebook page "To be or not Toubib" on everyday ailments, looks back on the many ailments children can suffer from. , and deciphers what is or is not an emergency situation.

Guest Wednesday of

Sans Rendez-vous

, the health program of Europe 1, "Toubib" - which uses this pseudonym to be able to preserve his anonymity - notably evoked two cases of figure: the fever and the buttons.

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Find all of Sans rendez-vous in replay and podcast here

When to start worrying about having a fever?

"To have a fever is to have a body temperature above 38 degrees", recalls our guest.

"But the figure is not important. It is the tolerance to the fever that matters", underlines this practitioner.

"If your child over 38 does not tolerate fever well, you can give him paracetamol or doliprane. But a child who has a fever, for example, and who is going to endure it very well, will continue to play, will not need no special treatment ".

An exception, however, for very young children: "Under three months, you must always go to the emergency room, because at this age the fever is often associated with a bacterial infection, which can lead to serious damage, especially that children's health deteriorates faster at this age. "

What if the fever sets in over time?

"A child over three months should be brought to the emergency room after five days of continuous fever, even if it is well tolerated," says our pediatrician.

"Obviously, it is not forbidden to go see your doctor before arriving there, on the contrary."

Should other symptoms, associated with a fever, alert you to the seriousness of the situation?

To determine the severity of a fever, parents can look for "CRC abnormalities".

This mnemonic formula refers to the coloring, behavior and breathing of children.

"Alteration of one of these three parameters, for example blue lips, amorphous behavior despite taking doliprane or difficulty in breathing, requires an emergency consultation!"

What to do about a rash?

"There is hardly ever need to go to the emergency room for this type of problem", wants to reassure "Toubib".

Two cases, however, require special attention: "When the rash is accompanied by fever and does not go away, or when there is a suspicion of allergy."

To determine the severity of a rash, you can practice "the glass test", especially used by the English health authorities.

Use a glass to apply light pressure to the area where your child's skin is marked with red spots.

If the skin through the bottom of the glass turns white again, you don't have to worry.

However, if the spot remains bright red, it is a systematic emergency, especially if this outbreak is accompanied by fever.

"It could be purpura fulminans, the harbinger of meningitis, which is an absolute life-threatening pediatric emergency."