[:en]How to deal with fever?[:]

[:en]How to Deal with a Fever?

Author: Nikki Faj Rahmawati – 17711095

Normal body temperature according to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia (Depkes) is 36,5-37,5 ºC. Under normal circumstances, body temperature is regulated to be in this range by adjusting the balance between heat production and heat loss. In a state of fever, there is an increase in normal body temperature due to an increase hypothalamic set point, which is a temperature regulation center in the human brain. Fever is defined as a rectal temperature >38ºC (Niehues, 2013). The cause of fever can be infection, such as viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections.

 

Fever can occur at any age, but it generally affects children and this worries parents. Sometimes, their worries lead them to criticize the fever. In fact, in Islam, because fever is illness, and sickness is a calamity, we are ordered to be patient with it and forbidden to criticize it.

 

Rasulullah shallallahu alaihi wasallam said,

 

God bless َثَ الْحَدِيْدِ

"Do not criticize fever, because it removes the sins of the children of Adam, just as an iron heater is able to remove rust." (HR. Muslim)(Tanesia, 2015)

 

In the past, the prophets always felt fever before they died. Even with Prophet Muhammad Shallallahu alaihi wasallam, he had a fever for 10 days until he died. Even the fever he felt was 2x that of people other than the prophet. Of course, this is useful for eliminating sins and elevating the rank of a prophet (Bahraen, 2018). This is in line with the words of the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu alaihi wasallam:

 

مَا يُصِيبُ الْمُسْلِمَ مِنْ نَصَبٍ وَلَا وَصَبٍ وَلَا هَمٍّ وَلَا حُزْنٍ وَلَا أَذًى وَلَا غَمٍّ ح َتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ يُشَاكُهَا

"There is no feeling of fatigue, illness, sadness, anxiety, distraction, something that is stifling to the heart, to the point where thorns stab him, but with all that Allah will erase some of his sins." (HR. al-Bukhari) (Bahraen, 2014)

 

If we are patient, able to face it and hope for reward, then by giving fever, Allah will erase our sins and elevate our degrees. In addition, fever also brings other benefits, especially for health. Among others are:

  1. Carrying out adaptation mechanisms to inflammation (infection) in the form of fever regulation and changes in blood vessels
  2. Improving the body's immune system, in the form of activation and proliferation of T cells and B cells, activation of T lymphocytes (stimulated by IL-1) to produce INF and IL-2
  3. Stimulates the hypothalamic center to produce heat by shivering and vasoconstriction, so that at some point the fever cannot increase indefinitely
  4. Stimulates the liver to produce certain proteins, acute phase proteins such as fibrinogen, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, and CRP.
  5. Suppresses gram-negative bacterial endotoxin which is an exogenous pyrogen factor that stimulates fever. (El-Radhi, 2012)

 

However, that doesn't mean we can ignore fever. If your child has a fever, it is important to know the principles of managing fever at home:

  1. Measuring fever: using a thermometer
  2. Defining fever threshold
  3. Defining the threshold for starting antipyretic (fever reducing) drugs
  4. Doing physical therapy, in the form of:

– undressing children or not dressing children with thick blankets

– give lots of fluids: encourage the child to drink fluids regularly (especially breast milk for babies)

– lower the heating

– cold compress

  1. Carrying out drug therapy: consult a doctor/pharmacist before administering drugs for fever.
  2. Monitoring: Check the child at night, but do not wake the child just to administer antipyretic drugs.
  3. Seek further medical advice if the fever does not improve within 48 hours, or if the child's condition worsens: signs of dehydration, development of a rash, seizures, child crying unsteadily, child stops drinking or eating, dark urine (Bertille, 2013; Green, 2013 ; and Chefdeville, 2019)

 

 

Reference

Bahrain, R. (2014) Benefits of Fever for the Body (Shari'a and Medical). Available at: https://muslimafiyah.com/untung-demam-untuk-buh-shariat-dan-medis.html (Accessed: 5 April 2020).

Bahrain, R. (2018) The fever that the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam felt was doubled. Available at: https://muslim.or.id/41416-demam-yang-dirasakan-nabi-shallallahu-alaihi-wa-sallam-dua-kali-gulung.html (Accessed: 5 April 2020).

Bertille N, Fournier-Charrie`re E, Pons G, Chalumeau M (2013) Managing Fever in Children: A National Survey of Parents' Knowledge and Practices in France. PLoS ONE 8(12): e83469. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0083469

Chefdeville E, Pages AS. Parental management of children's fever: Assessment of knowledge and use of health record information. Arch Pediatrician. 2019;26(5):275‐281. doi:10.1016/j.arcped.2019.05.011

El-Radhi, ASM (2012) 'Fever management: Evidence vs current practice', World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics, 1(4), p. 29. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v1.i4.29.

Green, R., Jeena, P., Kotze, S., Lewis, H., Webb, D., & Wells, M. (2013). Management of acute fever in children: Guidelines for community healthcare providers and pharmacists. South African Medical Journal, 103(12), 948. doi:10.7196/samj.7207

Niehues Q: The febrile child: diagnosis and treatment. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2013; 110(45): 764−74. DOI:10.3238/arztebl.2013.0764

Tanesia, B. (2015) Expect Rewards from Every Disaster. Available at: https://muslim.or.id/27197-mengharap-pahala-dari-tipe-musibah.html (Accessed: 5 April 2020).

 

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