For some reasons, when one of my children is sick I tend to be energetic and strong. I am not sure with other parents but my mind is always awake and I am always snappy.
Last week my youngest daughter had fever.. It was quite high. I noticed it last Monday night, I thought she was really sleepy because she kept on scratching her eyes. I told her to sleep so that she could rest. Eleven in the evening, my daughter’s foot touched my legs and I felt that she was hot. I took the thermometer to check and my hunch was correct. She had fever!
Let me share with you the things that I do when my child has fever.
- Cold compress – Immediately after I learned that she is sick. I grabbed a towel, went to the fridge, took ice, poured on a basin, put water.. I put the towel unto the cold water, squeeze the water from it, then wipe my daughter’s armpits, back of the knees, neck and face. Then I made the towel cold again and laid on my child’s forehead. This is very essential because the hotness should not reach the head to avoid convulsions. I usually do this frequently as it also helps lower the temperature.
2. Give paracetamol – Since my daughter got fever at night, and I noticed it when she was fast asleep. I did not bother to wake her up to give medicine. She needs to rest. I waited for her to wake up then I gave her the paracetamol. If the recommended frequency of taking the paracetamol is very 4 hours, I diligently gives it to her. However, if she is sleeping, I am not waking her up to take the paracetamol. Doctors here in the Philippines recommend not to wake children when sleeping deeply just to take the medicine. Rest is more important.
3. See a doctor – Nowadays, due to Covid-19, I am hesitant to go straight to the hospital to give my child an immediate remedy. My child’s temperature was very high. The time when I was about to go to the clinic, her temperature became normal. I decided to observe her first. Then, her temperature rose up again.. That’s when I decided to take her to the clinic. The doctor gave her antibiotics and paracetamol. She had tonsilitis.
It is very important to consult a doctor so that they could give a medicine (other than the paracetamol) to combat the focus of the fever.
4. Give a lot of water – The night when my daughter started to have fever, when she woke up, I asked her to drink a lot of water. My child is very understanding and obedient. She knows how hard it is to be sick. It also helped her to be well. After two days, she is already well.
5. Do not panic – It’s really scary whenever you will see the temperature is so high. However, your child needs you to be there for her. It was really hard to relax because, I myself, did not have a good sleep for the past two nights when my child was sick. However, it’s really important to stay on the moment and not to think of a lot of things. Why it happened? Where it came from? Answers will be there when you see a doctor. Pray and have a deep breathe.
When my child became okay. I felt the tiredness. I told my daughter that I needed to rest a bit because mom had to take care of her. I managed to do the chores at home still even if my child was sick. I don’t know where my strength came from… Oh, it came from the love I have for my children.
Maybahay ng OFW 
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