When a child is in pain or has a fever, it can be a worrying time. So it is important for pharmacy assistants to know how to advise parents and when to refer to the pharmacist.

Pain 

Pain is the body’s way of telling us that something somewhere needs attention. It is a complex feeling and can be hard to describe, particularly for young children. So, how do we feel pain? Well, pain is controlled by the nervous system and when we are ill or hurt ourselves a pathway is set in motion:

Fever 

A fever is when a child has a temperature of over 37.5°C. It often accompanies pain and inflammation. Rather than being an illness in itself, a fever is often a sign that an infection is present. This is because the prostaglandins that travel to the brain also act on the temperature-regulating centre of the brain, causing the body’s temperature to rise above normal. When a child has a fever, they may have hot, flushed cheeks, feel hotter to the touch than usual or feel clammy.

Children can be affected by a number of different infections as their immune systems are developing, including colds and flu and ear and throat infections. Often, these illnesses are accompanied by a fever. For instance, a child with an ear infection will feel a lot of pain and will quite often have a high temperature or fever. A child’s temperature can be checked using a thermometer, and there are a range of different types available for parents to choose from.