Water tepid sponge to reduce hyperthermia in children with dengue fever

Abstract

Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is an infectious disease caused by the Dengue virus and transmitted through mosquito vectors of the Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus species. The role of vectors in the spread of the disease causes many cases to be found during the rainy season when there are many puddles of water that become breeding places for mosquitoes. Fever is a condition when the body temperature rises above normal body temperature. One of the non-pharmacological techniques applied to reduce high body temperature/fever is the water tepid sponge technique. This case study aims to describe the application of the water tepid sponge technique in children with high fever. The research subject is a 10-year-old girl with a fever for 5 days with a body temperature of 39.5ºC and complaints of dizziness, nausea and vomiting, red and pale skin. The nursing process was carried out for 3 days including assessment, establishing a nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation of the water tepid sponge technique and evaluation. The water tepid sponge technique was carried out for 15 minutes in one session in several areas with large blood vessels such as the armpits (axilla), in the groin (femoral) and on the forehead (frontal) plus wiping several areas of the chest and abdomen. The results obtained showed a decrease in body temperature from 39.5º C to 37.5º C. The water tepid sponge technique has been proven to provide benefits in reducing body temperature in paediatric patients significantly. In conclusion, the water tepid sponge technique can be a safe and effective alternative in reducing body temperature in children by maximizing the provision of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy.

Keywords: Hyperthermia, non-pharmacological treatment, nursing care, paediatric care, water tepid sponge