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What Causes Lethargy And Reduced Appetite While Recovering From Fever?
Question: hello, my son (age 7) has had high fever and headaches over the last weeks or so. He doesn't have any fever and the headaches are gone, however he is extremely weak and lethargic, little appetite (only a few bites). Should I be worried?
Brief Answer:
Dont panic; follow as advised
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Welcome to HCM.
This is Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta answering your query.
I understand your concern.
Lethargy and reduced appetite is common following a prolonged illness, specially in children. Do not panic.
In such children, I ask the parents to feed the child well and make sure that he/she gets adequate sleep. Fresh fruits or fruit juice with green leafy vegetables should be added to diet as well as plenty of water to be taken orally to combat dehydration. Alongwith, multivitamin syrup twice daily should be really helpful to bring back appetite. Keep checking body temperature regularly for fever.
You can consult your treating or family doctor about the above.
If the child is still lethargic after a week, you should do a blood test for complete hemogram and visit a pediatrician for thorough clinical examination.
Hope this was useful.
Consult me for any further queries.
Regrads.
Dont panic; follow as advised
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Welcome to HCM.
This is Dr. Swarnava Dattagupta answering your query.
I understand your concern.
Lethargy and reduced appetite is common following a prolonged illness, specially in children. Do not panic.
In such children, I ask the parents to feed the child well and make sure that he/she gets adequate sleep. Fresh fruits or fruit juice with green leafy vegetables should be added to diet as well as plenty of water to be taken orally to combat dehydration. Alongwith, multivitamin syrup twice daily should be really helpful to bring back appetite. Keep checking body temperature regularly for fever.
You can consult your treating or family doctor about the above.
If the child is still lethargic after a week, you should do a blood test for complete hemogram and visit a pediatrician for thorough clinical examination.
Hope this was useful.
Consult me for any further queries.
Regrads.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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