6.2.1 Assessing for malaria
You need to decide whether the malaria risk is high or low. The practical criteria for classification of risk of malaria in Ethiopia, where malaria is seasonal, should be based on altitude and season.
- a.High risk: areas at altitude range of less than 2,000 metres above sea level, especially during the months of September to December and from April to June.
- b.Low risk: areas at altitude range of 2,000–2,500 metres above sea level, especially during the months of September to December and from April to June.
- c.No risk: areas at altitude range of above 2,500 metres above sea level.
If you are not sure whether the child has been to a malarious area you should assume the malaria risk is high.
If the malaria risk in the local area is low or absent, ask whether the child has travelled outside this area during the previous 15 days. If yes, then you should ask if the child has been to a malarious area. You should identify the malaria risk as high if there has been travel to a malarious area.
If the mother does not know or is not sure, ask about the area and use your own knowledge of whether the area has malaria. If you are still not sure, then you should assume the malaria risk is high.
Why do you think it is important to assess all sick children for fever?
Although fever may be caused by a simple cough or other virus infection, it can also be caused by a more serious illness, such as measles or malaria. As you read, malaria is a major cause of death for children so it is important than you know how to identify the signs.
6.2 Assess fever