DOI Number: 10.

37506/v20/i1/2020/mlu/194471
Medico-legal Update, January-March 2020, Vol.20, No. 1 1235

The Influence of Compress Plaster on Children Body

Temperature which Fever

Lia Herliana1, Ai Cahyati1

1
Lecturer, School of Nursing, Poltekkes Kemenkes Tasikmalaya, Indonesia

Abstract
Massage is the oldest touch therapy known to man. With massage is expected to improve the evaporation
process by widening blood vessels and opening pores in the child’s body so that fever is expected to
quickly go down. This study aims to identify whether there is an effect of compress plaster on the body
temperature of children who have a fever. This research used pre and posttest control group design.
Research location in Hospital Dr.Soekardjo Tasikmalaya. The sample size were 41 people. The result was
a significant difference in the average body temperature before and after the compress (p-value=0.000) and
compress plaster (p-value=0.000) in both the first and second measurements. Comparison of temperature
reduction before and after the compress and compress plaster results were significant at first measurement
(p-value=0.002) but not significant in the second measurement (p-value=0.0388). It is expected that nurses
on duty in the children’s room can increase the participation of families in handling health in children,
especially children with fever. And for researchers, further research should be done regarding compress
plaster with the use of topical alternative medicine to further enrich family knowledge in the management
of sick children.

Keywords: child fever; warm compresses; body temperature; compress plaster

Introduction fever/hyperpyrexia(2). Broadly speaking there are two

Fever is a clinical sign of a disease in children. categories of fever namely infectious fever and non-
These health problems are often faced by health infectious fever. Fever infection is the fever that occurs
workers. Traditionally fever is defined as an increase in as the body’s response to an increase in set-point such
body temperature above normal. Many parents consider as flu, sore throat, mumps, measles, scarlet fever, fever,
fever dangerous for children’s health because it can typhoid and so on. Non-infectious fever is an increase
cause seizures and brain damage(1). Body temperature in body temperature due to excessive heat formation but
in the condition of fever can be used as one important not accompanied by an increase in s-points such as in
measure that can give clues about the deterioration or patients with mumps/aspirin poisoning(4). WHO stated
improvement of the patient’s condition(2). the number of fever cases around the world reached 18-
34 million. Children are the most susceptible to fever,
Fever refers to an increase in body temperature although symptoms experienced by children are lighter
as a result of infection or inflammation in response to than adults. In almost all endemic areas, the incidence
microbial invasion, certain white blood cells secrete a of fever mostly occurs in children aged 5-19 years(5).
chemical known as endogenous pyrogen which has
many effects to fight infection (3). Fever is a condition Many ways are done to treat fever. The most
where an increase in temperature up to 38 0 C or more. commonly used method is, of course, taking fever-
There also are taking limits of more than 37.8 0 °C. lowering drugs such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Also,
Meanwhile, when a temperature greater than 40 0 °C is of course, treat the cause of fever, if due to infection
called a high by bacteria then given antibiotics to kill bacteria. But
medicine alone is not enough, so compresses are
Corresponding author: needed to help reduce fever(6). The factors that can be
Lia Herliana used in decreasing debris body temperature include
[email protected] traditional medicines, antipyretic drugs, and hot and
Address: Campus “Poltekkes Kemenkes Tasikmalaya”, cold compresses(7). Wet warm compresses, dry warm
Tasikmalaya-Indonesia compresses (bladder), wet cold compresses (water
123 Medico-legal Update, January-March 2020, Vol.20, No.
1
ordinary), dry cold compresses (ice crates), electric speed of weight gain compared to increases in mineral
pillows and blankets, irradiation lamps, hot arcs(8). oil and powder in the premature baby group.
Warm compresses are a method for lowering body
temperature(9). By the receptor temperature in the body, In the literature review written by Field(3) about
then a decrease in body temperature by cooling can massage methods with kinesthetic and tactile touches,
be done on the hypothalamus, spinal cord, abdominal there is evidence that compress plaster influences
organs and around large veins(1). In addition to warm weight gain, especially for premature babies, this has
compresses, another traditional therapy for handling been applied in various countries including (1) in the
fever is by massage or massage. Massage is the oldest Philippines, a group of experts Neonatologists reported
touch therapy known to man. Touch and massage in a 47% increase in weight gain after the Field massage
infants known as a baby massage after birth can assure procedure.
ongoing body contact that can maintain a feeling of
security in the baby(4). Method
This research used pre-test and post-test with
Massage has been practiced almost all over the control design, where this design compares the
world since a long time ago including in Indonesia. The difference between before and after being given
art of massage is taught from generation to generation, compresses and antipyretics in the control group and
although it is not known how massage and touch can the difference between before and after being given
have such a positive effect on the human body. The antipyretics and compress plaster in the experimental
positive influence of touch on the process of growth group. The experimental group performed compress
and development of children has long been known to plaster twice a day for 5 minutes after the antipyretic
humans. But scientific research on this matter is still
administration(11). Body temperature measurements
not much done. Although it still needs further research,
were carried out before and after the experiment using a
the findings that have been produced have become the
calibrated digital thermometer. The difference between
basis for routine baby massage to maintain a baby’s
before and after the experiment is assumed to be the
health. Especially because this baby massage is cheap,
effect of the experiment Group 1 was referred to as the
easy, and is commonly done in Indonesia so it is not a
control group that only received antipyretic and
new thing for our culture(10). The results of Mardianti compress administration, while group 2 was called the
and Komalasari’s research(10) on the effect of compress experimental group that received antipyretic and
plaster on the frequency of breastfeeding were carried compress plaster(12). The sample was toddler-aged
out in 60 infants aged 1-3 months using a quasi- children who had a fever and were treated at Dr.
experimental design. there was no effect of compress Soekardjo Tasikmalaya in August to October 2019. The
plaster on the duration of breastfeeding (p- research instrument used was the SOP for the
value=0.563). implementation of compress plaster and observation
Research on the effects of massage with coconut guidelines for the measurement of body temperature.
oil versus mineral oil and placebo (powder) on growth Data were analyzed using paired t-test and independent
speed and behavior in premature babies(2). Premature t-test.
babies are randomized to receive a good massage with
Findings
palm oil, minerals or powder. Massage oil is given by a
trained person four times a day until discharge and Table 1 shows the average body temperature before
subsequently by the mother until the baby is 31 days the intervention.
old. The result is that coconut oil massage produces a
significantly greater Group Mean SD
First measurement
Table 1. Body temperature before the
Control 38.5 0.8498
intervention
Experimental 38.586 0.6077
Second measurement
Control 38.175 0.5288
Experimental 38.081 0.6750
 After the intervention, body temperature in each group experienced changes, as shown in the following table 2.

Table 2. Body temperature after the intervention

Group Mean SD Min-Max 95%-CI

First measurement

Control 38.150 0.6194 37.5-39.6 37.860-38.440

Experimental 37.457 0.7096 36.0-38.5 37.134-37.780

Second measurement

Control 37.2 0.8985 36.0-38.5 36.779-37.621

Experimental 36.995 0.5491 36.2-38.0 36.745-37.245

The results of the normality test is described in Table 3.

Table 3. The result of normality test

Body temperature Shapiro-Wilk Skewness

Before intervention 0.116 1.37

After intervention 0.09 1.10

The normality test based on Shapiro-Wilk on body temperature before intervention was 0.016, so the data was
normally distributed, as well as the results of the division between skewness and standard error, the result was 1.37,
which means that the data was normally distributed (Table 3).

Table 4. The Differences of Body Temperature in the Control Group

Measurement Mean SD SE Mean.diff p-value

First

• Before 38.500 0.8498 0.1900 38.500

0.000
• After 38.150 0.6194 0.1385 38.150

Second

• Before 38.175 0.6750 0.1509 38.175

0.000
• After 37.200 0.8985 0.2009 37.200
 Table 5. The Differences of Body Temperature in the Control Group

Measurement Mean SD SE Mean.diff p-value

First

• Before 38.585 0.6077 0.1326 38.585

0.000
• After 37.457 0.7096 0.1549 37.457

Second

• Before 38.081 0.5288 0.1154 38.081

0.000
• After 36.995 0.5491 0.1198 36.995

Table 6. The Differences of Body Temperature Before and After Intervention in Control and
Experimental Groups

Body temperature Action Mean SD Mean.diff SD.diff

P-value

Before 38.50 0.8498

First -0.0857 0.2317 0.0714
38.586 0.6077

After 38.150 0.6194

0.6929 0.2078 0.002
37.457 0.7096

Before 38.175 0.6750

Second 0.0940 0.1900 0.0624
38.081 0.5288

After 37.200 0.8985

0.2048 0.2339 0.0388
36.995 0.5491

Discussion a change in temperature of 0.975 points after the fever

Compress and its effect on body temperature was compressed. The T-test obtained p-value=0.000
(there is significant differences in body temperature
The rationale for compressing is the conduction before intervention in the control group). This is in line
method, which is the heat transfer of another object with research conducted by(8),(9) who have all proven
by direct contact. When warm skin touches the warm, the effectiveness of giving compresses to children with
there will be heat transfer through evaporation, so that fever through the tepid sponge or compress method
the transfer of heat energy becomes gas(14). The body plus alternative medicine.
temperature of the first measurement in the control
group before compressing was 38.500 0C, while after Compress plaster and its effect on body
a compress was 38,1500C. From T-test obtained p- temperature
value=0.000 (there is a significant difference in body
Touch therapy or massage has been used since
temperature before intervention in the control group).
ancient times, at least since 1800 BC massage was the
At the second measurement, body temperature before
main form of treatment before the advent of the
compressing 38.1750C, while after the pack was
pharmaceutical era in around 1940. Touches in
37.2000C. The mean difference in the first
particular that contain elements of emphasis are known
measurement was 0.350, meaning that the respondent
to have a variety of positive effects such as reducing
experienced a change in temperature of 0.350 points as
oxygen demand and giving a feeling of being
a result of the action taken. Likewise in the second
comfortable and being loved. A Cochrane meta-
measurement, the mean difference was 0.975, which
analysis found evidence suggestive that infant massage
means that there was
can increase the interaction and affinity
of the baby with the mother, improve sleep quality, reduce the baby’s crying, and have a beneficial effect on
stress hormones. But unfortunately, there is not enough As in the first measurement, in the second
evidence to support the positive impact of massage on measurement, the mean difference between the control
changes in body temperature in children with fever. and intervention groups before the intervention
The mother is the parent closest to the child, where the was 0.0940 (there was no differences in the initial
mother’s message to her child is gentle stroking of the temperatures of the two groups (p-value=0.624). This
fabric of affection. The mother’s skin is the earliest skin is possible because in both the control group and the
recognized by a child. Touch and massage given by experimental group the initial temperature is obtained a
the mother is a form of communication that can build few hours after each respondent gets the intervention on
closeness between mother and child by combining eye the first measurement.
contact, smile, facial expression. If the stimulation is
often given, the mutual love relationship between The difference in mean after administration
mother and child will be stronger(15). The purpose of of the action was 0.2048 while the significance
massaging the body is to expedite the flow of blood so of p-value=0.388 (there was no difference in the
that we can feel the sensation of the body that gets administration of compress plaster compared with the
better afterward. provision of compresses in reducing the temperature
of children during fever). This result is not in line with
In the research that has been done, the body the theory put forward by(5) which states that massage
temperature in children with fever has experienced the in children is not permitted when children have a fever
following changes in the first measurement of the because it can cause hypermetabolism and excessive
average body temperature before doing compress vasodilation in blood vessels. Massage in children can
plaster was also cause a decrease in temperature so that it can be
38.585 0C, while body temperature after compress used as a non-pharmacological alternative in handling
plaster was 37.457 0C. The T-test obtained p- child fever.
value=0.000 (there is significant differences in body
temperature before and after massage on the first Conclusion
measurement. In the second measurement, the body
The conclusion are:
temperature was 38.0810C, while after massage was
36.995 0C. The mean difference in the first 1. There is significant differences in body
measurement is smaller than in the second temperature in the first and second measurements
measurement. This is possible because in the second before and after the intervention was carried out in
measurement the respondent’s initial temperature is the both the compressed group and the compress
result of the previous intervention and the respondent plaster group.
has done massage intervention twice. The T-test
obtained p-value of 0.000 (there is a significant 2. There is significant difference in the mean
difference in body temperature before and after body temperature after the intervention in the
compress plaster in the second measurement). compressed group compared with the compress plaster
group at the first measurement.
The results obtained in the first measurement of the
control group before compressing was 38.50 and the 3. There was no significant difference in
intervention group was 38.586. The mean difference mean body temperature after the intervention in
was the compressed group compared with the
-0.0857 (the mean of the experimental group was compress plaster group on the second
higher by 0.0857 points compared to the control group), measurement.
so that the significance obtained by 0.714 meant that
The suggestions are:
there was no significant difference in the respondent’s
initial temperature in the two groups prior to the 1. The hospital as a means of providing health
intervention. Significant results were obtained in services should be able to implement a policy that
statistical testing after the intervention both in the compress plaster can be an alternative antipyretic
control group and the experimental group (p-value companion in handling fever in children.
=0.002). The mean difference was 0.6929 (compress
plaster can make changes to a body temperature of 2. Nurses on duty in the children’s room are
0.6929 points compared to the group of respondents expected to increase the role of families in handling
who get compresses). health in children, especially children with fever.
1240 Medico-legal Update, January-March 2020, Vol.20, No.
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done regarding compress plaster with the use of topical 10th ed. St. Louis: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins;
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temperature of children with fever before and
Source of Funding-Authors
after compressing shallots. Medisains J Ilm Health
Conflict of Interest-No Sciences. 2017;15(2):66.
9. Setiawati T. Effect of Tepid Sponge on body
Ethical Celarance-Yes
temperature. Jakarta: UI; 2009.
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