It’s 2 a.m., and your child is crying, sweaty and flushed. You take his or her temperature, and your suspicions are confirmed: Your child has a fever. What should you do?
“Fever, whether accompanied by symptoms or on its own, often worries parents, especially when it crops up in the middle of the night,” explains Dr. Leah Matthews, a pediatrician with Texas Children’s Pediatric Associates Northshore Pediatrics location. “But, try not to worry. Fever is your child’s natural response to bacterial and viral infections and is a good sign that the immune system is working to stave off infection.”
According to Matthews, a child’s temperature is not as important as how he or she looks and acts. Most children are clingy, fussy and more tired than usual when they have fever.
“Once their fever goes down, children generally will perk up and play,” says Matthews. “If a child’s fever breaks and he or she still acts ill – fussy, clingy, not wanting to take in fluids – parents should contact their child’s pediatrician.”
To keep a child with fever comfortable, offer fever-reducing drugs such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen – never aspirin – and prevent dehydration by making sure the child drinks lots of fluids. And, Matthews says, don’t worry if your child doesn’t have an appetite. “It’s common for children with fever not to want to eat,” she says. “With a fever, making sure your child is taking in fluids is what’s most important.”
Additionally, Matthews recommends that parents dress a child with fever in light cotton pajamas or even just underwear so body heat can escape, and add more clothing only if the child gets chilled. Do not give alcohol baths to “break” or reduce the fever.
If a child has a fever but is acting normally, Matthews suggests parents to take a wait-and-see approach before treating it with medication. “The only reason to treat the fever is to make your child feel better, so if he or she acts normally in spite of having fever, you may not need to give medication.”
Matthews offers the following guidelines for calling your child’s doctor:
- Under 3 months old. Call your doctor immediately if your baby's temperature goes over 100.4F rectally, even if the child doesn't seem sick. Babies this young can get very sick very quickly, and fever in an infant can indicate a serious problem.
- Three months and older. If your child has a fever of 101.4 F, watch how he or she acts. Call your doctor if the fever rises or lasts for more than three days. In children 3 months to 2 years of age, call your doctor if the temperature is 102 F – even if your child seems to feel fine. A child of any age with a fever of 104 F should be evaluated by a physician.
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