Fever in Children

Fever is probably the most common of all pediatric complaints, affecting millions of infants and children throughout childhood.  While many of you may become concerned, even anxious, when your child develops a fever, you can be reassured that this most natural of symptoms usually indicates that your child’s immune system is alive and functioning well.  How sick your child acts is what counts, and that should determine whether he or she needs a doctor's attention. However, if your baby is less than three months old and has a fever higher than 100.4, Contact us immediately!!

What Kind of Thermometer Should I Use?

Normal temperature usually ranges from 97.0 degrees Fahrenheit to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.  Body temperature also varies according to the time of day, age, and physical activity level.  The standard definition of fever is a rectal temperature greater or equal to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

How Do I Know if My Child Has a Fever?

While a fever is a sign that your body is fighting an infection, lowering the fever will not make it take longer to get over the infection. You do not necessarily need to treat your child's fever, but in most cases, fever can be treated as a comfort measure. Treating a fever, especially if it is caused by an infection, will not help your child to get better any faster either, but it may help make it feel better. If your child has a fever, especially if it is low grade, but does not feel bad, then you don't really need to give him a fever reducer.

Treatment of a fever can include using an over-the-counter fever reducer, including products that contain acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil). You should also give your child a lot of fluids when he has a fever, so that he does not get dehydrated.

Is it safe to alternate acetaminophen and ibuprofen? If you are using the correct dosage of each medicine at the correct times, then it is probably safe, although there is no research to prove that it helps. The problem is that it is easy to get confused and give an extra dose of one or the other medicines. If you are alternating fever reducers, then write down a schedule with the times that you are giving the medicines so that the correct medicine is always given at the correct time.