Fever (High Temperature) In Kids
Understanding fevers in children - what they mean, when to worry, and how to help your child feel better
🌡️Temperature Checker
🤔What is a Fever?
A fever is a temporary increase in body temperature, often due to an illness. Having a fever is a sign that something out of the ordinary is going on in your child's body.
For an adult, a fever may be uncomfortable, but it usually isn't dangerous unless it reaches 103°F (39.4°C) or higher. For infants and toddlers, a slightly elevated temperature may indicate a serious infection.
📏What Temperature is Considered a Fever?
Generally, a fever is:
- • Rectal, ear, or forehead temperature: 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
- • Oral temperature: 100°F (37.8°C) or higher
- • Armpit temperature: 99°F (37.2°C) or higher
🦠What Causes Fevers in Children?
Fevers are usually caused by viral or bacterial infections. The body raises its temperature to help fight off germs. Common causes include:
🦠Infections
- •Viral infections (colds, flu, COVID-19)
- •Bacterial infections (strep throat, UTI, ear infections)
- •Childhood illnesses (chickenpox, fifth disease)
- •Gastroenteritis (stomach flu)
💉Other Causes
- •Vaccinations (common, usually mild)
- •Overdressing (especially in infants)
- •Teething (may cause slight temperature elevation)
- •Heat exhaustion
Good News!
Fever itself is usually not dangerous. In fact, it's a sign that your child's body is fighting an infection. The illness causing the fever is usually more concerning than the fever itself.
📞When to Call the Doctor
Call your doctor immediately if your child has a fever and:
👶Infants (0-3 months)
- 🚨Rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher - This is always serious in young infants
- 🚨Unusually irritable, lethargic, or uncomfortable
- 🚨Has other signs of illness (poor feeding, vomiting, diarrhea)
👶Infants (3-6 months)
- ⚠️Rectal temperature above 102°F (38.9°C)
- ⚠️Fever with irritability or unusual behavior
- ⚠️Fever lasts more than one day
🧒Children (6 months and older)
- ⚠️Temperature above 104°F (40°C)
- ⚠️Fever lasts more than 3 days
- ⚠️Fever keeps returning
- ⚠️Child has a chronic medical condition (heart disease, cancer, etc.)
🚨Seek Emergency Care if:
- 🚨Seizure (febrile seizure)
- 🚨Stiff neck, severe headache, or confusion
- 🚨Difficulty breathing or rapid breathing
- 🚨Purple or red rash that doesn't fade when pressed
- 🚨Won't wake up or is very difficult to wake
- 🚨Severe or persistent vomiting
- 🚨Signs of dehydration (no tears, dry mouth, no wet diapers)
🌡️How to Take Your Child's Temperature
The method you use depends on your child's age:
🧒Young Children (3+ months)
Options:
Rectal (most accurate), armpit, or ear thermometer
Armpit method →Important Tips:
- • Never use a glass mercury thermometer
- • Digital thermometers are safe and accurate
- • Clean thermometer before and after each use
- • Wait 20-30 minutes after eating, drinking, or bathing before taking oral temperature
🏠Treating Fever at Home
For most fevers, you can care for your child at home. The goal is to keep your child comfortable, not to eliminate the fever entirely.
💊Medication
- ✓Acetaminophen (Tylenol): Safe for infants 3+ months. Follow dosing instructions carefully
- ✓Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin): Safe for children 6+ months. More effective for high fevers
- ✗Never give aspirin to children under 18 (risk of Reye's syndrome)
- ℹ️Always consult your doctor about appropriate dosing based on weight
💧Comfort Measures
- ✓Dress in lightweight clothing
- ✓Keep room temperature comfortable (not too hot)
- ✓Offer plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration
- ✓Let child rest and sleep as needed
- ✓Give a lukewarm (not cold) sponge bath if needed
⚠️Do NOT:
- • Use cold water or ice baths (can cause shivering and raise temperature)
- • Use rubbing alcohol on skin (can be absorbed and cause harm)
- • Overdress or bundle up a child with fever
- • Wake a sleeping child to give fever medicine
- • Alternate acetaminophen and ibuprofen without doctor's guidance
⚡Febrile Seizures (Fever-Related Seizures)
Febrile seizures occur in about 2-5% of children between 6 months and 5 years old. While frightening to witness, they're usually harmless and don't cause brain damage.
What Happens During a Febrile Seizure:
- • Child may lose consciousness
- • Jerking movements of arms and legs
- • Rolling back of eyes
- • Usually lasts 1-2 minutes (rarely longer than 5 minutes)
What to Do:
- • Stay calm
- • Place child on side on a safe surface
- • Remove nearby objects that could cause injury
- • Do NOT put anything in child's mouth
- • Do NOT try to hold child down
- • Time the seizure
- • Call 911 if seizure lasts more than 5 minutes
- • Call doctor after any first seizure
❌Common Fever Myths
✗MYTH: All fevers are dangerous
FACT: Fever is a helpful response. It shows the immune system is working. Most fevers from common illnesses don't cause harm.
✗MYTH: The height of the fever indicates how serious the illness is
FACT: How your child looks and acts is more important than the number on the thermometer. A child with 103°F who's playing may be less concerning than one with 100.5°F who's lethargic.
✗MYTH: Fevers cause brain damage
FACT: Fevers from infections don't cause brain damage. Only temperatures above 107.6°F (42°C) can harm the brain, and this usually only happens with heat stroke, not infection.
✗MYTH: Teething causes high fever
FACT: Teething may cause a slight temperature rise (under 100.4°F), but not true fever. If your teething baby has a fever, look for other causes.
✗MYTH: You must wake a child to give fever medicine
FACT: If your child is sleeping comfortably, let them sleep. Rest is important for recovery.
Related Topics
⚠️Important Medical Information
This information is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice.
Fever can be a sign of serious illness, especially in young infants. Always consult your pediatrician if you're concerned about your child's fever, especially if your child is under 3 months old.
When in doubt, call your doctor. Trust your parental instincts - you know your child best.