Pediatrics Fever

The Facts About Pediatric Fever

When you are a parent, pediatric fever can be a little scary, but you can help to alleviate this fear by finding out the facts about fever in children. The more you understand about a child’s fever, the better you will be able to treat the problem, or judge when it is necessary to take your child to the hospital.

What You Should Know About Pediatric Fever

If your child is younger than 3 months of age and has a rectal temperature of more than 100.4F, you will want to seek medical attention immediately.

Along with how high a fever is you will also need to evaluate your child’s symptoms. A high fever is only one of the symptoms, if the child seems seriously ill but only has a slight temperature, it may be just as dangerous as a child that has a high fever, but is still active.

It is best not to use the strips that you apply on the forehead, as they are typically not very accurate.

A thermometer that is placed in the ear will not be accurate if the child is less than 6 months old, or if the fever is higher than 102F.

In most cases a high pediatric fever will not cause brain damage, unless it reaches 107F. It is usually a certain type of infection that causes the brain damage, such as spinal meningitis, which is an infection of the spinal fluid.

Infants that are younger than 2 months should not be given Tylenol unless advised to do so by the child’s doctor. The most accurate method of taking an infant’s temperature is a rectal thermometer. If the child is wrapped in a blanket, be sure to unwrap them and wait a few minutes before taking the child’s temperature to ensure you are getting an accurate reading.

A child’s heart rate and breathing rate may increase if they have pediatric fever.

Although a child can suffer a seizure due to fever, this only occurs in about 5% of children.

Despite the common belief that teething can cause a fever, if your child’s fever is higher than 100.4F, it will not be due to teething; you will want to take your baby to the doctor as soon as possible.

When someone has a fever the most likely cause will be a virus or bacterial infection. For children the cause is often a virus.

Treating Pediatric Fever

You can give your child Tylenol to help reduce pediatric fever, as long as you have consulted with the child’s doctor first. It is also a good idea to dress the child lightly; too much clothing can raise a fever.

In most cases you will not have to give a child a sponge bath to reduce fever, this is only necessary if the fever is due to heatstroke, or if there is a risk of seizure. If you do give a sponge bath to your child to reduce fever, you will want to use lukewarm water; never use cold water or ice. You will also not want to use alcohol.

When your child has a fever try to give them plenty of liquids and ensure they are resting. If your child has a fever and is listless, crying continually or refuses to eat, you will want to contact the child’s doctor. It is also important for your child to see a doctor if they are complaining of a stiff neck, along with fever, or appear to have problems with breathing.