General Health Information

Fever

Fever is the body's normal response to infections and plays a role in recovery from illness.

Your child has a fever when:

• the rectal temperature is over 100.4°F (38°C)
• the axillary (armpit) temperature is over 99°F
• the oral temperature is over 99.5°F

We do not recommend fever strips, pacifier thermometers or ear thermometers as they tend not to be accurate in children.

Remember that fever is helping your child fight infection. Use fever-reducing medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) only if the fever is above 102°F. (Please see the chart for correct dosing. Never use the dropper from one medicine or bottle for any other products.) Medications usually don't bring temperature down to normal but will decrease it by 2-3 degrees. Your child will continue to spike fevers until the illness runs its course. Encourage your child to drink extra fluids, as body fluids are lost during fever. Heat is lost through the skin so clothing should be kept to a minimum.

Febrile seizures are extremely rare. If your child should have a seizure, go immediately to the emergency room.

Call the office if:

• Your child is less than 2 years old and has a rectal temperature of 100.4°F or higher.
• The fever is over 105°F.
• Your child has difficulty breathing.
• Your child complains of a stiff neck AND cannot put his chin to his/her chest without pain.
• Your child has purple spots on his/her skin that don't blanch (turn white) when you press on them.
• Your child has a fever for more than 3 days.
• You have concerns.

Back to Health Information