FEVER

We often get asked about fever in children. A fever is defined as a rectal temperature of 100.6 degrees F or higher (for practical purposes 101 or higher). A fever is a sign that the body is fighting an infection, which could be viral or bacterial. Fevers are not dangerous to your child unless it is 107 degrees F, rectally. Under that number, a fever is just uncomfortable to your child.

The treatment for fever is mostly home care. It is important to have your child drink extra fluids to replace the body fluids lost from sweating. You should also dress the child in light clothing, so that you are not increasing the body temperature. A light blanket is fine if your child is shivering or feels cold.

The medications used for fever reduction are acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil). Acetaminophen is usually our first line of therapy for children, but either can be given to make your child feel more comfortable. They are dosed by weight. Remember, they are not going to take the fever away altogether, since they are not treating the source of the fever; therefore dosing every 4 hours (for acetaminophen) or every 6-8 hours (for ibuprofen) may be necessary. We don’t recommend combining acetaminophen and ibuprofen for several reasons: there is no fever reducing benefit, combining them can cause dosing errors with possible overdosing, and, since the fever is not dangerous, it’s not necessary to control the fever that closely. We do not recommend using aspirin because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome. In general it is not necessary to do sponge baths. If you do, use only luke warm water, never cold water or alcohol, both of which cool the body too quickly. The alcohol can also be breathed in, which is unhealthy for your child.

You should call us if your child is less than 2-3 months old with a fever, has a fever over 104-105 degrees F, the fever persists or your child appears ill.



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