What to Do when Your Child Has a Fever

This is a Guide to Understand the Stages of Fever in Your Child, the Treatment You Should Give Him and Finally when to Call the Doctor

For all parents, fever is the most common enemy when their children fall sick. A slight rise in the child's body temperature is enough to make them run for the bottle of aspirin. Little do they know that the common fever is not a disease on its own and that they could do more harm to the child as a result. Here are some facts about fever...

1. A fever is any rise in the child's body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F.

2. When the fever reads 105 degrees F, it can be considered high. It cannot do harm by itself until it reaches 106 degrees F.

3. The principal reason to treat a fever is to lessen the child's general feeling of restlessness and the possible danger of dehydration in him.

4. There really is no need to treat the fever with aspirin or paracetamol until the child's temperature has risen to 102 degrees F. Relieve him first by keeping his room temperature cool, lighten his clothing and give him extra fluids.

5. You may begin applying sponge on him if his temperature is over 104 degrees F and if the medications you gave him an hour or so before did not lower his fever and he feels uncomfortable. If you do not wait at least this long for the treatment to work, you may even make him feel chilled from the vigorous sponging. The fever may also return when you stop the sponging.

6. Always take another reading of the child's temperature before giving him another dose of the fever medicine. By this you can track his rising temperature.

7. Do not wake him up for noting his temperature. Remember sleep is more important to him.

8. Call the doctor if your child is less than six months old and has a low fever. For all you know he may have an infection that does not show vital symptoms. Remember not give him any fever medicine if he is less than a year old before consulting the doctor.

9. Call the doctor if the fever goes beyond 104 degrees F.

10.Call the doctor even if the lower fever does not come down after one full day.