Your baby: How to treat your child's fever
A fever in children and infants can be scary, but it is common. It means your child's body is reacting to an infection.
Your child has a fever if his or her temperature is higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit by rectum or 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit by mouth.
The degree of fever does not always show how bad an illness may be. Children often run a higher temperature than adults for the same illness.
To get an accurate temperature reading for newborns to 1 year olds, use only a rectal thermometer. Follow package directions.
Your health care provider recommends treating a fever in a child younger than 1 year old only if he or she has a fever greater than 102 Fahrenheit by rectum.
Medicine treatments
You should not give any form of fever-reducing or pain medicine to a child younger than 1 year old if you do not know his or her rectal temperature.
Acetaminophen
Brand names include FeverAll® (suppository), Liquiprin®, Panadol®, Tempra® and Tylenol®.
Always follow your health care provider's instructions. The dosages recommended are:
- 6 to 11 pounds (0 to 3 months): 0.4 mL
- 12 to 17 pounds (4 to 11 months): 0.8 mL (one-half teaspoon)
- 18 to 23 pounds (12 to 23 months): 1.2 mL (three-quarter teaspoon)
- 24 to 35 pounds (2 to 3 years): 1.6 mL (1 teaspoon)
One dose of acetaminophen should last 4 to 6 hours. Do not give another dose during those 4 to 6 hours.
Do not give your child more than five doses of acetaminophen in 24 hours.
Ibuprofen
Brand names include Advil®, Motrin® and Nuprin®.
Do not give ibuprofen to a child younger than 6 months old. It is neither recommended nor approved.
Always follow your health care provider's instructions. The dosages recommended are:
- 13 to 17 pounds (6 to 11 months): 25 mg (one-quarter teaspoon)
- 18 to 23 pounds (12 to 23 months): 50 mg (one-half teaspoon)
- 24 to 35 pounds (2 to 3 years): 75 mg (three-quarter teaspoon)
One dose of ibuprofen should last 6 to 8 hours. Do not give another dose during those 6 to 8 hours.
Do not give your child more than four doses of ibuprofen in 24 hours.
Aspirin
Do not give your child aspirin or medicines that contain salicylate to treat a viral illness, unless your health care provider gives you directions. These medicines put your child at risk of developing Reye's syndrome, a life-threatening brain and liver disorder.
Non-medicine treatments
- Give your child lots of liquids. Do not force him or her to drink.
- Dress your child in lightweight clothing. If your child has chills, give him or her a blanket. Take off the blanket when your child feels warmer.
- Have your child rest or play quietly.
When to call your health care provider
Always call your health care provider if your child is younger than 2 months old and has a fever and/or your child's temperature is higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
More important than the fever is how your child looks and acts. If he or she seems sick, but has a low-grade fever, you should still call your health care provider.
You should also call your health care provider if:
- your child is 2 to 3 months old and has a temperature of more than 101 Fahrenheit by rectum and has signs of illness
- your child has a temperature higher than 104 Fahrenheit by rectum
- your child's fever does not go down within 24 hours
- you gave your child acetaminophen but the fever and signs of illness last for 3 days
- your child breaks out in a rash
- your child vomits
Watch for signs of illness
A fever alone may not be serious, but you need to watch your child for signs of illness that include:
- appetite loss and/or abdominal pain
- headache
- weakness
- thirst
- fatigue
- dry skin
- sore throat or swallowing problems
- breathing problems
- ear pain
Taking your baby's temperature Pediatric specialists Family medicine specialists
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