Treating Fever
What is fever?
Fever usually is a sign of a bacterial or viral infection
cold or flu
urine infection
ear or throat infection
sign of meningitis
Could be a reaction to vaccines
Caused by dehydration – not drinking enough milk/water
Premature babies may feel like if they have fever only because of wearing too much clothes, or being in a very warm environment (room, bathing water)
What is normal temperature and what is fever?
A normal temperature in babies and children is about 36.4C, but this can vary slightly, for some people it may be normal to have it around 37-37.2C. A high temperature or fever is usually considered to be a temperature of 38C or above.
Very high temperature is above 39C, this usually needs medical attention
Temperature below 37.5C is considered to be normal or only slightly raised and usually does not need to be worried about it
If you think your baby has a high temperature, it's best to check their temperature with a thermometer. This can help you decide if you need to get medical advice. (please remember to check your baby’s red book for more information, the digital red book also should have this information)
It always worth checking the temperature if your child/baby feels hotter than usual, looks sweaty or unwell
Checking the temperature
Before the measure the baby’s temperature let’s check on the followings:
Baby is not wrapped in a warm blanket or have too many layers of clothes on (these can overheat the baby)
Baby is not laying near to a hot water bottle, radiator or in a very warm room
Older children haven’t been running around
Baby/child did not just had a hot bath
Looking generally well and normal-self
Which thermometer to use?
Digital thermometer – armpit (under age 5years ) while you are cuddling , follow the instructions of the given thermometer, these are usually the most affordable thermometers.
Ear thermometers - can be difficult to use with very small babies as their ears are still small, they are also expensive
Strip-type – it shows the temperature of the skin not the body, therefore not accurate
The old type of thermometers made of glass and containing mercury are now strongly advised NOT to be used
When to call for help?
You can usually look after your baby or child at home when they have a high temperature. The temperature should go down over 3 or 4 days. Make sure you give them plenty of drinks, to avoid dehydration. If you're breastfeeding, offer your baby plenty of feeds. (on demand smaller feeds)
Give the correct dose of paracetamol syrup (please check the box for information of what age it is for)
Always contact a GP or call 111 if:
your child has other signs of illness, such as a rash, as well as a high temperature
your baby is under 3 months old and the temperature is 38C or higher, especially if stopped having wet nappies
your baby's 3 to 6 months old (any age under 16) temperature is 39C or higher and the paracetamol did not bring the temperature lower, especially if they also have diarrhea, vomiting, rash
If you need to speak to someone outside normal surgery hours, you can call your GP surgery's out-of-hours service (if they have one) or NHS 111. Camden out of hours: 020 7391 9979
What not to do:
do not undress your child or sponge them down to cool them, a high temperature is a natural and healthy response to infection
do not cover them up in too many clothes or bedclothes
do not give aspirin to children under 16 years of age
do not combine ibuprofen and paracetamol, unless a GP tells you to
do not give paracetamol to a child under 2 months (you can from 8 weeks)
do not give ibuprofen to a child under 3 months or under 5kg
do not give ibuprofen to children with asthma
Where to find information?
Baby’s red book (or digital red book)
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/health/how-to-take-your-babys-temperature/
Camden GP hubs 020 7391 9979