Fever in Small Children
The video shows a boy with a temperature of 40ºC. Though he is running a fever, he's playing and seems to be fine. This is an example of a child that can have a high temperature and still appear to be generally well.
Many parents see fever in their child as something very serious but fever in it of itself is rarely dangerous. It is the cause of the fever that doctors really focus on rather than the actual fever itself. In fact, a fever can be an important part of the body's defense against infections and shows that the body is trying to kill germs such as the common cold that make your child sick. So, here is what you really have to know and do about fever. First, take your child's temperature. That means really take it with a real thermometer; don't just feel your child's forehead. There are several different ways and thermometers you can use. You can learn which method is right for you and your child by clicking on this section called, "How to measure fever". If your child's temperature is above a 105-- that's right, 105-- get them to the doctor immediately. If your child is under 3-months of age, get them to the doctor if they have a fever above 100. There are three other important warning signs that you should look for when your child has a fever. If they have any one of them, get them to the doctor right away. First, if they have a stiff neck or back. If you're not sure if they have a stiff neck or back, click on the link called "How to test for a stiff neck". Two, if they have a skin rash with little purplish or tiny bright red spots that do not fade when you press on them. To see what these look like, you can click on the link called "How to test for a serious rash". Three, if they have a seizure or a convulsion, get them to the doctor immediately. With fever, the important thing is to look for other signs or symptoms of illness. If your child is having trouble breathing or difficulty swallowing or if the fever doesn't go down after giving anti-fever medicines, such as acetaminophen, also called Tylenol, or ibuprofen, also called Advil or Motrin, get medical help quickly. If your child does not have any other warning signs we just mentioned, you can stop worrying a bit. Most fevers really aren't serious. In fact, most can be treated with lots of fluids to drink, lots of rest, wearing light weight clothing and using fever-reducing medicine like acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Take a look at the section on "Home treatment". It has a lot more useful information for you. And if you're not sure or you need to know more, don't ever hesitate to call your doctor's office.
