Coping with your child’s first fever

In this article:

• What is a fever?
• What are the typical signs of fever?
• When should I be concerned about fever?
• How to ease a fever

What is a fever?

A fever is usually considered to be a temperature of 38°C or above and is a sign your child is fighting off an infection.^2-4 The rise in temperature helps your child’s immune system to get rid of the infection, by making it difficult for viruses and bacteria to survive.⁴

Children’s temperatures can also rise after a vaccination or if they overheat because of excess bedding or clothing.⁵ Close monitoring is the best tactic – that way you’ll know if their temperature rise is a just due to your child wearing too many clothes or if there is something more serious going on.^3,5

What are the typical signs of fever?

You can generally tell your child has a fever by touching their forehead, back or tummy or taking their temperature with a thermometer.³ However, a temperature isn’t the only sign.

If a child has fever, they may also:³

• Feel sweaty and clammy
• Have flushed cheeks.

In around 5% of children under 6 years of age, a high temperature can also cause a seizure – known as a febrile convulsion – where their body may become stiff and their arms and legs jerk and twitch.⁶ They might also lose consciousness, vomit or foam at the mouth, roll back their eyes or turn blue.⁶ Febrile convulsions can be a frightening experience, however they usually only last a few minutes and are not usually serious.⁶ You should go to A&E once the convulsion has ended just to get your child checked out.⁶

If your child’s febrile convulsion lasts longer than 5 minutes, or your child has another seizure soon after, or they are having trouble breathing, then call an ambulance for urgent help.⁶

MORE ADVICE ABOUT FEVER

All about Fever in children

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When should I be concerned about fever?

Although fever doesn’t always indicate a serious illness, you should always see your doctor urgently if:³

• Your baby is under 3 months of age and has a fever of 37.5 or more, or you think they have a fever
• Is aged 3-6 months old a has a fever of 37.5 or more
• They also have a rash
• Their fever has lasted for more than 5 days, or you can’t bring it down with fever-reducing medicines, such as ibuprofen
• They are dehydrated – signs to watch out for are if your baby has sunken eyes, no tears when they are crying or their nappies are not very wet
• You’re worried because they’ve lost their appetite or they’re not their usual self.

Get emergency help if your child has any of the following as it could be a symptom of serious condition:³

• You can’t get their fever under control
• They have a stiff neck
• They are bothered by light
• They have a rash that doesn’t fade when a glass is pressed against it
• Their skin is pale, blotchy or blue/grey in colour
• They have unusually cold hands and feet
• They have a fit for the first time
• They are drowsy and hard to wake-up
• The soft spot on their head (the fontanelle) is bulging outwards
• They have trouble breathing and they are sucking their stomach in under their ribs
• Their cry is not normal and is weak and high-pitched
• They have persistent vomiting
• They are grunting
• They are a baby with very fast breathing.

How to ease a fever

You will naturally want to make comfort a priority when your child has a fever, and avoiding dehydration is important.⁵ Throughout the day, and during any restless periods at night, give your child small amounts of a clear fluid, such as water, or baby milk.^3,5

You may also want to try an over-the-counter fever reliever designed specifically for children. Nurofen for Children contains ibuprofen, which relieves pain and can help reduce fever for up to eight hours in children over 3 months.⁷