Paediatric fever 

You may suspect that your child has a fever when they appear warm and/or their behaviour is different than usual. Use a digital thermometer to measure their temperature under the arm or in the ear. A high temperature in a child is 38C or more.

Here are a few simple things to do in case of paediatric fever:

• Put your child in a cool, ventilated room (between 18 and 20°C) and avoid overheated rooms
• Do not wrap them up too much but do not undress them completely
• Give them water regularly to avoid dehydration
• It is not advisable to give them a cool bath or to use cold compresses as these tend to lower a child’s temperature too quickly

It is not always necessary to give your child medication if they are not experiencing discomfort from their fever. However, if you think it might help them feel more comfortable you can start by giving them some paracetamol (such as Calpol), as long as it is safe for them. 

If paracetamol is not sufficient you can give them a dose of ibuprofen (such as Nurofen specifically for babies and children). Always ensure that you give the prescribed dosage, and stick to the minimum interval between 2 doses, as well as the maximum number of daily doses. 

You should see a doctor if: 

• Your child’s temperature is more than 38°C (100.4F) and they are less than 3 months old
• Your child’s temperature is more than 39°C and they are less than 6 months old
• Your child has a fever that’s lasted for more than 5 days
• Your child’s fever is accompanied by any other symptoms that worry you, such as a rash
• Your child is no longer themselves at all – i.e. has a lack of appetite that is ongoing, has other signs of illness, such as a rash, along with a high temperature
• Your child is dehydrated – their nappies are drier than usual, they have sunken eyes, and they are not crying tears

Call 999 immediately if, along with a temperature: 

• Your child has a stiff neck
• Your child has difficulty breathing (rapid breathing, breathing breaks, irregular breathing, signs of respiratory tract infection)
• Your child has a fit, or seizure
• Your child is upset by light
• Your child is extremely distressed – (does not stop crying and acts confused)
• Your child is not interested in any normal activities, is not responding to you, and is not feeding at all
• Your child has incredibly cold hands and feet, and that is not normal for them
• Your child is drowsy and you have difficulty waking them
• Your child’s skin changes colour – this might be blue, grey or blotchy and it might be harder to detect skin changes on a darker skinned child