09/04/2018
WHAT IS FEVER?
A fever is a temperature of 38°C or higher. Fever is one of the ways the body fights infection.
It can develop slowly, over a few days, or the fever can rise very quickly. Usually, this doesn't have anything to do with the illness that causes the fever.
If your child's face feels hot to the touch and they look red or flushed, then they may have a fever. You can check their temperature with a thermometer.
A normal temperature in children is 36.5°C to 37.5°C although it depends on the person, their age, what they have been doing, the time of day and at which part of the body you take the temperature.
Body temperature is usually lowest in the early hours of the morning and highest in the late afternoon and early evening.
What causes fever in children?
Infections are by far the most common cause of fever in children. Most of these are caused by viruses, which are responsible for colds, upper respiratory infections, and the common infectious diseases of childhood. These infections don't last long and usually don't need to be treated.
Some infections are caused by bacteria and need treatment with antibiotics. These include certain ear and throat infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and blood infections. You need to see a doctor if you think your child has any of these infections.
There are other, relatively uncommon, causes of fever. These include allergic reactions to drugs or vaccines, chronic joint inflammation, some tumours and gastrointestinal diseases.
Fever symptoms and signs
Fever in itself is rarely harmful. But the high temperature might make your child feel uncomfortable – they might have chills or shivering when their temperature is rising, and they might sweat when it’s falling. Sometimes they might become mildly dehydrated if they're losing a lot of fluid from the fever and not replacing it.
Febrile convulsions are seizures that happen because of a fever. They occur in about 4% of children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years. Children outgrow febrile convulsions by the age of 4 to 5 years. Febrile convulsions have no long-term consequences, but you should talk to your doctor about them.
When should you take a child with a fever to the doctor?
You don't need to see a doctor if your child is over 3 and is not too sick despite the fever.
Some symptoms that appear when a child has a raised temperature require urgent attention.These symptoms can include the child:
-Being listless or not responding to your voice
-losing consciousness or having a seizure (sometimes called a 'fit')
-Having difficulty breathing
You should also see or contact your doctor if your child:
is over 6 months and shows other signs of being unwell - for example, they are and or you are concerned about them
is
-has ongoing headaches
-has ongoing tummy pain
-has a stiff neck
-the light is hurting their eyes
-the fontanelle (soft spot on your baby's head) is bulging
-is not taking fluids well
-is not passing urine well
-has had the fever for more than three days
has travelled or been in contact with someone with a serious infection
Any baby under 3 months of age with a fever should be taken straight to the nearest emergency department.
Most causes of a raised temperature in a child are usually not serious and can be managed at home. A fever will run its course regardless of treatment. Your child's temperature will return to normal when the infection or other cause of the fever has completely gone.
In babies under 12 months, fever might be a sign of a more significant illness, and you do need to seek medical advice.
