1. Did Someone Turn Up the Heat?
When your body temperature rises above its usual 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (or 37 degrees Celsius), you have a fever. A part of your brain called the hypothalamus regulates your body temperature. Sometimes your hypothalamus raises your body temperature in reaction to something else going on in your body. This means that fevers generally don't stand alone, but instead are usually a symptom of another bodily issue.
2. Give Your Baby Some Breathing Room
If you have an infection or an illness of some sort, your body temperature may rise in attempt to fight it off. Also, when you're bundling your baby up to keep him warm, be careful not to bundle your baby up too much. This can cause your little one to get a fever because babies' body temperatures aren't quite as regulated as those of older children or adults. When you take your infant or child to get an immunization, the vaccination could also cause them to get a fever.
3. Watch for Chills and Sweats
If you notice that your child has chills or is sweating, you should check her temperature. Your child has a fever if she has a temperature that measures at or above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit when you use a thermometer to measure temperature rectally, or in the bottom. If you measure your child's temperature orally, or in the mouth, she has a fever if the temperature is at or above 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit. If you take your child's temperature under the arm and it's at or above 99 degrees Fahrenheit, your child has a fever.
4. It's All in the Thermometer
Use a digital thermometer to take rectal temperature in infants and to take either rectal, oral or axillary (under arm) temperature in older children. Keep in mind, though, that taking rectal or oral temperature is more reliable than under the arm. You can also use an electronic ear thermometer to measure the ear canal temperature. You shouldn't use these in infants under 3 months, as their ear canals are too tiny to give an accurate reading.
5. Know When to See the Doc
Since fevers in infants 3 months and younger can indicate a more serious infection, you should call the doctor or take your baby to the emergency room if he has a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, measured rectally. Call the doctor if you have a child over 3 months old with a temperature at or above 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit or if your child is having problems breathing. If your child has a low fever, you can give him a child's dose of fever medication, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Hydrate your child with fluids such as water, soup and gelatin and draw a bath filled with warm, but not hot, water.
