All children develop fevers from time to time and fortunately most run their course without treatment within a few days. Fever can be a positive thing because it's the body's way of fighting infections. In babies and young children, however, even mild temperatures or those slightly above the average body temperature of 98.6 degrees can be a sign of serious illness, explains the Mayo Clinic. What constitutes a fever in a child may vary slightly.
Considerations
Fever is typically a symptom of an underlying infection or illness. Overdressing a newborn in a hot environment also can be enough to cause a rise in body temperature since young infants can't regulate body temperature as well as older children, explains KidsHealth, a website published by the Nemours Foundation. A low-grade fever also can develop following childhood immunizations.
Fever
Body temperature readings may vary slight depending on the type of thermometer used. Fever is present in a child when his temperature is 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit when measured rectally or 99.5 degrees when taken by mouth and 99 degrees Fahrenheit when measured in under the arm.
With the possible exception of newborns, how your child acts may be a better indicator of whether your child has a fever than the number on the thermometer. Almost everyone gets ornery when they have a fever.
Treating Fever in Children
Immediate medical care is needed for infants younger than 3 months of age who have a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher as it may be sign of serious infection, cautions FamilyDoctor.org. Never give medication to a baby younger than 2 months old without first consulting with your doctor.
Children between 3 months and 3 years of age with a slight fever up to 100.2 degrees Fahrenheit probably don't need medicine. If the fever rises above 100.2 degrees or if your child is irritable and achy, you may give her acetaminophen, brand name Children's Tylenol, or ibuprofen, sold as Children's Motrin, but check with your doctor first. Never give a child
aspirin to lower his fever. Aspirin can cause a potentially fatal illness called Reye's syndrome in rare cases.
Precautions and Outlook
Fever or a lack of one doesn't necessarily tell the whole story about how sick your child is. While a common cold can cause body temperature to soar as high as 102 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, serious infections might not produce a fever or may even result in abnormally low body temperature, especially in infants, points out the Mayo Clinic. Contact your doctor if you have questions about treating your child's fever and/or if you have concerns about how your child is acting with or without a fever.
