Fever

🤒 Snap Paediatrics is answering questions and addressing concerns about fever for our Child Health Education Blog this week.

Fever is one of the most common symptoms of illness in children. It is a normal sign that the body’s immune system is fighting against an infection. Fever can be a sign of a viral or bacterial infection. For many parents, fever can be a worrisome symptom of illness.

When your child is unwell with an infection, what is more important than the temperature itself is:

🩺 Assessment of what type of infection is causing the fever

🤧 Other symptoms that your child has due to infection

❓Any risks of developing severe infection or illness (e.g. young age, abnormal immune system, immunisation against severe infections)

Questions:

🙋‍♀️ What is a normal temperature? What is a low or high grade fever?

🫰 Normal temperature ranges from 36.5 to 37.5 degrees Celsius. 37.5 to 38.0 is considered a low grade fever. Any temperature over 38.0 degrees Celsius is considered a fever.

🙋‍♂️ Is a fever ever dangerous? How high is too high for a fever?

🫰 The pattern of fever (e.g. how often, how persistent and how high) can provide an experienced doctor with some clues about what type of infection may be causing an illness, along with the other symptoms and signs that a child has.

The exact height, or number of a fever is not important on its own. A high temperature is not dangerous for a child. Fever alone will not cause harm in a child.

More important than how high a fever is, is what other symptoms are involved with the infection, a child’s general behaviour, the medical assessment and consideration of a child’s medical history and risks of more severe illness.

🙋‍♀️ Does the age of my child matter when they have a fever? Do I need to worry if my neonate, baby, infant, toddler, or child has a fever?

🫰 Young age is a risk factor for serious illness. Infants less than three (3) months and especially neonates or babies less than one (1) month or 28 days who have a fever should always be seen in your nearest hospital emergency department. Young children are at a higher risk of sepsis (severe infection) and will require tests to ensure they do not have a serious bacterial infection.

🙋‍♂️ How do I treat a fever? Can I break a fever? Can I bring a fever down? What can I give to help a fever?

🫰 It is a common misunderstanding that a fever needs to be treated. Fever is a normal response to infection and will continue to occur whilst the body is fighting whatever virus, bacteria or other ‘bug’ is causing the illness.

Simple analgesia (pain relief) including paracetamol (eg Panadol) and ibuprofen (eg Nurofen) will help your child feel better when they have a fever. These medicines have antipyretic (reducing fever) properties, but will not completely treat, cure, or prevent fever from occurring. Giving one or both of these medications may reduce the highest peak of temperature by a small amount. They are mostly useful to reduce the pain, discomfort, lethargy (tiredness) and other symptoms that are commonly felt with infections.

🙋‍♀️When do I worry about a fever? When should I be seen by a doctor for fever? When do I take my child to hospital with a fever?

🫰 Children should have a medical assessment to determine the likely cause of fever. The urgency of this assessment depends on lots of things. Your child should be seen more urgently if they are young, have a significant medical history, or you are worried about specific symptoms.

Children with fever who are less than three (3) months of age, should always be seen urgently in your closest hospital Emergency Department. They will likely need tests (e.g. blood, urine, and possibly spinal fluid) to rule out a serious bacterial infection.

Children who have a reduced ability to fight infection (abnormal immune system, on cancer treatment, or unimmunised) should be seen urgently to rule out a serious bacterial infection.

You should have your child seen urgently at the nearest hospital Emergency Department if you are worried about:

🏥 Difficulty breathing

🚑 Severe abdominal or other pain

🏥 Pain when urinating (weeing)

🚑 Pale, grey, blue, or blotchy skin, or a purple rash that does not go away when pressed

🏥 Any other significant concern

🫰 When your child has a fever, if you are comfortable with their condition and behaviour, they can be safely managed at home. If fevers continue for two (2) or more days, it is a good idea to have a medical assessment. If you can’t get in to see your GP and don’t want to go to Emergency, we’ll see you in a Snap!

You can make an Urgent Care Consult appointment online, right now! 👇

Additional Resources:

Fever Fact Sheet - Children’s Health Queensland

Sepsis Information and Checklist - Children’s Health Queensland

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