First Response
As a parent, what you should do about a fever depends largely on your child's age and the reading. If she's less than 3 months old, anything above 100.4?F warrants a quick call to the doctor. Because an infant's immune system isn't fully developed, she's vulnerable to potentially life-threatening infections like bacterial meningitis and pneumonia, and an elevated body temperature is often the only symptomBetween 3 and 6 months, your child needs to be examined by his pediatrician once his fever hits 101?F, says Steven Shelov, M.D., a Parents advisor and the editor-in-chief of American Academy of Pediatrics' Caring for Your Baby and Young Child.
Once your child is older than 6 months, you can safely wait to contact your doctor until her temperature rises to 103?F, with this important exception: Phone right away if her fever hits 102?F or above and she has two or more of these symptoms: a cough, a sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, chills, fatigue, and diarrhea. These classic H1N1 flu symptoms (which are strikingly similar to those for seasonal influenza) tend to occur within 24 hours of the onset of a fever, and your pediatrician might recommend that she take the antiviral drug Tamiflu to reduce the severity and duration of her symptoms.
The Big Picture
Since fever is a signal from the body that something is wrong, pay close attention to your child's other symptoms. If he has a runny nose and a low-grade fever (under 101?F), it usually means he's got a common cold, while vomiting and diarrhea probably point to a stomach virus. In both cases, the fever tends to come on gradually and to disappear within a few days. But seasonal and H1N1 flu symptoms often strike very suddenly. "Flu hits your child like a ton of bricks," says Jason Homme, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "One day he's fine, and then boom, the next he can't get out of bed." For kids considered to be at higher risk (those under age 5 or with certain chronic medical conditions, such as asthma or diabetes), treatment may be needed, so your doctor might have you in for a flu test. If your child is otherwise healthy the physician may simply assume (based on your description) that he has the flu, in which case he'll need to stay home until he's fever-free for 24 hours without using a fever reducer.Red Flags
Let your doctor know right away if your child complains of a sore throat, an earache, or pain while peeing, since these ailments could signal strep throat, an ear infection, or a urinary tract infection, all of which may need to be treated with antibiotics. You should also check in with the office if your child shows symptoms of dehydration, such as if she urinates less than usual, doesn't produce any tears when she cries, or seems less alert than usual.Although rare, certain symptoms (which are often accompanied by fever) require immediate medical attention. Head straight for the E.R. if your child is extremely short of breath, cries inconsolably, has difficulty waking, or develops a rash that doesn?t blanch when you touch it or has bruisy-looking purple spots (both could indicate meningococcemia, a potentially fatal infection of the bloodstream). Call 911 if her tongue, lips, or nails are blue (a sign that she may not be getting enough oxygen) or she has a stiff neck (a possible indicator of meningitis) or severe abdominal pain (which could mean appendicitis). Also call your pediatrician if your child is under 2 and her fever lasts more than 24 hours (for older kids, you can wait three days before calling unless she has symptoms suggestive of seasonal flu or H1N1). Ask for an appointment if your child's fever disappears and then returns a few days later, since she may have developed a secondary infection.
Read More:
http://www.parents.com/health/fever/fever-fears-a-guide-for-treating-fever-in-children/
