When the Kid Is Ill: Fever

Fever is quite a common symptom in many illnesses. No wonder each woman is scared when her baby has a fever and is nearly always at a loss whether to call the doctor immediately or not. Here are some tips.

The first thing is - never rely upon yourself when it comes to taking your baby`s temperature. They often recommend to just kiss or touch your baby's forehead. If you think he feels hotter than normal, you're probably right. But it is not always that right! My children for instance are not hot as far as their foreheads are concerned but I can tell for sure if they are feverish or not judging from their hands. So, to make sure take the thermometer. By the way this is the first recommendation our pediatrician gave us when my elder daughter was born.


Most doctors agree that a normal body temperature for a healthy baby is between 97 and 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (36 to 38 degrees Celsius). If your baby's rectal temperature is above this range, he has a fever.

To determine whether a baby's fever is serious you should take into consideration the following:

1. Age is a factor: Fever is more serious in babies under 3 months.

2. Behavior is another factor: A high fever that doesn't stop your baby from playing and feeding normally may not be cause for alarm.

Keep in mind that everyone's temperature rises in the late afternoon and early evening and falls between midnight and early morning. This natural cycle of our internal thermostat explains why doctors get most of their phone calls about fever in the late afternoon and early evening.

When to call the doctor?

You're the best judge of whether your baby is really ill – so do call if you're worried, no matter what his temperature is.

 Common guidelines for calling the doctor when fever is involved include the following:

• If your baby is under 3 months old and has a temperature of 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C) or higher, call the doctor immediately. A baby this young needs to be checked for serious infection or disease.

• If your baby is 3 months old or older, the most important thing is how he looks and acts.

• If he appears well and is taking fluids, there's no need to call the doctor unless the fever persists for more than 24 hours or is very high. 

Additional guidelines

Call the doctor if a baby is between 3 months and 6 months old and has a fever of 101 degrees F (38.3 degrees C) or higher, or is older than 6 months and has a temperature of 103 degrees F (39.4 degrees C) or higher – and has symptoms such as a loss of appetite, cough, signs of an earache, unusual fussiness or sleepiness, or vomiting or diarrhea.

Also call the doctor if:
Your baby is noticeably pale or flushed, or has fewer wet diapers.
You notice an unexplained rash, which could indicate a more serious problem when coupled with a fever. Small, purple-red spots that don't turn white or paler when you press on them, or large purple blotches, can signal a very serious bacterial infection.
Your baby has difficulty breathing (working harder to breathe or breathing faster than usual) even after you clear his nose with a bulb syringe. This could indicatepneumonia or bronchiolitis.
Your baby seems sick and his temperature is lower than normal (less than 97 degrees F/36 degrees C). Very young babies sometimes become cold rather than hot when they're ill.