Fever in children: when to see a doctor

A fever is not an illness in itself: it is how the body responds to an infection. So look at how your child is, more than at the number. A child with 38.5 °C who is still playing is less of a worry than a child with 38 °C lying limp.

Call an ambulance straight away (103)

• Any temperature of 38 °C or more in a baby under 3 months.
• Your child is hard to wake, floppy or not responding to you.
• Breathing is laboured and the skin between the ribs pulls in.
• A rash that does not fade when you press on it.
• A fit (seizure).
• No wee for more than 8 hours, no tears when crying.

See a paediatrician the same day

• The fever has lasted more than 3 days.
• Earache, or a sore throat that makes swallowing hard.
• The fever came back after it had gone down.

What to do at home

Give small amounts of water often and don’t wrap your child up warmly. Give paracetamol or ibuprofen according to your child’s weight, and don’t alternate the two unless a doctor has told you to. Never rub a child down with alcohol or vinegar.

At our Nasimi branch a paediatrician is on duty on Sundays too, 09:00–15:00.