Fever, Age 3 and Younger

Home Treatment

It can be hard to know whether you should call your health professional when your child has a fever, especially during the cold and flu season. The degree of the fever may not be related to the seriousness of the illness. The way your child looks and acts is a better guide than the thermometer. Most children will be less active when they have a fever.

Be sure to try home treatment when you or your child has a fever. Sometimes home treatment is all that is needed to help lower a fever and help you or your child feel better.

If your child is comfortable and alert, eating well, drinking enough fluids, urinating normal amounts, and seems to be improving, home treatment without medicine is all that is needed for a mild to moderate fever. If you are not able to measure your child's temperature, look for other symptoms of illness and follow these home treatment measures.

• Encourage your child to drink extra fluids or suck on Popsicles. Your child should be urinating at least every 6 to 8 hours.
• Dress your child lightly, and do not wrap him or her in blankets. Dressing lightly will help your child's body cool down.

Keep your child comfortable

Lowering your child's temperature is important when the fever is causing discomfort. If your child is uncomfortable:

Give a non-prescription medicine to help relieve your child's pain or fever.

Acetaminophen, such as Tylenol or Panadol Ibuprofen, such as Advil Do not alternate ibuprofen and acetaminophen because of the possible risk of overdose. Studies have not shown any additional benefit by alternating these medicines.

Be sure to follow these non-prescription medicine precautions.

Carefully read and follow all label directions on the medicine bottle and box. Give, but do not exceed, the maximum recommended doses. Do not give your child a medicine if he or she has had an allergic reaction to it in the past. If you have been told to avoid giving your child a medicine, call your health professional before giving it. Do not give ASA to anyone younger than age 20 unless directed to do so by your health professional.

• Check your child's temperature 30 to 60 minutes after giving the medicine.
• Try giving your child a sponge bath with lukewarm water. Do not use cold water, ice, or rubbing alcohol.
• Keep encouraging your child to drink extra fluids.
• Encourage quiet activities.
• Watch for signs of dehydration.
• If you don't think your child's temperature is coming down, recheck his or her temperature every 2 to 4 hours to make sure that home treatment is working.

Symptoms to Watch For During Home Treatment

Use the Check Your Symptoms section to evaluate your child's symptoms if any of the following occur during home treatment.

• Your child's temperature gets higher.
• You think your child has an extremely high fever.
• Home treatment is not making your child feel better.
• There is a significant decrease in your child's activity level or level of consciousness, or your child acts confused or struggles with you for no reason.
• Signs of dehydration develop.
• Pain develops or the pain becomes more severe.
• Fever lasts longer than 72 hours.
• Symptoms become more severe or frequent.

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Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: June 22, 2007
Medical Review:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics
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