A fever can occur at any age. However, it is quite common during the early years of your child’s life. Often, an infection such as a cold is the cause (see Colds). A fever may also occur following your child’s immunisations because vaccines contain small amounts of the agent they are designed to protect from. This is perfectly normal and should not last longer than a couple of days; however a feverish infant may be uncomfortable and irritable.

How will I know if my child has a fever?

Although feeling their forehead can give an idea of your child’s temperature, a digital thermometer or heat sensitive strip thermometer is required to measure their temperature accurately. Recording a body temperature of at least 37.2°C on 2 occasions at least 2 hours apart, is a reliable indication of a fever. As well as a high temperature, an infant with a fever may also have:

• a flushed appearance
• irritability and crying
• clammy skin or sweating
• tiredness
• a headache or other aches and pains.

What else might it be?

If your child is crying in pain and tugging at their ears they may have an ear infection causing earache, which can also raise the temperature.

Throat infections can also cause a fever and inflamed tonsils are common in children. If your child is keeping her mouth tightly closed and won’t let you look at her throat then feel for enlarged glands in the neck. These often go hand in hand with a throat infection. In children over 6 years sore and painful throats can be soothed with a sore throat lozenge such as Strepsils Honey & Lemon (Always read the label)

Is your child coughing? Chest infections can also cause a fever and may require antibiotics.

The word meningitis strikes fear into parents, but the truth is that meningitis is an uncommon illness and unlikely to be the cause of a fever. However, although meningitis is rare, you should be aware of the symptoms. Fever is one of the signs of meningitis, but there are others to look out for in infants including:

• vomiting/refusing to feed
• sometimes diarrhoea
• cold hands and feet
• extreme shivering
• tense or bulging fontanelle (soft spot on head)
• very sleepy/staring expression/unable to wake
• fast or difficult breathing
• irritable when picked up with a high pitched or moaning cry
• a stiff body with jerky movements, or floppy and lifeless
• blotchy skin, turning paler or blue
• pin prick rash/marks or purple bruising anywhere on the body which does not disappear when a glass tumbler is pressed firmly against it (the tumbler test).

An infant with meningitis requires urgent medical attention, acting quickly and being careful can save a child’s life. You should make sure you are fully aware of the symptoms. Further information is available from The Meningitis Research Foundation at www.meningitis.org.

What to expect:

A fever will usually settle within a day. A rapidly rising temperature may cause chills (shivering) and, in some infants, a high fever (over 39°C) can lead to seizures, known as febrile convulsions. During a febrile convulsion, the body may shake and twitch and the eyes may roll back, as the high temperature affects the electrical activity in the brain. This usually lasts less than 5 minutes and although very frightening for you, is thought to be harmless. This said you should always seek medical advice if it happens. Up to 4% of children under 5 years have febrile convulsions at some point and your child will be totally unaware that it has happened. Just be sure to keep them safe, lay them on their side on the floor and remove any dangerous objects they could harm themselves on. It’s also important you don’t try to restrain your child as you could hurt them.

How to treat a fever:

The good news is that there’s plenty you can do to help reduce your child’s fever and make them more comfortable. Children’s ibuprofen suspensions (Such as Nurofen for Children) are clinically proven to effectively reduce fever, and Paracetamol suspensions (such as Disprol Paracetamol Suspension) can also help lower your child’s temperature. Always read the product label.

Paracetamol is gentle on the stomach and Disprol is available as a paracetamol suspension or soluble tablets for infants as young as 3 months. Younger infants may also be able to take Disprol, following advice from a doctor.

Ibuprofen is a fast acting medicine and Nurofen for Children is an effective way to help make your child feel better, fast. Nurofen for Children was the first Ibuprofen suspension suitable to give your baby from just 3 months (weighing over 5kg). It starts working to reduce fever in just 15 minutes, and lasts longer than Paracetamol based medicines (up to 8 hours) – just enough to get a good nights’ sleep! In fact – nothing reduces fever faster or lasts for longer than Nurofen for Children!

It is useful to take an infant’s temperature before giving any fever-reducing medication, so that you can monitor your child’s progress.

You can also help reduce your child’s discomfort by keeping them cool. You can do this by:

• Removing excess clothing
• Keeping the room cool (approximately 20°C)
• Using a light sheet in the cot rather than blankets or duvets
• Give babies smaller and more frequent feeds to help keep them hydrated

Physical methods of cooling an infant such as fanning, cold bathing and tepid sponging are controversial. They can cause discomfort and probably have little effect.

If you are unable to control your child’s fever or it persists for more than 24 hours always seek medical advice.