Guidelines to Help You Decide
If you call your pediatrician or nurse with dosing questions, make sure you tell them which form (Infants', Children's, etc.) of medicine you're giving to your child. If your child has an underlying risk factor for serious infection, such as sickle cell disease or heart or kidney problems, you should always call your pediatrician about a fever.
For most kids, call your pediatrician if:
Or if you notice any of these symptoms:
For most kids, call your pediatrician if:
- Your child is unusually fussy, sleepy, cranky, or quiet
- Your child appears very sick
- You are unable to lower your child's fever or your child develops other serious symptoms
- The fever goes away for more than 24 hours and then returns
- Your child has a fever for more than 72 hours
- Your child is younger than 3 months with a rectal temperature above 100.1° F
- Your child is 3 to 6 months with a rectal temperature above 101° F
- Your child is 6 to 12 months with a rectal temperature above 103° F
- Your child has a history of febrile seizures
Or if you notice any of these symptoms:
- Your child acts confused or sees/hears things that aren't there
- A stiff neck (unable to touch chin to chest)
- Trouble breathing
- Ear or sore throat pain
- Your child has a seizure (arms and legs jerk uncontrollably)
- Your child has a skin rash
- Your child cries inconsolably
- Your child is difficult to awaken