First Aid & Emergencies

Call 911 NOW if you are having:

Chest Pain
Difficulty Breathing
Severe Bleeding

Sudden Weakness or Numbness
A Medical Emergency

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Treating Fever in Children

A high temperature can be alarming and serious in some cases, but a fever often means that a body is working the way it should and fighting off infection.

When to Call 911

Call 911 if the child:

Is limp or unresponsive
Is having trouble breathing
Is vomiting and has a headache or a stiff neck
Has blue lips or skin
Has a seizure

Call Doctor If:

You think the child needs medical attention.
The child is younger than 3 months old with a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees F or higher.
The child is 3 to 6 months old with a temperature of 101 degrees F or higher or has had any fever for more than one day.
The child is older than 6 months and younger than a year with a temperature of 103 degrees F or higher or has had any fever more than one day.
The child is 1 to 2 years old with a high fever lasting more than 24 hours.
The child is any age with a temperature of 104 degrees F or higher.
The soft spot on the child’s skull is bulging.
The child vomits repeatedly or has severe diarrhea.
The child has signs of dehydration, such as not wetting diapers, crying without tears, dry mouth or mucous membranes, or sunken soft spot.
The fever triggers a seizure.
The child has a fever and a rash.

For Infants Younger Than 4 Months Old

1. Take Temperature

The most accurate way to take a temperature is rectally. If you are uncomfortable with this, then take temperature under the armpit. If it is higher than 99 degrees F, then double check it rectally using a rectal thermometer to get the most accurate reading.

2. Call Your Pediatrician

If the child's temperature is higher than 100.4 degrees, call your pediatrician.
Bathing or sponging the child with lukewarm water may help bring down a fever. Do not use cold water, ice baths, or alcohol.

For Children 4 Months Old or Older Who Have Been Immunized

1. Take Temperature

Rectal. For a child under 4 or 5, use a rectal thermometer to get an accurate reading. A child has a fever if the rectal temperature is above 100.4 degrees F.
Oral. For a child over 4 or 5, you can use an oral or pacifier thermometer. The child has a fever if it registers above 100 degrees F.
Ear. If the child is 6 months old or older, you can use an ear or temporal artery thermometer, but this is not usually an accurate way to take temperature. To be more accurate, take a rectal temperature.
Armpit. If you take the child’s temperature in the armpit, a reading above 99 degrees F usually indicates a fever.