Childhood Fever

What is Childhood Fever

If your child feels hot to touch and looks red or flushed, he or she probably has a fever (a temperature over 37.5 degrees centigrade). You can check this with a thermometer.

Try not to panic. Remember that children, especially under the age of five, are much more likely to run a high temperature than adults. Usually fever indicates an infection . Therefore, antibiotics are unlikely to help and the most important issue is to lower the temperature as a sustained high temperature in small children may lead to fits (febrile convulsions).

Traditional Medical Treatments for Childhood Fever

You can treat a fever Make sure your child does not have too many layers of clothes or blankets on.

Give your child extra drinks.

Give your child paracetamol liquid. Read the instructions on the bottle carefully and give the dose according to your child's age. For babies it is helpful to use a special medicine syringe so you can measure the dose accurately. Ask your pharmacist for one. If your child is vomiting and cannot keep the liquid down, you can give paracetamol suppositories which are available over the counter from your pharmacist. If necessary, give your child a second dose 4-6 hours later.

If your child's temperature is still high, contact your doctor for advice.

Neurofen may also be used if paracetamol does not adequately control the temperature.