Fever, childhood
When to seek urgent medical advice
Contact your GP or health visitor urgently if your child:
- is underthree months old and has a temperature of 38C (101F) or above
- is between three and six months old and has a temperature of 39C (102F) or above
You should also see your GP if your child has other signs of being unwell, such as persistent vomiting, refusal to feed, floppinessor drowsiness.
Ifit isn'tpossible to contact your GP,call your local out-of-hours service or NHS 111 .
If your child seems to be otherwise well for example, if they're playing and attentive it's less likely they're seriously ill.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
A fever is a high temperature. As a general rule, in children a temperature over 37.5C (99.5F) is a fever.
What causes a high temperature?
Most fevers are caused by infections or other illnesses.The high body temperaturemakes it more difficult for thebacteria and viruses that cause infections to survive. Common conditions that can cause
When to seek urgent medical advice
Contact your GP or health visitor urgently if your child: is underthree months old and has a temperature of 38C (101F) or above is between three and six months old and has a temperature of 39C (102
Treating a fever
If your child has a fever, it'simportant to keep them hydrated by giving them plenty of cool water to drink. Babies should be given plenty of liquids, such as breast milk or formula.Even if your chil
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