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Dr. Catherine Palmier—Reduce fever Ask the Experts – UHC TV Probably one of the most common discussions I have with parents in my office is the question about what to do about a fever. And, knowing what to do as parents will make you more confident when caring for your child, so I do encourage you to have this discussion with your physician. Basically, treating a fever depends on several factors. Number one, the age of your child. If a baby is under a month old, that is actually considered an emergency because very tiny babies have under developed immune systems and the fever is an indication of something serious going on with the infant needs some pretty sophisticated testing. If your baby is more than a month or two old—Basically, when a child has a fever, it’s important to remember, a fever is not an illness but a symptom. It’s a symptom of the fact that your child is trying to fight some type of infection—usually viral. So, whether you treat a fever or not really depends on how your child is behaving and how your child looks. If the child has a low grade temperature, and I’m talking about perhaps something that’s up to 102, it may be okay to just watch the child because the child’s body is trying to fight off that virus by causing the child to have a fever. But, if your child looks uncomfortable, and in particular a fever can make a baby breathe more quickly and that leads to more fluid loss that can lead to dehydration, it’s certainly appropriate to treat the fever. There’s two basic medications that are used to treat fevers. One is called Ibuprofen, also known as Motrin. The other is called Acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol. In most situations, I prefer the Ibuprofen or Motrin—principally because it lasts for 6-8 hours. As a parent, you know how valuable your sleep is and how valuable your child’s sleep is. So, the extra couple of hours you get out of Motrin is definitely worth it. You’ll dose either the Ibuprofen or the Acetaminophen medications according to the baby’s weight and age. Talk to your pediatrician about the doses they prefer you use, or look at the box because they should be very easy to understand. It’s best to stay away from some of the recommendations of grandmothers and aunties and some of the old school thoughts about fevers that come around about alcohol and some of those kinds of things. A fever is best left with medication or just watchful waiting. Hopefully, this helps you in being prepared when your child develops a fever, and also can help give you a little more confidence in parenting during illness.

Ask the Expert

How to Treat Your Child's Fever

Question: What should I do when my child has a fever?

Answer from: Dr. Catherine Palmier, M.D., pediatrics expert

A fever is not an illness. It's a symptom that your child is trying to fight an infection. Methods for treating a fever depend on several factors.

kids, Ask the Expert, Healthy Kids

The content of these videos is for information only and is not intended to be medical advice. Refer to your health plan benefit guide for coverage details, and consult with your doctor to determine what is best for you.

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How to Treat Your Child's Fever

Question: What should I do when my child has a fever?

Answer from: Dr. Catherine Palmier, M.D., pediatrics expert

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