Fever in children

Fever in children

Fever is a common symptom in children, and many children can get a high fever even with completely harmless viral infections. In general, the child's general condition is a more important indicator of how ill the child is than the temperature itself.

Fever in children

Small children get a fever more easily than adults, and the fever can quickly become high. When small children have a fever, the general condition is far more important than the temperature itself. Small children can easily get a fever of 39 °C, even with normal viral infections. Fever is a symptom, not a disease. Children can quickly feel hot, and it is therefore important to measure the temperature of children to monitor whether the child has a fever or not.

How to measure the fever in small children?

Placing a hand on a small child's forehead or back has very little or no value in determining whether or not the child has a fever.

Measuring in the rectum with a thermometer with a flexible tip is a very suitable way to get an accurate measure of the child's temperature. It is important that the child is calm while the temperature is measured rectally.

It is also possible to measure the temperature orally or in the armpit, but these measurement sites do not provide as accurate measurements as rectal measurement. The Micorlife digital forehead thermometer is a very simple and straightforward way to measure the child's body temperature. Measuring the body temperature in this way is very easy as you don't have to disturb the child - for example if you want to check what the temperature is in the middle of the night, you can do it without waking the child.

Good advice when your child has a fever

Give the child plenty of fluids, fever leads to fluid loss

Let the child be lightly dressed and make sure that the room temperature is not too high

It makes sense to keep the child indoors until the child is fever-free

In the event of a high fever of unknown cause, you can wake the child a couple of times during the night to check that you have good contact with the child

Antipyretic medicine for children

Remember that using fever-reducing medicine does not make the child recover faster, but reduces the discomfort that comes with a high fever. The immune system usually works a little more effectively when the body temperature is increased, so it is not always beneficial to lower the child's body temperature. In general, children do not need antipyretic medicine until they are over 39 °C, but if you see that the child is suffering from a fever at a lower degree, you can give antipyretic medicine. The medicine will provide a short-term improvement in the general condition and make it easier to give food and drink to the child. If the child has a lot of fluid loss (e.g. from vomiting and diarrhoea), the use of paracetamol preparations (Pinex, Paracet and Panodil) is recommended.

Do not give fever-reducing medicine to children under three months of age without first talking to a doctor. You can find more about antipyretic medicine for children here.

Is fever dangerous for children?

Fever itself is usually harmless to healthy people. Small children often have a fever, and often higher temperatures than adults. The vast majority of young children tolerate fever well. If the child is difficult to make contact with and is lethargic, you should contact a doctor.

Fever itself can be dangerous in very high fevers. There is no exact limit for when a fever in itself is dangerous, but at temperatures up to 41 °C the temperature itself can become a problem. Contact a doctor at such high temperatures.

Fever and kindergarten

A child who has been ill with a fever should be completely fever-free before returning to the nursery. This is primarily for the sake of the child himself.

A child's normal body temperature can vary, but a temperature measured in the rectum above 38°C is considered elevated, and the child has a fever.

When should you contact a doctor if your child has a fever?

• If the child is 3 months or younger.

• If the fever has lasted for more than three days.

• If the fever becomes very high (temperatures above 40 °C).

• If the child does not get enough fluids and nutrition.

• If the child has a poor general condition (is lethargic, difficult to make contact with, seems absent).

• If the child develops neck stiffness or a rash (which does not disappear if you press a glass of milk over it), contact a doctor immediately.

Sources: Norwegian health informatics for healthcare personnel, Store norske lexikon, Norwegian electronic medical handbook, forskning.no, Folkehelseinstituttet and Norwegian drug handbook.