When to see a doctor with a child with a fever?

by time news

Every child has a fever sometimes. The question is how you as a parent respond appropriately to this, and when you should be concerned. Usually, a fever is a symptom of a viral infection, which clears up on its own after a few days of rest.

In rare cases, however, it concerns a worrying situation, such as a bacterial infection, that requires prompt and correct action. Not a simple challenge for parents. Our health expert Jeroen Plessers answers the most pressing questions.

How to correctly measure the temperature in a child?

Infraroodthermometers, which measure the temperature at the level of the forehead or, for older children, in the ear, are very popular with parents of young children. After all, that goes super fast, without too much resistance. However, they also measure less precise.

That’s why you actually have also need a “regular” thermometer. To be sure, always double-check your fever with a regular thermometer in the mouth or, for smaller children, in the poop. Measurements under the armpit are also less accurate.

A reliable thermometer for less than €5

Instead of doing double work, you prefer to immediately opt for a regular (digital) thermometer. These are cheaper, more accurate, more reliable and can take a beating, according to our test. You just have to wait a little longer for results.

In the range of infrared thermometers we found a number of weaker devices, for prices of up to € 100. If you really want one of these, you’d rather compare first.

When does a child have a fever?

When exactly we speak of a fever differs from child to child. After all, everyone has a different base temperature. For the sake of simplicity, we speak of a fever from 38 degrees.

A small temperature increase above 37.5 degrees can be due to warm weather, teeth coming through, exercise, clothing that is too warm or a heavy crying.

What is a fever anyway?

Fever in itself is not a disease, but a symptom. In fact, it’s an important one defense mechanism of our body. By raising the temperature, our immune system tries to counteract viruses and other pathogens.

A high fever is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as fatigue, aches and pains in the extremities and chills.

What can you do against fever in children?

Fever usually goes away on its own with adequate rest. If there are no other symptoms besides the fever, it is usually a harmless infection.

Monitor the temperature and especially any symptoms. If your child is getting worse, it may be necessary to see a doctor.

In the meantime, watch over that the child rest and drink enough.

When should you go to the doctor?

Only when the fever lasts for a long time or brings other troubling symptoms is it time to worry and see a doctor.

The younger the child, the less time you can wait. In infants up to three months, a temperature of 38°C or higher is always an alarm signal, even if the baby behaves normally. In them, fever may indicate a serious condition that needs to be treated immediately, such as meningitis.

Our tool will help you estimate depending on the temperature, the age of your child and any additional symptoms.

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