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Decoding Fever - When to Watch - When to Call the Doctor

  • July 5th, 2025
  • Child Care

Decoding Fever: When to Watch — and When to Call the Doctor

Parent-friendly guidance you can act on right away.

1. Fever Basics

Most childhood fevers are the body’s immune system doing its job and rarely cause harm on their own. A fever is simply a temperature at or above:

Thermometer siteFever (°C)Fever (°F)Best age-group use
Rectal / Ear ≥ 38 °C ≥ 100.4 °F Infants & toddlers
Oral ≥ 37.8 °C ≥ 100 °F 4 years +
Armpit (Axilla) ≥ 37.2 °C ≥ 99 °F Quick screens

Rectal readings are most accurate for babies under 3 months.

2. Taking a Temperature the Right Way

  • Use a digital thermometer; label one per child.

  • Wait 15 minutes after eating/drinking for oral checks.

  • Do not “add or subtract a degree.” Trust the device.

  • Clean the tip with rubbing alcohol after every use.

3. When It’s Safe to Watch & Care at Home

Look at the child, not just the number

If your child is alert, drinking fluids, breathing comfortably, and playing between naps, you can usually monitor at home even if the thermometer is high.

Comfort measures

  1. Offer small, frequent sips of water, breastmilk, ORS, or clear soup.

  2. Dress in light cotton; keep the room comfortably cool.

  3. Give paracetamol (≥ 3 months) only for discomfort, not just to “normalise” the reading. Follow the dose chart on the label.

  4. A lukewarm sponge bath can soothe; avoid cold baths or ice rubs.

4. When to Call Your Pediatrician — Age-Specific Red Flags

Child’s ageTemperature triggerCall sooner if you also see…
< 3 months Any ≥ 38 °C / 100.4 °F (single reading) Poor feeding, weak cry, lethargy, breathing trouble, fewer than 3 wet nappies in 24 h
3–6 months ≥ 39 °C / 102.2 °F Persistent vomiting, bulging fontanelle, unusual rash.
> 6 months ≥ 40 °C / 104 °F or fever > 5 days Laboured breathing, stiff neck, seizure, purple bruise-like spots, inconsolable crying, signs of dehydration.

Any age — seek emergency care for seizure, difficulty breathing, non-blanching rash, severe lethargy, or if your instinct says something is very wrong.

5. Common Fever Myths—Busted

MythFact
“Teething causes high fever.” Teething may nudge temperature up slightly, but a true fever (≥ 38 °C) points to infection. aap.org
“A higher fever means a worse illness.” Mild viral infections sometimes run to 40 °C, while dangerous infections can present with only low-grade fever. Watch overall appearance.
“You must alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen.” Alternating is rarely necessary and can confuse dosing. Use one medicine correctly unless your doctor advises otherwise.

6. Logging & Sharing Fever Data with MyGleeo (Optional)

  1. Open Vitals → Fever Tracker and tap “+” to record temperature, date and time.

  2. Add notes (“vomited once”, “took 120 ml ORS”) or photos of rash.

  3. The app charts the trend so your pediatrician can review it before a tele-consult.

  4. Enable Red-Flag Alerts — you’ll get a prompt for a call if a logged reading crosses the age-specific thresholds above.

7. FAQs

Should I wake a sleeping child to give fever medicine?
If they are otherwise healthy and resting comfortably, let them sleep; re-check when they wake.

Can I send my child to school once the fever drops with medicine?
Wait until they are fever-free for 24 hours without medicine and energy has returned.

8. Take-Home Message

Fever is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Most children fight off viruses safely at home with rest and fluids. Call early for very young babies or if red-flag signs appear. When in doubt, trust your parental instinct—and keep a clear fever log to help your pediatrician decide the next step quickly.

Disclaimer: This article is educational and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician for concerns about your child’s health.