When Your Child Has a Fever

Your high-energy toddler is not himself. He is uncharacteristically sitting on the floor, listless and barely interested in his favorite toys. He didn’t touch his lunch, and his cheeks look like cherry tomatoes. You reach out to touch his forehead, and he is burning up. Your heart starts to race, and you wonder how high toddler’s temperature has spiked.

While its hard to relax when your child has a fever, try to keep your own cool. Not all toddlers fevers are panic-worthy, and not all of them warrant a trip to the doctor. In fact, a fever is simply the body’s way of letting you know an infection has settled in, and that your child’s immune system is fighting.

Still, its important to find out just how much of a fever your child has so you can treat him accordingly.

Once you’ve got a better idea of what your child’s temperature is, you can make a decision how to proceed. If your toddler has a fever of 102 or higher, you need to call your doctor immediately. If your child has a low grade fever (up to about 101F) however, you may want to ease his discomfort by giving him either acetaminophen or ibuprofen-based over the-counter medication.