Calm your concerns by finding out when your child’s fever may actually require medical attention.

No parent wants to deal with a sick child, but at some point your little one is going to come down with a fever. Of course, at the first sign of a fever you may want to rush them to our Kennesaw, GA pediatrician, Dr. Kola Ologunja, but find out when your child’s fever requires urgent care and when it doesn’t.

When to Keep Cool

As you may already know, a healthy body has a temperature of 98.6 F. A fever is any temperature that reaches over 100.4 F. But it’s important to know that throughout the day our body temperature changes depending on our age, physical activity, etc. Remember, if your child does have a fever this is a normal bodily response to an infection and isn’t always serious. So, when should you not be worried? If your child has a fever of 101 to 103 this is usually not a cause for concern and can be assessed by your Kennesaw children’s doctor the next day.

When to Call Us

There are some scenarios that warrant an immediate call to our Kennesaw pediatrician’s office:

• If you baby has a fever of 101 degrees or higher and is 6 weeks or younger this is an emergency and we need to treat your little one as soon a possible.
• Babies between the ages of 7 weeks to three months with a fever over 101 degrees also warrants a trip to our office. Of course, this situation doesn’t warrant a late-night call or midnight trip to our office and can wait until normal business hours to treat.
• If a child has one of more of these symptoms: fever of 104 or higher, lethargy, fussiness and meningitis (Stiff neck, vomiting, sensitivity to lights).

Treating Fevers At Home

If your child is dealing with a fever that isn’t a cause for concern, here are some steps you can take to help reduce your child’s temperature:

• Medications like ibuprofen (which are often the most effective) or acetaminophen. Do not give children 12 and under Aspirin.
• To help get your little one’s fever down quickly you can have them soak in a lukewarm bathtub or apply a cool cloth to their head.
• Offer your child cool liquids to reduce their fever and also make sure they stay hydrated.

Nothing is more important then the health of your child. If your child has developed a fever and you’re concerned don’t hesitate to call your Kennesaw, GA pediatrician at Spectrum Pediatric Group today!