Skip to content Skip to bottom menu
  • Home
    • Our Story
    • The Team
    • Faqs
    • Locations
    • Schedule an Info Session
    • Affiliated Hospital
  • Insurance
    • Well Visit Info
    • Vaccine Schedule
    • A-Z Health Guide
    • Pregnancy and Parenting
    • Medication Dosage
    • Newsletter
    • Podcast
Contact Us Patient Portal Join Today

Administrative Office
11 Park Place NY, NY 10007

212-226-7666 212-202-7988

info@tribecapediatrics.com

Media Inquiries

Tribeca PediatricsNewsletter

Skip to table of contents

Fever: When to Worry & When Not to Worry

exit-btn

June 12, 2019
Tweet

Fever is good and bad. It’s good because it warns you that something is going on in the body, and since most viruses don’t fare well in heat, it helps purge the illness. It’s bad, obviously, because your kid is sick and uncomfortable. But as serious as a febrile illness may be, a fever in and of itself is not dangerous for the body and won’t damage the brain, even in the rare event that it causes convulsions.

A normal temperature is between 97°F and 99°F, a low-grade fever is around 100.5°F, a moderate fever is around 101.5°F, and a high fever is over 103°F. The margin of error is about half a degree, depending on how you take the temperature and the type of thermometer you use. There is also a wide variation in the presentation of fever for a child. The same illness will make some kids boiling hot, while it leaves other kids cold, so to speak. Below are a few points on what to look out for when your child has a fever. As always, we are here for you. If you have any questions, give us a call. You can also reference the Wizard of Dose, pediatric dosing calculator.

When to Worry
– If your child is very sleepy or sluggish and remains that way when the fever drops after anti-fever medication.
– If they have other symptoms, like respiratory difficulty or repetitive vomiting.
– If their fever persists over several days, or subsides and returns.
– If they drinks little fluid, which could lead to dehydration.

When Not to Worry
– If your child is lucid and aware, even in discomfort.
– Even if you can’t bring the fever down, you shouldn’t necessarily worry; some flus and viruses produce fevers that medications can barely touch. This is not a reliable sign of an illness’s severity.
– If the fever disappears after a few days.

What To Do
– Lower your child’s temperature with either acetaminophen or ibuprofen or even both. This is more to alleviate discomfort than to get a better reading on the thermometer. If their discomfort is pronounced, don’t be stingy; use the highest recommended dose for their age, and repeat as often as needed.
– If you have any doubt as to the origin of the fever or the need for treatment, address the issue with your doctor.

What Not To Do
– Don’t take your child’s temperature over and over again. You know they have a fever. It will go up and down until the illness resolves.
– Don’t use cool baths or an alcohol rub. These strategies date from prehistory, and they just create chills and discomfort. Medications are much more effective.

  • Establishing Discipline and Boundaries

     January 13, 2021
  • Mental Health During the Pandemic

     December 10, 2020
  • Let Them Fight

     November 9, 2020
  • Approaching the Flu Season During the Pandemic

     October 16, 2020
  • Flu Shots

     September 11, 2020
  • Daycare During the Pandemic

     August 4, 2020
  • Summer Reading List

     July 2, 2020
  • Talking to Your Kids About Racism

     June 4, 2020
  • We Stand in Solidarity

     June 4, 2020
  • COVID-19 Antibody Testing in Kids

     June 2, 2020
  • Potty Training

     May 21, 2020
  • COVID-19 Antibody Testing

     May 19, 2020
  • FAQs on Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome, Kawasaki Disease and Toxic Shock Syndrome

     May 12, 2020
  • COVID and Kawasaki Virus

     May 8, 2020
  • Virtual Visits

     May 5, 2020
  • Practice Updates on COVID-19

     April 29, 2020
  • Making the Best of Being Stuck at Home

     April 13, 2020
  • Ibuprofen Use During COVID-19

     March 31, 2020
  • COVID-19 and Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health

     March 30, 2020
  • Good News Concerning COVID-19 in Kids

     March 25, 2020
  • COVID-19 Practice Update

     March 23, 2020
  • COVID-19 FAQ From The Practice

     March 13, 2020
  • Letting Kids Entertain Themselves

     March 12, 2020
  • Dr. Michel Cohen’s COVID-19 Update

     February 26, 2020
  • Picky Eater

     January 9, 2020
  • Dr. Jason Perlman on Flu Testing and Treatment

     December 11, 2019
  • Eczema

     November 6, 2019
  • Sibling Rivalry

     October 10, 2019
  • Resisting Toilet Training

     August 22, 2019
  • There is Such a Thing as Good Screen Time

     July 11, 2019
  • Fever: When to Worry & When Not to Worry

     June 12, 2019
  • Take a Walk with Your Kids

     May 9, 2019
  • Measles Update

     April 10, 2019
  • Your Child’s Persistent Cough

     February 6, 2019
  • The Best Games for Family Game Night

     December 20, 2018
  • Why it’s Okay to Say “No” Even During The Holidays

     December 5, 2018
  • Camp Brooklyn Fund Honors Dr. Michel Cohen

     November 5, 2018
  • Having the #MeToo Conversation With Your Children

     October 10, 2018
  • Coxsackie

     September 13, 2018
  • School Anxiety; An Excerpt from Dr. Cohen’s “The New Basics”

     August 23, 2018
  • Flying with Your Baby

     July 12, 2018
  • Q & A with Dr. Cohen on Temper Tantrums

     May 10, 2018
  • Six Things to Know About the Stomach Bug

     February 27, 2018
  • Dr. Michel Cohen Debunks Cold Treatments

     December 5, 2017
  • Flu Season

     September 7, 2017
  • Shoestring

     August 16, 2017
  • Sunscreen and Bug Spray Q & A

     July 13, 2017
  • Summer Time, Ticks and Lyme

     June 13, 2017
  • Springing into Allergy Season

     May 16, 2017
  • Standardized Stress

     April 13, 2017
  • Embracing the New

     March 14, 2017
  • Your Little Thumb Sucker

     February 14, 2017
  • Let Them Eat Peanuts

     January 12, 2017
  • Happy Holidays! No Hugs Just Yet

     December 15, 2016
  • Car Seats and Public Transportation

     November 10, 2016
  • Flu Shots

     September 14, 2016
  • Back to School Blues

     August 9, 2016
  • Kids, Germs, and Immunity

     July 14, 2016
  • Summer Health in the Summer Heat

     July 7, 2016
  • Toddlers and Tics

     June 6, 2016
  • Ear Fears

     June 2, 2016
  • Circumcision Decision, Penis Maintenance, and…Circumcision Revision

     May 10, 2016
  • Allergy Season

     May 5, 2016
  • Let’s Get Physical

     April 14, 2016
  • BEDTIME RITUALS

     February 29, 2016
  • HEALTHY DISCIPLINE

     February 2, 2016
  • For Your Anti Antibiotic Consideration

     January 8, 2016
  • Surviving the Holidays

     December 10, 2015
  • A Healthy Adoption

     November 12, 2015
  • Open Enrollment for the New York Health Exchange

     October 21, 2015
  • Staying Healthy when Kids are Sick

     October 16, 2015
  • Flu Season, The Most Wonderful Time of Year

     October 16, 2015
  • Tech and Your Tots, Friend or Foe?

     September 9, 2015
  • The Flu Vaccine 2015-2016

     September 9, 2015
  • Sleepy Scene

     August 10, 2015
  • Lighten the Load

     August 10, 2015
  • How Young is too Young for Public Transportation?

     July 16, 2015
  • Air Travel Tips

     June 18, 2015

Site Map

About Us

  • Our Story
  • FAQ’s
  • The Team
  • Careers
  • Community Giving
  • Media Inquiries
  • Podcast

Your Office

  • Locations
  • Affiliated Hospital
  • Schedule a Virtual Info Session
  • Insurance
  • Medical Release Form

Health Resources

  • A-Z Health Guide
  • Well Visit Info
  • Vaccine Schedule
  • Medication Dosage
  • Pregnancy and Parenting Classes
  • Breastfeeding Support
  • Newsletter
Tribeca Pediatrics
Visit is on FacebookVisit us on Instagram