Featuring Dr. Tony Taylor, MD, EMBA

Duration: 2 minutes, 18 seconds

Pediatric fevers, or fevers in kids, can be quite worrisome to parents.

They get worried about how high the temperature is, how well they're feeding, or how they're behaving. In children, the most important thing to look at is how well they're feeding and how they are behaving. Temperature on its own is not as important as what the child's behavior is.

If the child has a temperature of 38 and is behaving abnormally or lethargic it's important to get them assessed immediately, as opposed to the child who has a temperature of 39 or a high temperature and is running around the room playing. It's less likely that they will have a serious illness.

If you are concerned, regardless of their temperature or behavior you should seek the attention of a healthcare provider. Some simple treatments that can be taken at home include the use of antipyretics, or medications such as acetominophin or ibuprofen.

When a child has a temperature and you give them an antipyretic their temperature may not retutn to baseline or to normal. What's important to watch is how their behavior changes. So if they have a fever and their behavior is a little bit lethargic or they're a little bit sluggish, not feeding quite as well, you give them the acetominophin or ibuprofen, and thye now behave more normally than they were before, that is a good sign.

You should seek medical attention or go to the hospital if your child is not responding to the antipyretic, that is to the acetominophin or ibuprofen, or if their fever stays high, it's not coming down with the antipyretic, or if their behavior is not returning to normal it's important to have them evaluated by a healthcare professional.

Presenter: Dr. Tony Taylor, Emergency Physician, New Westminster, BC

Local Practitioners: Emergency Physician