How to treat your child's fever
To get an accurate temperature reading for newborns to one-year-olds, use only a rectal thermometer. Follow package instructions.
Your health care provider recommends treating a fever in a child younger than one year old only if they have a fever higher than 102 F by rectum. You should not give any form of fever-reducing or pain medicine to a child younger than one year old if you do not know their rectal temperature.
Important: Follow your health care provider's instructions or the instructions on the package label. Keep all medicines out of reach of children.
Acetaminophen
Brand names of acetaminophen include Liquiprin®, Tempra®, Little Fevers® and Children's Tylenol® Oral Suspension®.
- Always follow your health care provider's instructions.
- One dose of acetaminophen should last for four hours. Do not give another dose during those four hours.
- Do not give your child more than five doses of acetaminophen in 24 hours.
- Do not give your child more medicine than the amount recommended by your health care provider or listed on the package label.
- Keep this and all medicines out of reach of children.
- Do not save droppers from old bottles. Only give the dosage with the syringe or dosing tool that comes with the medicine.
|
Acetaminophen dosage chart For the chart below: Find your child's weight. Follow the column that matches your child's weight to liquid or chewable tablets. |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (pounds) | 6 to 11 | 12 to 17 | 18 to 23 | 24 to 35 | 36 to 47 |
| Age |
newborn to 2 years |
2 to 3 years | 4 to 5 years | ||
| Dose (milligrams) |
40 mg |
80 mg |
120 mg |
160 mg |
240 mg |
| Infant suspension (160 mg/5 mL) |
1.25 mL |
2.5 mL |
3.75 mL |
5 mL |
7.5 mL |
| Liquid (160 mg/5 mL) |
1.25 mL (1/4 teaspoon) |
2.5 mL (1/2 teaspoon) |
3.75 mL (3/4 teaspoon) |
5 mL (1 teaspoon) |
7.5 mL (1 and 1/2 teaspoon) |
| Chewable tablets (80 mg each) |
-- |
-- |
-- |
2 tablets |
3 tablets |
| Children's chewable tablets (160 mg each) |
-- |
-- |
-- |
1 tablet |
1 1/2 tablets |
Ibuprofen
Brand names of ibuprofen include Advil®, Motrin® and Nuprin®. Ibuprofen is also known as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
- Always follow your health care provider's instructions.
- Do not give ibuprofen to a child younger than six months old. It is neither recommended nor approved.
- One dose of ibuprofen should last six to eight hours. Do not give another dose during those six to eight hours.
- Do not give your child more than four doses of ibuprofen in 24 hours.
- Do not give your child more medicine than the amount recommended by your health care provider or listed on the package label.
- Keep this and all medicines out of reach of children.
- Do not save droppers from old bottles. Only give the dosage with the syringe or dosing tool that comes with the medicine.
|
Ibuprofen dosage chart For the chart below: Find your child's weight. Follow the column that matches your child's weight to drops, liquid or chewable tablets. |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (pounds) | 12 to 17 | 18 to 23 | 24 to 35 | 36 to 47 |
| Age |
6 to 23 months |
2 to 3 years |
4 to 5 years | |
| Dose (milligrams) |
50 mg |
75 mg |
100 mg |
150 mg |
| Drops (50 mg/1.25 mL) |
1.25 mL (2/3 dropper) |
1.875 mL (1 dropper) |
2.5 mL (1 and 1/3 dropper) |
3.75 mL (2 droppers) |
| Liquid or suspension (100 mg/5 mL) |
-- |
-- |
5 mL (1 teaspoon) |
7.5 mL (1 and 1/2 teaspoon) |
| Chewable tablets (100 mg each) |
-- |
-- |
1 tablet |
1 and 1/2 tablets |
Aspirin
Do not give your child aspirin or medicines that contain salicylate to treat a viral illness, unless your health care provider gives you instructions. These medicines put your child at risk of developing Reye's syndrome, a life-threatening brain and liver disorder.
When To Call Your Health Care Provider
Call your health care provider if:
- your child is younger than two months old and has a temperature of at least 100.4 F by rectum
- your child is two to three months old and has a temperature of more than 101 F by rectum and has signs of illness
- your child has a temperature higher than 104 F by rectum
- your child's fever does not go down within 24 hours
- you gave your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen but the fever and signs of illness last for three days
- your child breaks out in a rash
- your child vomits
Non-medicine treatments
- Give your child lots of liquids. Do not force them to drink.
- Dress your child in lightweight clothing. If your child has chills, offer your child a blanket. Take off the blanket when your child feels warmer.
What a febrile (fever) seizure means
Important
Call 911 if your child has trouble breathing, or if the seizure lasts more than 15 minutes.
A febrile (fever) seizure is usually harmless. About 6 percent of children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years have a seizure with a rapidly rising fever.
A seizure usually lasts for less than 1 minute but it can last up to 15 minutes or longer.
Your child is possibly having a seizure if:
- their eyes roll upward
- their arms are flexed and legs are straight or if there is a rhythmic jerking of arms and legs
What to do if your child has a seizure
- Turn on the lights.
- Move your child to a soft surface. Roll your child to their side so any saliva or vomit can drain from their mouth.
- Do not hold your child. They will thrash around. Make sure there are no objects around your child that could injure them.
- Do not put anything in your child's mouth.
- Check a clock to time the seizure.
- Watch for arm, let or eye movements. Check your child's breathing.
- When the seizure is done, sweep away any saliva or vomit with a napkin or washcloth. Your child may appear to be drowsy after the seizure.
- Call your health care provider.
- Call 911 if your child has trouble breathing, or if the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes.