My child has a fever booklet
The booklet "My child has a fever" contains information and tips on what a parent can do when a child has a fever. With this, we hope to alleviate some of the parent's concerns.
Fever is common in children, especially those younger than 5 years old. Your child has a fever when the body temperature is 38 degrees or higher. It is often accompanied by other, sometimes unpleasant symptoms. The fever usually goes away on its own, but can make you, the parent, worry.
Fever is a body temperature of 38 degrees or higher and is often a normal reaction of the body to a bacterium or virus. If your child has a fever, you don't usually need to see a GP. But in some cases it is important to do call the GP immediately.
Measure the temperature with a thermometer in the anus; this is most reliable. An ear thermometer is easy, but less accurate. For babies younger than 3 months, an ear thermometer is not suitable because the entrance to the ear is still too small.
Taking the temperature once a day is enough. Do you think your child is getting sicker and sicker? And do you think the fever has gone up? Then you can always measure again. If your child does not feel ill, you do not need to take a temperature reading.
Fever can last for a few days. How long the fever lasts does not say much about how bad the illness is. Once the body clears the infection, the temperature goes down again. Does your child have a fever for 5 days or more? If so, call your GP's assistant for advice.
The booklet "My child has a fever" contains information and tips on what a parent can do when a child has a fever. With this, we hope to alleviate some of the parent's concerns.
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