How To: Care for a child with a fever

Dr. Bob Sears explains to parents the difference between a child's fever that may be serious and one that isn't. Only when the child's fever is high and any efforts to bring it down have failed, should you seek medical attention. This means the child could have a serious infection. A temperature of 103 or more is considered high, 101-102 is medium, and 99-100 is typical. Dr. Sears recommends using a regular digital underarm thermometer to check the child's temperature. Hold the thermometer under the arm for 15-20 seconds, and your done. To bring down the fever you should administer acetaminophen or ibuprofen, or if you prefer you could put the child in a tub for 15-20 minutes. The water should be about room temperature.