As a parent, it can be stressful when your child doesn’t feel well. And this is especially true when they have a fever. You might be wondering how you can help them feel better and when you should take them to get medical help. An urgent care clinic is here to see your child when they have a fever, and there are steps you can take to assess their condition at home. To ease your worries, consider this guide.
A fever is the body’s natural response to viruses and infection, so keep this in mind. The brain raises the body’s natural temperature while it signals the immune system to do its job. Especially for toddlers and children, their bodies are built to withstand fevers, and it can be normal for their temperature to climb over 100F. According to Parents, if your child is older than six months old, you shouldn’t need to call the doctor for fevers under 103F.
Most of the time, it’s best to let your child rest while their body fights off a cold, the flu, or other infection. But there are some cases when you should call their doctor or get your child to medical care.Call your child’s doctor if they are under three months old and have a fever over 100F. Children are particularly vulnerable, and their bodies are not developed enough to have a high fever. So, it’s important to check with your doctor, as they might want to see your child. You should also give the doctor a call if your child is between three and six months with a fever of 101F.
However, you should seek emergency care if your child has a fever over 105F. You should also get to the emergency room if your child has a fever along with a stiff neck and headache, severe pain, shortness of breath, severe lethargy, difficulty swallowing, compromised immunity, and other severe symptoms.
Remember: When in doubt, bring your child to a medical clinic. While dizziness is the second most common complaint heard in urgent care offices, affecting 70% of the population, fevers are also extremely common. You may feel like you’ve gone overboard, but it’s better to take your child to an urgent care clinic and make sure they get looked at rather than feel like you can’t take them to the emergency room.