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Medications
such as Paracetamol (Acetaminophen in North America) or Ibuprofen can make babies and
children who are febrile feel more comfortable. Often they also bring the body temperature down. Our
aim when we prescribe these medications is to make your baby or toddler feel more
comfortable not necessarily to bring the temperature down (which is just an indication that the body is doing its job). For doses of medications, click here. Infant or toddler fever in itself is not a bad thing. Being febrile can be a sign of a serious illness and the serious illness might cause problems if not treated, but the temperature in itself rarely causes problems. Sometimes mothers feel that it is essential that they always treat the temperature as it can cause damage to the brain or cause convulsions (so called febrile seizures or fever fits). This is not actually correct. Babies and toddlers who have febrile seizures do not get damage to the brain and we know that trying to keep the temperature under control with medication will not stop febrile seizures. It is not the height of the infant or toddler fever that predicts a febrile seizure and sometimes children have a febrile seizure before any temperature has been noticed. So trying to keep the temperature down is not the answer.
If your child has an elevated temperature
To go to the top of the Infant and Toddler Fever page, click here To read more about Febrile Seizures (convulsions), click here - read about this relatively common condition in children. You will learn about benign convulsions and complex seizures. Remember infant and toddler fever is nothing to panic about. To read about the treatment of febrile seizures (convulsions), click here - read about what to do if your child has a seizure (convulsion) and what the research shows about preventing further seizures (convulsions) with toddler fever If your child has fever with vomiting or diarrhea, click here - read about gastroenteritis and its management If your child has any ear nose throat symptoms, click here - for more information on upper respiratory tract infections, the common cold, ear infections and tonsillitis which are a common reason for a toddler fever To read about symptoms of serious illness, click here - read about the symptoms that are seen in seriously ill babies and toddlers. Always see your doctor if you are very worried about your baby or toddler
Last reviewed on 20 September 2007
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