Fever in Children 2-5 Years

To lower your child’s fever, try the following tips:

• Give them lots of cool, clear fluids to drink, like water or apple juice; not milk
• Dress them in light, comfortable clothing
• If your child starts to shiver, add more layers of clothing and remove them when the shivering has stopped
• Give them a soothing warm bath to make them feel more comfortable but stop if they are shivering or fussing as this can raise their temperature further 
• Use an over-the-counter (OTC) fever relieving medication that’s specially formulated for children - to relieve your child’s fever, like Children’s TYLENOL^® Liquid or MELTAWAYS™.

What not to do when your child has a fever:

• Don’t wrap your child in blankets — that will only make them hotter
• Don’t use alcohol to cool your child’s body — it can be absorbed through their skin 
• Don’t use an electric fan — that could cause their internal body temperature to rise
• Do not “starve a fever” — your child actually needs calories and liquids to fight their fever
• Do not give your child acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) — ASA may cause a dangerous medical condition called Reye’s Syndrome.

Call the doctor if your child:

• Is unusually fussy, sleepy, cranky or quiet — especially if your child is unresponsive or hard to wake
• Is crying constantly and can’t seem to be settled
• Shows signs of pain (such as abdominal pain for more than 2 hours)
• Has noisy or difficult breathing
• Doesn’t urinate for 6 hours
• Has a convulsion (seizure or fit)
• Can’t seem to move their joints or has a stiff neck (for example, they are unable to look downward)
• Shows signs of confusion or hallucinations
• Has a fever for more than 3 days
• Starts to look or feel different than you’ve ever experienced

You should also call the doctor if your child’s fever:

• Rises above 38.1°C for more than 24 hours
• Rises above 39.4°C after having given them fever-reducing medication
• Rises above 41°C at any time
• Runs for more than 3 days at any temperature

Call your doctor any time you feel unsure about any of your child’s symptoms. That way, you’ll be sure your getting the best advice for your child — something every parent appreciates!