A high fever can be extremely alarming for parents or a caregiver of a child that is otherwise healthy. In most cases it isn’t anything serious and simply indicates that the body has some type of infection and is doing its job properly. However at other times, a fever can be a life-threatening situation where medical personnel needs to be contacted immediately.
When to Call the Doctor
A doctor should be called any time you suspect that something may be serious. Call it a gut reaction if you want, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. While the guidelines below can help you decide when medical personnel should be called, if you suspect that there is any problem that should be addressed by a professional, don’t hesitate to make the call.
Ask your doctor for the protocol for calling when a fever is present. There are different temperature guides for children of various ages. While a certain temperature may not be considered an emergency in an older child, it could be serious cause for concern in a youngster. Ask for guidelines from your doctor so that you’ll know when to call.
Serious Problems
The following are a list of serious problems that can accompany a fever. Call for medical help if the child is display any of the following conditions:
- Bulging soft spot on the skull
- Repeated vomiting and/or severe diarrhea
- Appears dehydrated
- A seizure is triggered by the fever
- A rash appears
- The child becomes unresponsive
Ask your pediatrician how they recommend treating fevers and when it would be appropriate to give your child acetaminophen. Aspirin should never be given to children under the age of 18 since an extremely dangerous disease of the brain called Reye’s syndrome can develop.
All parents and caregivers should know how to recognize the signs of a fever, how to take a temperature accurately, how to provide comfort to a patient and when it’s time to call a doctor. Take a first-aid course soon so that you can act confidently the next time your child or a child in your care comes down with a fever. Visit our site at heart2heartcpr.com to learn more about our courses and how to schedule one today. We offer classes Canada wide including First Aid & CPR training in Toronto.