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Toddler Fever

This photo is licensed under cc by sa 2.0 by gitsul.

When your toddler is sick, it can be distressing not only for her but for the rest of the family as well.

Much of your toddler's distress when she is sick is due to a fever. If you find that she does have a fever, relieving it will make her feel much better.

If your toddler's fever gets too high, it can lead to dehydration. A high fever may also cause seizures in children between 6 months and 4 years.

This is why it is very important to control the fever as soon as you notice it.

If your toddler has a fever but is otherwise well and happy, you probably shouldn't worry too much about it.

All toddlers suffer from fevers at some stage, and in most cases the fever is a normal body response to common illness such as the common cold and flu.

You should however start to worry if you notice that in conjunction with their fever, your toddler has these symptoms.

How can you tell if your toddler has a fever?

I Want a Hug, Mummy...

Clinginess and irritability are common in toddlers with a fever.

Through experience with my own children, I have been able to detect fevers by simply touching their skin around their neck, forehead and chest.

So far I have been able to correctly assess every time they've had a fever; however I always double-check and make sure that my assessments are correct by taking their temperature with a thermometer. You cannot simply rely on touch.

I personally use a digital thermometer. There are other types of thermometer available. These include: -

To be sure that your toddler does have a fever, you have to take her temperature. Her normal body temperature is 37^oC or 98.6^oF (it will be about half a degree Celsius lower if measured in her armpit).

What should you do if your toddler has a fever?

You may have heard from some people (more likely from your mum, dad, or others from their generation) that you should wrap your toddler up in warmer clothes or blankets in order for her to "sweat off the fever".

Fever? No Sweat!

If her fever is elevated too much, she is at risk of having a seizure. So I wouldn't listen to anyone that tells you this nonsense about sweating it off.

Here's what you should do: -

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