When fevers are worrisome and what to do

Pediatrician Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP, shares advice for parents who are worried about their child's fever on what signs to look for besides the fever in order to know if you should take your child to see the doctor
What To Do When Your Child's Fevers Are Worrisome
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When fevers are worrisome and what to do

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A fever is rarely dangerous, although I know it can be scary for parent when your little one feels warm, but a fever is not a disease itself. It’s a symptom of an illness. So having a fever as long as your baby is over three months of age, is not a serious thing. So I usually tell parents to relax, try not to get that fever phobia that’s so common. Now for newborns under three months of age; a fever which is a temperature of 100.4 or higher can be serious and if that’s the case I do give you permission to worry, and you must call your pediatrician or even take your baby to the emergency room, because little ones can get sick very quickly, but as long as your infant is over three months of age, it doesn't matter as much what that number on the thermometer reads. When parents call me, if the fever is 101 or 104. What I more care about more, how is your child is acting. So if your child is acting ok, they are keeping fluids down, then you don’t need to worry. You can relax, keep them home and keep an eye on them for few days. Now signs if you do need to worry are if your child has a fever that last for more than three or four days. If they look really sick, if they are not keeping fluids down, if they are vomiting a lot or they are in extreme pain. Then call your doctor and have them be seen right away.


Pediatrician Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP, shares advice for parents who are worried about their child's fever on what signs to look for besides the fever in order to know if you should take your child to see the doctor

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Tanya Altmann, MD, FAAP

Pediatrician

A leading medical authority for the popular press and entertainment industry, Dr. Tanya Altmann is a best-selling author, parenting expert and media spokesperson. A working mother and UCLA-trained pediatrician who practices in Southern California, Dr. Tanya is a designated spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, communicating complicated medical issues into easily understood concepts.  She is a child health expert for numerous news programs and talk shows including Today (NBC), and KTLA (CW Los Angeles). She stays on the cutting edge through her position as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA, as the Chief Medical Advisor for the Newborn Channel and her private practice.

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