Is a fever of 104 dangerous for a child?

Also, when your child’s temperature rises toward 104 or 105 degrees Fahrenheit, or it does not decrease abruptly with acetaminophen or ibuprofen, you should contact your child’s pediatrician, who likely will direct them to an urgent care or ER.

Most fevers with viral illnesses range between 101° and 104° F (38.4° and 40° C). They may last for 2 or 3 days. They are not harmful.

If your child is 3 or older, visit the pediatric ER if the child’s temperature is over 102 degrees for two or more days. You should also seek emergency care if the fever is accompanied by any of these symptoms: Abdominal pain. Difficulty breathing or swallowing.

Fevers above 104° F (40° C) are dangerous. They can cause brain damage. FACT. Fevers with infections don’t cause brain damage. Only temperatures above 108° F (42° C) can cause brain damage.

1. Take your temperature and assess your symptoms. …
2. Stay in bed and rest.
3. Keep hydrated. …
4. Take over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen to reduce fever. …
5. Stay cool. …
6. Take tepid baths or using cold compresses to make you more comfortable.

Defined as an elevated body temperature resulting from a raised hypothalamic set point2, hospitalists often treat fever with acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These routinely administered medications act centrally to temporarily lower the hypothalamic set point and relieve fever.

Call your doctor if your child’s temperature reaches 102.2 degrees F or higher. Most fevers go away in a couple of days. Call your doctor if the fever lasts four days or more.

High-grade fevers range from about 103 F-104 F. Dangerous temperatures are high-grade fevers that range from over 104 F-107 F or higher (extremely high fevers are also termed hyperpyrexia).

1. A lukewarm sponge bath (stop if your child starts to shiver).
2. Lots of liquids.
3. Light clothing and lower room temperatures.
4. Rest — in most cases, you shouldn’t wake a sleeping child to give them fever medicine.

Do not put extra blankets or clothes on. This may cause your fever to rise even higher. Dress in light, comfortable clothing. Use a lightweight blanket or sheet when you sleep.

At night, there is less cortisol in your blood. As a result, your white blood cells readily detect and fight infections in your body at this time, provoking the symptoms of the infection to surface, such as fever, congestion, chills, or sweating. Therefore, you feel sicker during the night.

Adults. Call your doctor if your temperature is 103 F (39.4 C) or higher. Seek immediate medical attention if any of these signs or symptoms accompanies a fever: Severe headache.

Mild or moderate states of fever (up to 105 °F [40.55 °C]) cause weakness or exhaustion but are not in themselves a serious threat to health. More serious fevers, in which body temperature rises to 108 °F (42.22 °C) or more, can result in convulsions and death.

High fevers are 103 degrees or above. A potentially dangerous fever begins when your temperature is at least 104 degrees. If you have a fever that is 105 degrees or higher, you need immediate medical attention.

If your child is achy and fussy, and his or her temperature is above 102°F (38.8°C), you may want to give him or her acetaminophen.

• Penicillins (amoxicillin and penicillin G). …
• Beta-lactamase inhibitors (amoxicillin-clavulanic acid or Augmentin). …
• Cephalosporins (cefdinir, ceftibuten, etc.). …
• Macrolides (azithromycin and erythromycin). …
• Sulfa drugs (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole).

Too often, parents reach straight for fever-reducing medications like Tylenol or Motrin, says Johnson Memorial Health. But unless your pediatrician has specifically recommended medication, we advise that you hold off and give your child’s fever a chance to do its job.

1. Feed Them Nourishing Soup.
2. Apple Cider Bath.
3. Herbal Teas.
4. Probiotics.
5. Fruit Popsicles.
6. Use a Cold Compress.
7. Lightweight clothing.
8. Turmeric Milk.

Placing a cool, damp washcloth on your forehead and the back of your neck can help your fever symptoms feel better. You might also want to give yourself a sponge bath with cool water, focusing on high-heat areas like your armpits and groin. Normally, this method, known as tepid sponging, is done for about 5 minutes.

A cold compress is a frozen or chilled material, such as an ice pack or a cool, wet washcloth. When used correctly, they can help to relieve pain and swelling or cool a fever.

Measures to cool the body from the outside – like wrapping the child’s lower legs in wet towels or putting the child in a lukewarm bath – cool the surface of the body but don’t reduce the fever. Cold drinks, light clothing and light bedding can have a cooling effect too.

A fever starts with any temperature that reaches 100.4°F or above. A temperature between 100.4°F and 102.2°F is considered a low-grade fever; a temperature above 102.2°F is considered a high fever.

Why it’s worse at night: Body temperature rises naturally in the evening, so a fever that was slight during the day can easily spike during sleep.

Often fevers come with respiratory illnesses including croup, pneumonia and ear infections. The fever goes away as the illness runs its course or, for a bacterial infection, has been treated with antibiotics. Other times, fevers can come and go over weeks at a time.

If his or her temperature is above 100.4 degrees, it is time to call us. For children ages three months to three years, call us if there is a fever of 102 degrees or higher. For all kids three years and older, a fever of 103 degrees or higher means it is time to call Pediatrics East.