When to see a doctor with a child's fever

The height of the fever alone rarely decides. Age, duration and accompanying symptoms do. This list helps at 3 a.m.

Last updated: 24 September 2026

Call emergency services now

• a seizure, especially the first or one lasting over 5 minutes,
• difficulty breathing, grunting, chest sucking in, blue lips,
• a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass,
• cannot be woken, floppy, unresponsive,
• stiff neck, bulging fontanelle in a baby.

Under 3 months

Any fever ≥ 38 °C: contact a doctor the same day, even if the baby looks well. Do not give fever medicine without advice.

3–6 months

• fever ≥ 39 °C,
• fever lasting over 24 hours,
• much less active than usual, not feeding.

Any child — see a doctor within a day

• fever over 3 days, or returning after a fever-free day,
• no urine for 8 hours, crying without tears, dry mouth,
• ear pain, pain when passing urine, severe tummy pain,
• a rash that appeared with the fever,
• fever does not drop after medicine or returns very quickly,
• the child is listless, "not themselves", cannot be comforted — a more important sign than the number.

Log the times of readings, doses and symptoms: the doctor will start with "since when and how high". A list from the last days shortens the visit and reduces the chance that something is missed.

Don't want to calculate and write this down every time?
Oh Fever does it from your child's profile and the product you use: it converts the leaflet dose to weight, counts down to the next dose and watches the daily limit — on iPhone and Apple Watch. Free for one child.

Download on the App Store

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