The single most common reason parents call our nurse line at 10 PM is a thermometer reading. So here is the honest version: the number on the thermometer matters far less than how your child looks, drinks and behaves. A 103 °F child who is grumpy but drinking juice and watching cartoons worries me less than a 100 °F child who is limp and will not make eye contact.
Call us today if
Your baby is under three months old and has any fever at all. Your child has a fever with a rash that does not fade when you press a glass against it, a stiff neck, trouble breathing, a seizure, or is unusually drowsy and hard to wake. Or the fever has lasted more than three days. For any of these, call reception during the day or the nurse line at (718) 555-0161 at night; for breathing trouble or a seizure, call 911.
At home for everything else
Offer fluids often and in small amounts — sips, ice pops, diluted juice. Dress them lightly. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen dosed by weight makes a miserable child comfortable; it does not need to bring the number to normal, and it does not need to be given to a child who is sleeping peacefully. Do not alternate the two on a schedule unless we have told you to.
Most viral fevers break in two to three days. Same-week appointments in pediatrics are usually available within two business days, and acute cases walk in between 7:30 and 9:00 AM without booking. If you are unsure, the nurse line is exactly for that — you will never be told you should not have called.
