For almost all kids, fevers aren't a big problem. Once the cause of the fever is treated or goes away on its own, your body temperature comes back down to normal and you feel like your old self again. Most doctors say that kids with a fever less than 102° Fahrenheit (38.9° Celsius) don't need to take any special medication unless their fevers are making them uncomfortable.
It's a different story for newborns and very young infants, though. They should be evaluated by a doctor for any fever that reaches 100.4° Fahrenheit (38° Celsius) or higher.
If a kid has a higher fever, the doctor usually will tell a parent to give the child medicine. The two medicines most often recommended are acetaminophen (say: uh-see-tuh-mih-nuh-fen) or ibuprofen (say: eye-byoo-pro-fen). The medicine blocks the chemicals that tell the hypothalamus to turn up the heat. Kids should never take aspirin to treat a fever because it can cause a rare but serious illness.
If you have a fever, your mom or dad will probably ask you to drink fluids. That's important because as your body heats up, it's easy for it to get dehydrated (say: dee-hi-drayt-ed), which means there isn't enough water in your body. You have a lot of choices when it comes to fluids — juice, water, sports drinks, soup, flavored gelatin, and even ice pops. Before you know it, your mom or dad will pull the thermometer out of your mouth and say, "Your temperature is normal. No more fever!"
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: April 2007
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