Toddler Activities

In most cases, behavior is a better clue of how sick a toddler is than body temperature. A young child can be seriously ill, with pneumonia or meningitis for example, and have no fever at all, or have a high fever with a mild cold. So it’s important to base your assessment of your child’s condition not just on body temperature, but on symptoms that go with it as well.

80% to 90% of all fever in young children is related to self-limiting viral infection (the kind that get better without treatment). Therefore, giving medicine or treating fever in toddlers are not recommended, unless it is at least 102°F (39°C), even some experts suggest to give toddler medicine, when the temperature reach almost 104°F (40°C). They may however, recommend the use of acetaminophen even with lower temperatures to relieve aches and pains, improve sleep, generally make a toddler more comfortable, and sometimes, to ease a nervous parent.

On the other hand, illnesses caused by bacteria must always be treated with antibiotics, which lower temperature indirectly by wiping out the infection. Depending on the illness, the antibiotic being given, the child’s level of comfort. And how high the fever is, antibiotics and fever reducers may or may not prescribed together. Pay attention when you are treating a fever to toddler:

Keep your toddler cool. Never put on a thick blanket, cover all of your toddler’s body with heavy clothing, or overheated room, as it is not safe, that can actually raise the body’s temperature to dangerous levels. Put a light blanket, dress him with cloths that allow body’s heat to escape (without diaper and pants), and maintain room temperature at 68°F to 70°F (20°C to 21°C), use fan or air conditioner when necessary, but keep your toddler out of the path of air flow from an open window.