HealthInfo Aoraki South Canterbury
Helping your child with fever (high temperature)
Te whakarauora i te karawaka ki ngā tamariki
You can look after your tamaiti (child) with a fever at home if they:
- are drinking and eating well
- are still interacting with you
- do not look sick.
Undress them so they are just wearing a single layer (maybe a singlet and pants). Make sure the room is not too hot or too cold. These are the best and most comfortable ways to bring their temperature down. It is best not to give them a bath or shower to cool them. You could use a cool face cloth.
Your tamaiti may need extra rest, or they may want to play. Either is OK.
Encourage them to drink fluids and eat small, healthy meals.
If they are happy and well, you do not need to do anything more. You do not need to treat the fever with medicine.
If your tamaiti is miserable because of the fever, you can give them paracetamol to make them more comfortable. You must follow the dosage instructions on the bottle. It is dangerous to give more than the recommended dose.
You do not need to give your tamaiti paracetamol before or after immunisation.
If your doctor gives your tamaiti ibuprofen, only use it if they are miserable.
Do not give them cold or flu medicines.
Never give them aspirin as this may increase the risk of Reye syndrome, which is a rare and serious illness.
Helping children less than 3 months old
Young pēpi (babies) (less than 3 months old) need a different and more cautious approach. Pēpi get fevers for the same reasons as older tamariki (children), but they are not as good at fighting off infections.
Always take your pēpi to a doctor if they have a fever and are less than 3 months old. If you are worried, take them to your doctor even if they do not have a fever.
Some pēpi may have an unstable temperature with an infection. They may be colder than normal. In a sick pēpi, this is a worrying sign and is a reason to see a doctor urgently.
You need to keep them warm. But they can get too hot if you wrap them in too many layers when they are in a warm place. A good guide is to dress them in one more layer than you are comfortable wearing in the same environment.
Getting help for your child with fever
If you are worried about your tamaiti, whether or not they have a fever, you should take them to see a doctor.
If they have already seen a doctor but are getting worse, take them back to the doctor.
For more detail about when to see a doctor see Overview of fever (high temperature) in children.
Adapted from KidsHealth as part of a National Health Content Hub collaborative. Last reviewed December 2024.
SourcesReview key: HIFEC-49206
