Should You Call Your Pediatrician When Your Child Has a Fever?

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VIVIAN LENNON: As a pediatrician, one of the most common concerns parents bring to my attention is a fever. I start by telling them that a fever is a very common process. The fevers are a healing process in the body. Fevers are the way your body actually responds to an illness. It's a symptom.

I tell families they should not panic when their child has a fever. I recommend if their child is uncomfortable, if the fever is actually causing their child to be very fussy, it's causing them distress, then it is OK to treat them with an over-the-counter medication. I recommend that they do contact their pediatrician so that they give the appropriate dose of medication.

The one thing that is very important to understand is if your child is less than two months of age, a fever can be a medical emergency, and you need to contact your pediatrician immediately.