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- When your child is feeling their worst (typically days three through five), they're most contagious. But symptoms can last for up to two weeks, and they're contagious as long as they're sick.
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Apr 30, 2024 · In a child over 4 months, fevers of up to 104 F shouldn’t cause alarm. A mild fever that lasts up to five days is OK for most kids. A fever that doesn’t affect your child too much. If your ...
Jun 1, 2020 · The average child will get several viral infections a year — which means several fevers. The vast majority of fevers are nothing to worry about, and pass in a day or two. Sometimes, though, parents should worry. Here are some circumstances when you should be worried about a fever and seek medical attention immediately:
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Unless advised otherwise by your child’s healthcare provider, call the provider right away if: Your child is 3 months old or younger and has a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. Get medical care right away. Fever in a young baby can be a sign of a dangerous infection.
Does a fever mean a child is contagious? Usually children with viral infections are the most contagious when they have a fever. That’s why schools have specific guidelines about kids needing to be fever-free, without medication, for a full 24 hours before returning to the classroom.
- Julia Morrill
Pediatricians usually consider a fever to be a temperature of 100.4°F or above (when taken rectally). A child’s body temperature will change naturally throughout the day. Although fevers are often a sign of a good response to an infection, knowing whether a fever requires medical attention can feel overwhelming for parents.
Several studies have documented that peak temperature tends to be in the afternoon and is highest at about 18 to 24 months of age when many normal healthy children have a temperature as high as 38.3° C (101° F). However, fever usually is defined as a core body (rectal) temperature ≥ 38.0° C (100.4° F).
