Fever in children

From 38 °C we speak of a fever. A normal temperature is between about 35.8 and 37.5 °C. A slight rise can also happen without illness, for example in warm weather, after a lot of physical activity or after a crying fit.

Use an electronic thermometer. In children under 3 years, it is best to measure in the bottom (rectally). In older children you can also measure under the tongue or under the armpit, with the arm held firmly against the body. An ear thermometer is also reliable, but more difficult to use in babies. Forehead strips are not reliable.

• Offer drinks often: water, milk or soup. Drinking is more important than eating.
• Do not dress your child too warmly and let them rest.
• Paracetamol can make your child feel better. Give the dose that matches their weight, as stated on the packaging or as advised by the doctor or pharmacist. For children, syrup is preferred.
• Do not give aspirin to children. Only give ibuprofen if the doctor recommends it.

If your child is alert and drinking well, you do not always need to bring the fever down.

Call a doctor straight away – during the day your GP (huisarts) or the paediatrician, and in the evening or at the weekend the GP out-of-hours service (huisartsenwachtpost) on 089 20 10 90 – if:

• your baby is younger than 3 months and has a temperature of 38 °C or higher
• your child is floppy or drowsy, or difficult to wake up
• your child is hardly drinking or passing urine, or keeps crying or moaning
• your child has a dry mouth or sunken eyes
• your child is breathing fast or with difficulty
• the skin or lips are pale, grey or blue
• spots or tiny dots appear on the skin
• there is a fever without a clear cause such as a cold or a stomach bug
• the fever lasts longer than a few days, or comes back after it had already gone

Call 112 if your child no longer responds, has severe breathing difficulty, turns blue or has a fit (seizure) that lasts longer than 5 minutes. If your child has purple or red dots on the skin that do not fade when you press a glass against them, call straight away as well.

Some young children have a fit (seizure) when their temperature rises quickly: they lose consciousness and their arms and legs jerk. This looks very frightening, but it is usually over after a few minutes and your child has no lasting effects. Lay your child on their side, do not put anything in their mouth and check the time. If the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, call 112. After a first febrile seizure, always have your child examined by a doctor.

If your child often has a fever, if you are unsure, or if you would like someone to examine your child thoroughly. You can book online or by phone. For urgent matters outside consultation hours: see Doctor on duty.