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What Can Be Done For Fever In A 1-year-old Infant?
Question: My 13 month old daughter has had a fever ranging from 99-102 degrees all day. She has no other symptoms. What could this be ?
Brief Answer:
Very likely self limiting viral infection and no worries related to it
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Fever is a very common symptom in young children and most likely causes are viral infections and depending on the other associated symptoms the primary site being infected might be determined. If cough or runny nose were present, it might be viral respiratory infection. If diarrhea, vomiting then gastroenteritis etc.
Most of the time, around 80% of the times a child has fever, if the fever is for less than 72 hours and the child is active and playful and taking plenty of fluids and eating; then this very likely is self limiting and no other treatment is needed other than fluids, rest and antipyretics (paracetamol, ibuprofen).
Sometimes the fever might last all day the first day or two and might even be resistant to antipyretics. Even though this might happen with simple viral infection still a consultation to rule out other causes is advisable in these cases.
If the child is not active, fever is for longer than 72 hours or not taking good amount of fluids; these are signs that the child has to be seen by a doctor as soon as possible.
In these cases more severe infections might be considered: secondary complication or viral infection with otitis or pneumonia might be considered and if the child has just fever without other clear symptoms very likely urinary infection might be a cause. Very rarely the cause might be meningitis.
To summarize I would say:
1. It is always safer for a child with fever to be checked by a medical professional to rule out more rare cases of fever
2. Paracetamol and Ibuprofen according to weight of the child to reduce fever
3. Plenty of fluids
4. Keep the child at home to be able to rest and reduce exposure of other people
5. If no improvement in 72 hours then tests might be needed like chest X-ray, urinalysis and sometimes CBC and ERS.
I hope this answers your questions and is helpful to you but please feel free to contact me in case more clarification is needed on this issue.
Hope I have answered your query. I wish quick healing for your daughter.
Regards,
Dr. Zotaj Antoneta
General & Family Physician
Very likely self limiting viral infection and no worries related to it
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Fever is a very common symptom in young children and most likely causes are viral infections and depending on the other associated symptoms the primary site being infected might be determined. If cough or runny nose were present, it might be viral respiratory infection. If diarrhea, vomiting then gastroenteritis etc.
Most of the time, around 80% of the times a child has fever, if the fever is for less than 72 hours and the child is active and playful and taking plenty of fluids and eating; then this very likely is self limiting and no other treatment is needed other than fluids, rest and antipyretics (paracetamol, ibuprofen).
Sometimes the fever might last all day the first day or two and might even be resistant to antipyretics. Even though this might happen with simple viral infection still a consultation to rule out other causes is advisable in these cases.
If the child is not active, fever is for longer than 72 hours or not taking good amount of fluids; these are signs that the child has to be seen by a doctor as soon as possible.
In these cases more severe infections might be considered: secondary complication or viral infection with otitis or pneumonia might be considered and if the child has just fever without other clear symptoms very likely urinary infection might be a cause. Very rarely the cause might be meningitis.
To summarize I would say:
1. It is always safer for a child with fever to be checked by a medical professional to rule out more rare cases of fever
2. Paracetamol and Ibuprofen according to weight of the child to reduce fever
3. Plenty of fluids
4. Keep the child at home to be able to rest and reduce exposure of other people
5. If no improvement in 72 hours then tests might be needed like chest X-ray, urinalysis and sometimes CBC and ERS.
I hope this answers your questions and is helpful to you but please feel free to contact me in case more clarification is needed on this issue.
Hope I have answered your query. I wish quick healing for your daughter.
Regards,
Dr. Zotaj Antoneta
General & Family Physician
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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