It’s an experience virtually every parent has had or will have at some point.
You’re holding an utterly miserable baby who has a fever and can’t be consoled. You’ve taken their temperature, but you’re not super confident in the result, considering the baby was trying to twist away the whole time, and that number does not look a bit reasonable.
Of course, this isn’t happening during the hours your regular pediatrician is available. Is it time to go to the emergency room?
For Some Kids, A Fever Is An Emergency Every Time
Dr. Meghan Martin warns that if your kids fall into one of several categories, a fever warrants emergency care every time.
These categories include:
- Children under three months old
- Immune compromised children
- Kids with Sickle Cell Disease
- Children undergoing chemotherapy
- Transplant patients
- Kids with a central line or port
- Unvaccinated kids
Outside those groups, she recommends paying more attention to other symptoms and the child’s appearance and behavior rather than the temperature.
“Treat The Patient, Not The Number”
Dr. Martin, who specializes in pediatric emergency medicine and shares her advice and information with parents via TikTok on the side, says that actions focused solely on the number that pops up on a thermometer may be misguided.
Instead, she says, you should focus on how the child feels.
“If you have a kid that is 104 degrees and they’re running around the living room chugging a Gatorade, they’re probably cool to not come to the Emergency Room.”
On the other hand, even with a lower fever, she says, you may want to bring a child in if they “look like crap.”
She says that if her kids seem comfortable and hydrated, she hands over an iPad and keeps an eye on them. If they seem uncomfortable, she offers Tylenol or ibuprofen, notes the time, and watches for changes.
The Easy Thermometers Are The Wrong Thermometers, Sorry
We all breathed a sigh of relief when thermometers used in the ear or on the forehead became readily available, right?
Everyone was so tired of trying to force the old digital thermometers under the arm, under the tongue, or in even less fun locations.
Unfortunately, Dr. Martin (Beachgem10 on TikTok) says that these devices aren’t as reliable and that we should stick with the old standard.
“You can take the temperature in the mouth, under the arm, or in the booty for babies, and a fever is 100.4 degrees for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you typically run low.”
These Symptoms Can Be More Relevant Than Fever
So, what should we focus on if the numbers aren’t the key to treatment?
Dr. Martin says that if your child is struggling to breathe, seems dehydrated, or shows signs of confusion or other altered mental state, then it’s time to go to the emergency room.
However, there’s one other factor: a parental instinct. If you’re wrong, maybe you’ve taken an unnecessary trip to the ER, but if you ignore that instinct and are wrong, the consequences could be more severe.
So, she says, trust your gut. If you feel like you need to go to the ER, as a parent, you do what feels right.
Watch in Dr. Martin’s own words below:
