What should I do if a child has a persistent fever?

Sep 05, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng

Introduction

In general, a child's fever that does not subside may be caused by factors such as excessive clothing leading to poor heat dissipation, insufficient water intake affecting metabolism, acute upper respiratory tract infection, acute gastroenteritis, or purulent tonsillitis. It is recommended to seek timely medical attention, identify the underlying cause, and then improve the condition through general treatment, medication, or other approaches under a doctor's guidance.

Generally, a child's fever that does not subside could be caused by various factors, including excessive clothing or bedding that hinders heat dissipation, insufficient water intake affecting metabolism, acute upper respiratory tract infection, acute gastroenteritis, and suppurative tonsillitis. It is recommended to seek timely medical attention, identify the underlying cause, and then improve the condition through general treatments, medications, etc., under a doctor's guidance. Detailed explanations are as follows:

1. Excessive clothing and poor heat dissipation: Wearing too many clothes or being covered with overly thick blankets can hinder the body's heat dissipation, causing the body temperature to remain elevated. Reduce clothing promptly, choose loose and breathable cotton garments, maintain good indoor ventilation, and keep the room temperature between 22-26°C to facilitate natural heat dissipation.

2. Insufficient water intake affecting metabolism: Children lose more fluids through sweating during fever, and failure to replenish fluids timely may slow down metabolism and hinder heat dissipation. Give the child small amounts of warm water frequently, or appropriate amounts of mild rice soup or juice to replenish fluids and electrolytes and promote metabolic heat dissipation.

3. Acute upper respiratory tract infection: Often caused by viral infection, the inflammatory stimulation leads to persistent fever elevation, accompanied by symptoms such as nasal congestion and runny nose. When the body temperature exceeds 38.5°C, follow medical advice to use medications such as paracetamol suspension drops, ibuprofen suspension, or pediatric Chai Gui antipyretic granules to reduce fever.

4. Acute gastroenteritis: Caused by bacterial or viral infections due to unclean diet, gastrointestinal inflammation leads to persistent fever, accompanied by symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting. Follow medical advice to use medications such as montmorillonite powder, Bifidobacterium quadruple live tablets, and oral rehydration salts III to alleviate diarrhea, replenish fluids, and prevent dehydration.

5. Suppurative tonsillitis: Bacterial infection causes pus formation in the tonsils, resulting in a strong inflammatory response that leads to persistent fever, accompanied by symptoms such as sore throat and swollen tonsils. Follow medical advice to use antibiotics such as amoxicillin clavulanate potassium granules, cefixime granules, and pediatric Yankening granules to treat the infection.

In daily care, provide the child with light and easily digestible food, such as porridge and soft noodles, and avoid spicy and greasy foods. Closely monitor temperature changes, measuring every 1-2 hours, and record temperature fluctuations to assist doctors in diagnosis and treatment.

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What methods can quickly reduce fever in children?

In general, a child's fever may be caused by factors such as excessive environmental temperature leading to insufficient heat dissipation, immune response after vaccination, upper respiratory tract infection, acute gastroenteritis, or bacterial pneumonia. It is recommended to seek timely medical attention, identify the underlying cause, and then improve the condition through physical cooling methods, medication, and other treatments under a doctor's guidance. Additionally, it is important to ensure the child's daily diet is light and easily digestible, avoiding oily and spicy foods.

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At what temperature will a child experience convulsions due to fever?

In general, there is no fixed temperature threshold at which a child will experience seizures during fever. Most often, seizures occur when body temperature rapidly rises above 38.5°C. However, some children may experience seizures even if their temperature does not reach 38.5°C. This primarily relates to individual physical condition and the speed at which body temperature rises. When a child has a fever, parents should closely monitor temperature changes and administer antipyretic medication promptly if the temperature exceeds 38.5°C.

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Which areas should be massaged to reduce fever in children?

Fever, also known as pyrexia, can be accompanied by massage therapy to assist in reducing body temperature in children. However, the appropriateness of massage should be considered based on individual circumstances. Commonly used acupoints for fever reduction include clearing the heavenly river water (Qing Tian He Shui), pushing the Kan Palace (Tui Kan Gong), rubbing the Taiyang point, clearing the lung meridian (Qing Fei Jing), and pressing and rubbing the Hegu point. Proper techniques may help alleviate symptoms of fever. If there are any concerns, it is recommended to seek medical advice in advance.

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How to handle a child's fever of 38°C

In general, a child's fever of 38°C may be caused by factors such as high environmental temperature leading to insufficient heat dissipation, increased body heat production after vigorous activity, acute upper respiratory tract infection, infantile emergency rash (roseola), acute gastroenteritis, and other reasons. It is recommended to seek timely medical attention, identify the underlying cause, and then improve the condition through general treatment, medication, or other approaches under the guidance of a physician.