When it comes to your child’s fever, any parent will want to err on the side of caution. But when do you seek urgent care? What about the emergency room? While there is no substitute for calling your pediatrician for advice, here are some guidelines to help decide when to bring your child to urgent care for a fever.
What is a fever?
A fever is your body’s way of fighting off infection and germs, and serves as a good indicator that something may not be right. When you’re healthy, you can expect your body’s temperature to hover around 98.6 oF; factors such as age, activity level, whether you have overheated (perhaps being outside or in a sauna) and the accuracy of the type of thermometer you use can cause that number to fluctuate. However, most doctors agree that a temperature above 100.4 oF is high and merits medical attention.
Low-grade Fevers in Children
In children, a low-grade fever hovers between 98 oF and approximately 100 oF. In young children, low-grade fevers are quite common after they receive an immunization or when they are teething. A bundled baby may “heat up” when wearing too many layers of clothes. Watch to see if your child is playful, eating, drinking and sleeping normally; if so there likely is no cause for alarm but you should still call your pediatrician for guidance – it could be a sign of something more.
Fevers and Urgent Care
Urgent Care Centers offer timely care for a number conditions that may present as fever; this may include strep throat, sinus and ear infections or upper respiratory infections. In most cases, your pediatricians will advise seeking an urgent care if your child is under three months and has a fever of 100 oF; or if your child is older than three months and has a fever of 102 oF. If your child’s fever progresses and is now exhibiting additional symptoms such as rashes, abdominal pain, and/or vomiting, you need to take your child to an urgent care center.
Seeking Emergency Medical Care
As long as your child is demonstrating no life-threatening symptoms, a visit to the nearest urgent care center should suffice. If your child is three months old or younger and has a rectal thermometer temperature of 100.4 oF, or if the situation is critical, for example, if your child collapses, complains of or demonstrates symptoms of a stiff neck or has a seizure, seek immediate emergency care by calling 911.
Urgent Care in Rochester, New York
When it comes to your child, minor injuries and illnesses never occur at a convenient time. Thank goodness for urgent care. Rochester’s premiere urgent care facility is Cornerstone Urgent Care, where our expert, experienced providers offer compassionate and professional care to your entire family. In addition to our medical care and treatment, we offer on-site diagnostic radiology and clinical laboratory services, as well as experienced urgent care for a variety of illnesses and injuries. We welcome walk-ins and online check-ins for faster care. If you have any questions, give us a call at (585) 207-0088 or check-in online now.
