Mother & child · 6 min read
Your child has a fever: what should you do first?
A hot forehead can worry any parent. Take a breath, check the temperature and look at how your child is breathing, drinking and responding.
A temperature of 38°C or higher is a fever. Any fever in a baby under 3 months needs urgent medical advice. In older children, how they breathe, drink, wake and respond is as important as the thermometer number.
Start with a proper temperature
Use a digital thermometer in the armpit and note the number and time. Touching the forehead can tell you a child feels hot, but it cannot measure a fever accurately. Then look at the child in front of you: are they making eye contact, drinking, passing urine and breathing comfortably?
Keep them comfortable, not cold
Offer frequent water, oral fluids or breastfeeds. Dress your child in light, comfortable clothes and let them rest. Do not sponge them with cold water or bundle them in heavy blankets to “sweat out” the fever. Food can be offered, but fluids matter most when appetite is low.
Medicine needs the right child and the right dose
Do not use aspirin in children. Before giving paracetamol or another medicine, confirm that it is suitable for your child’s age, weight and health. Check the strength on the bottle and use the measuring device provided. Do not alternate medicines unless a clinician has specifically advised it.
Young babies need earlier help
A baby younger than 3 months with a temperature of 38°C or higher needs urgent medical advice, even if the baby looks fairly well. Young babies can become unwell quickly and may not show the same clear signs as an older child.
These signs mean come now
Seek urgent care for difficulty breathing, blue or grey lips, a seizure, a stiff neck, a rash that does not fade under pressure, repeated vomiting, very little urine, unusual sleepiness or a child who is not responding normally. If your instinct says your child is getting worse, ask for help.
Common questions
When is a baby’s fever urgent?
A baby younger than 3 months with a temperature of 38°C or higher needs urgent medical advice.
Health information sources
These sources support the general information on this page.
Updated 27 July 2026. Penda adapts public-health guidance for a Kenyan patient audience; this page does not replace a personal consultation.