My 3 Year Old Nephew Has a Fever!
Sometimes when our nieces and nephews
are left in our care, stuff happens. They get sick, they get hurt, and
issues of concern arise. The following are hypothetical questions that
might occur while you are taking care of the kids. Dr. Stephanie’s
responses should be read for informational and educational purposes
only. While Dr. Stephanie is a real pediatrician, we strongly urge you
to seek professional medical advice from your health care provider when
a real health concern happens. And in case of emergency, call 911!
My three year old nephew has a fever of 103, but there are no other symptoms. I don’t want to worry his parents, but I’m concerned. I don’t want to give him anything. Or should I?
Many times children will have fevers without any obvious signs or symptoms. If he has no prior serious illnesses (i.e. urinary tract infections, frequent pneumonia or chronic ear infections) then most likely it is just a virus and possibly the symptoms will appear later or maybe they won’t. If he is eating (and more importantly) drinking normally, using the bathroom in his normal manner and acting himself, you have nothing to worry about. Having a fever can make children feel sick so there is nothing wrong with giving children’s Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen as directed.
If the fever persists and he has a change in his behavior the best thing to do would then seek medical care.