At what age do you start to worry about a high fever

[Zoritsa_Nepenthe]

My youngest has always gotten really high fevers and I've not worried much,because I know they don't last long.He's 4 now,and I'm not sure at what age I should start to worry about it.His fever was 104 when he awoke from his nap today,so gave him some medicine, drew a lukewarm bath,and right now he's back to himself.No other symptoms either,so while I'm used to it being that high when he was much younger,it hasn't been that high in a while.

[Ceres]

I dont even measure temperatures; I go by the behavior of the child. I also dont use fever reducing medication other than homeopathics unless my doctor recommendeds it because I think fevers are a good thing. If, however, a kid looks really sick or shows strange symptoms I will take them to the doctor right away.

[Semele]

Actually a high fever in an infant...a newborn especially is really the biggest time to worry and call the doctor because it can be a sign of sepsis and need antibiotic therapy started asap. By the time the blood cultures come back with growth if the tiny tots aren't already started on a standard round of prophylactic antibiotics..it may be too late. That is the rationale behind giving antibiotics in the absence of actual bonafide evidence of infection other than increased temp and lethargy in infants.

In older kiddos it is safer to assume that a fever is the bodies natural immunities fighting off infection and to let it do its job. At my hospital most of the peds do not like us to medicate a child for temperature until it reaches at least 101.5, and only then if it is for the comfort of the child or more often than not the request of the parent because they just feel helpless when the kids are hot.

They rarely ever recommend we rapidly bring down a childs fever anymore like they did in the old days. This can lead to severe thermoregulation issues and even seizures.

[Zoritsa_Nepenthe]

Thanks both! Makes me feel better :)