With colds and flu’s it is normal for children to develop high temperatures. The first thing to do if a child gets a high temperature is to give either paracetamol (calpol) or ibuprofen (nurofen); refer to the bottle for the correct dose for the child’s age. Most temperatures will come down after an hour to an hour and a half of treatment. Once the medications wear off (4-6 hours) the temperature will come back so it is important to repeat the medication as required. If the child has a rash that does not go away when pressed with a glass or the child complains of a severe headache or has pain on looking into bright light, the child should be brought to a doctor. Most temperatures in childhood do not need to be seen by a doctor. We cannot detect ear infections or throat infections on the first day of a temperature in most cases.
