Amanda, a young mother with an eight-month-old baby, seems concerned as she comes into your pharmacy.
“I just put my son to bed and his forehead was warm to the touch. I think he has a fever; I took his temperature and the thermometer I used said it was 38.5°C. I’m not sure I’ve taken it properly though – this is my first time using an infrared ear thermometer.”
What advice can you offer Amanda?
What is a fever?
Fever is a high body temperature and is the body’s natural response to fighting an infection. There are many possible causes of a fever, such as a viral or bacterial infection, cough, cold and vaccinations. It is often hard to distinguish the cause of the fever in younger children.(
