Your child has a fever. Here's what to actually do.

Assalamualaikum and hi, everyone 👋

Lama tak jumpa. I know, I know. Two months. Life happened, clinic happened, and honestly... I almost talked myself out of writing this. But here I am.

Let's get straight into something I hear almost every single day at the clinic.

"Dr, anak I demam 38.5. Kena bagi ubat tak?"

And my honest answer? It depends but probably not immediately.

Here's what most parents don't know: fever is not the enemy. Fever is your child's immune system doing its job. It's a sign the body is fighting something. Our goal isn't to make the number disappear as fast as possible. Our goal is to keep your child comfortable while the body does its work.

So when does paracetamol actually make sense? When your child is uncomfortable · crying, clingy, clearly miserable. Not just because the thermometer says 38.5°C and you're anxious (which, by the way, is completely valid).

A child with 39°C who is running around and asking for milo? Let them be. Monitor. Keep fluids going. Rest.

When to bring them in immediately:

• Fever in a baby under 3 months — any fever, go now

• Fever lasting more than 3 days

• Child is unusually sleepy or hard to wake

• Seizure, rash, or difficulty breathing

• Your gut says something isn't right

That last one counts. You know your child.

I'll be back in your inbox every two weeks from now. No more two-month silences, I promise.

Dr. Nisa Khalil 💜
Paediatrician · ParkCity Medical Centre

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P.S. Last week I made a reel about what to do when your baby is unwell. Step 1: make an appointment with Dr. Nisa. She'll handle the other 9. 😅 Watch it here →