Fever Advice Sheet for Parents who's child is not admitted

Cork Emergency Departments

You should:

• Offer your child regular fluids (where a baby or child is breastfed the most appropriate fluid is breast milk)
• Look for signs of dehydration by looking for the following features:
  • sunken fontanelle
  • dry mouth
  • sunken eyes
  • absence of tears
  • poor overall appearance
• Encourage your child to drink more fluids and consider seeking further advice if they detect signs of dehydration
• Ask the ED staff or your local doctor how to identify a non-blanching rash
• Check your child during the night
• Keep your child away from nursery or school while the child's fever persists but to notify the school or nursery of the illness

When to seek further help.

Following contact with a healthcare professional, you should seek further advice if:

• Your child has a fit
• Your child develops a non-blanching rash
• You feels that the child is less well than when they previously sought advice
• You are more worried than when they previously sought advice
• The fever lasts longer then 5 days
• You are is distressed, or concerned that you are unable to look after your child