If your child is two months or younger and has a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or higher, call your pediatrician immediately. This is an absolute necessity. The doctor will need to examine the baby to rule out any serious infection or disease. You also may need to notify the doctor if your child is between three and six months
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There are several ways to take your child’s temperature. What type of thermometer should you select? The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends mercury thermometers because these glass thermometers may break and, as their mercury vaporizes, it can be inhaled, resulting in toxic levels. Digital electronic thermometers are better choices. Digital devices can measure temperatures in your child’s mouth or rectum. As with
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It is caused by the influenza virus, which can be spread by coughing, sneezing, or nasal secretions. Anyone can get influenza, but rates of infection are highest among children. For most people, symptoms last only a few days. They include: fever/chills sore throat muscle aches fatigue cough headache runny or stuffy nose Other illnesses can have the same symptoms and are often mistaken for
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Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial illness. It is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children 2 through 18 years old in the United States. Meningitis is an infection of the covering of the brain and the spinal cord. Meningococcal disease also causes blood infections. About 1,000 – 1,200 people get meningococcal disease each year in the U.S. Even when they are treated
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