Dr. Lynn Cates
Specializing in pediatric infectious diseases and childhood immunizations.
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 Ask Dr. Cates
Infant with Over 103-Degree Fever | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Cates,
I have a 10-month-old granddaughter. For the past week she has had a fever over 103. What can be going on because my daughter-in-law is very young and naive about seeking medical treatment for the baby?— Helpless Grandma in Lake Station, Indiana | | | ANSWER |
April 24, 2001 | | | Dear Helpless Grandma,
You are right to be concerned when a child under a year old has a high fever that lasts this long since infants cannot fight off infections as well as older children and adults. Ordinarily, a fever caused by a simple viral infection would have gone away by now. A fever that lasts this long suggests that there may be a bacterial infection that needs antibiotic treatment (e.g., an ear infection, urinary tract infection, or pneumonia). Less common possibilities include conditions such as Kawasaki Disease or autoimmune diseases. In any event, it is important that your granddaughter be evaluated promptly by an experienced healthcare provider and given appropriate treatment (if any is indicated). She also needs to be followed closely by a professional until the fever goes away. I hope she is better soon.— by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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