Cold & Flu Treatment When to See a Doctor for a Fever By Kristina Duda, RN Kristina Duda, RN Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Kristina Duda, BSN, RN, CPN, has been working in healthcare since 2002. She specializes in pediatrics and disease and infection prevention. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 26, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Elizabeth Molina Ortiz, MD, MPH Medically reviewed by Elizabeth Molina Ortiz, MD, MPH LinkedIn Elizabeth Molina Ortiz, MD, MPH, is a board-certified specialist in family medicine and is the former medical director of a community health center. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Contact a Doctor Emergency Care Significance In Children Fevers are not always serious. Typically, they're just your body's way of fighting off an infection. If you're concerned about a fever or wondering what temperature is too high, these tips will help you. While there is no specific reading that is going to send you to the hospital in most cases, there are several things to take into consideration. Illustration by JR Bee, Verywell When Can a Healthcare Provider Help? You should contact your healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms along with fever: The fever lasts for more than 48 hours A baby under 3 months old with any temperature over 100.3 F Vomiting or diarrhea that lasts more than 12 hours or is bloody A cough that produces yellow, green, tan, or bloody mucus The fevers come and go and you have night sweats and swollen lymph nodes The fevers come and go for a week or more, even if they are low-grade A mild fever comes and goes along with a sore throat and tiredness A sore throat and headache for more than 48 hours An earache When you have recently started taking a new medicine and have no other symptoms When your temperature remains above 103 degrees despite medication and other cool-down measures such as taking a cool bath, cool compresses on your head and under your arms or drinking cool drinks When a Fever Is an Emergency Seek medical treatment immediately if any of the following occur with fever: A severe headacheExposure to high temperatures outside and you can't get your temperature down after attempting cool-down measuresMental confusionA strange skin rash, particularly if it starts to get worse and/or spreadBreathing difficulties or chest painPersistent vomitingPain and stiffness in your neck when you look downSeizuresSevere stomach pain, nausea, and vomitingPain or burning when urinating possibly accompanied by stomach or back painHaving unusual sensitivity to light Fevers Aren't Harmful in Themselves Although people worry about fever, it's only a symptom of an illness, not an illness itself. A fever is the body's way of fighting off an infection and is almost never harmful. Most of the reasons listed above for seeking medical attention are so you can be evaluated and treated if the cause of the fever is something serious. If you're unsure if your fever requires medical intervention, try this symptom checker for fever to help you decide. Children and Fevers Kids frequently have high fevers and although it may be concerning as a parent, paying attention to your child's behavior is far more important than the number on the thermometer (with the exception of infants under 3 months old, as stated above). If your child feels better and plays after you give her a fever-reducing medicine, you probably don't need to worry. However, if your child doesn't have any energy, can't keep food down, has a bad headache or stomachache, or has the fever for more than three days, be sure to call your healthcare provider. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Looking to avoid getting the flu? Our free guide has everything you need to stay healthy this season. Sign up and get yours today. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 6 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Brook I. Unexplained fever in young children: how to manage severe bacterial infection. BMJ. 2003;327(7423):1094-7. doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7423.1094 Panchabhai TS, Mukhopadhyay S, Sehgal S, Bandyopadhyay D, Erzurum SC, Mehta AC. Plugs of the Air Passages: A Clinicopathologic Review. Chest. 2016;150(5):1141-1157. doi:10.1016/j.chest.2016.07.003 Gallagher J, Luck RP, Vecchio MD. Case 1: Altered mental status - a state of confusion. Paediatr Child Health. 2010;15(5):263-5. Kang JH. Febrile Illness with Skin Rashes. Infect Chemother. 2015;47(3):155-66. doi:10.3947/ic.2015.47.3.155 Keenan CR, Dhaliwal G, Henderson MC, Bowen JL. A 43-year-old woman with abdominal pain and fever. J Gen Intern Med. 2010;25(8):874-7. doi:10.1007/s11606-010-1372-3 Evans SS, Repasky EA, Fisher DT. Fever and the thermal regulation of immunity: the immune system feels the heat. Nat Rev Immunol. 2015;15(6):335-49. doi:10.1038/nri3843 Additional Reading American Academy of Family Physicians. Fever in Infants and Children. Mayo Clinic. Fever: symptoms and causes.