LifestyleYour Health Matters

Actions

Survey: 84 percent of parents suffer from ‘fever phobia'

Posted

The flu is starting to spread more quickly. Activity has picked up significantly this month.

A fever is a common symptom of the flu, and a new survey by Braun thermometers found 84 percent of parents suffer from fever phobia.

Fever phobia is when someone gets a fever and worry about what comes next and how to respond.

Doctors say a fever is actually a positive sign that the body is fighting off an infection, and the temperature of a fever is 100.4. Infants up to 3 months old who have a fever over that should go to the hospital as soon as possible.

For children 3 months old to 3 years old, anything over 102 degrees is serious.

If a fever continues for more than three days, you probably want to see a doctor no matter how old, or if it goes over 103 degrees.

You likely don't need an antibiotic. Tylenol will help bring a fever down.

Additionally, a fever doesn't necessarily mean you're contagious, but it's better to act like you are by keeping those hands clean and trying to prevent any germ sharing.