Child Fever Treatment in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is child fever treatment?
Child fever treatment is the care a pediatrician gives when your child has a temperature, usually because of an infection. A fever is the body's own defence at work: a higher temperature helps the immune system fight viruses and bacteria. The pediatrician's job is to find what is causing it, decide whether it needs medicine, and give you a clear plan for looking after your child at home.
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, fever and infection care is provided by the pediatric team for babies, children and teenagers. The appointment focuses on the cause of the fever and on how your child is coping, because how a child looks and behaves tells more than the number on the thermometer.
Who needs it
Bring your child to a pediatric appointment for a fever when your child has:
- A fever that has continued for more than a couple of days
- Ear pain, or is pulling at an ear and unsettled at night
- A sore throat with difficulty swallowing
- A cough or cold that is getting worse after first improving
- Vomiting or diarrhoea and is drinking less than usual
- Burning or pain when passing urine, or new wetting after being dry
- A new rash with a fever, such as hand-foot-and-mouth or chickenpox
- Repeated fevers that keep coming back
Children in their first years at nursery or school catch many colds and tummy bugs a year. This is common, and each one helps build the immune system. A pattern of frequent mild infections in a child who is growing well and recovering between illnesses is usually normal; your pediatrician can check this with you.
Go to the emergency department now, or call emergency services, if your child:
- Is a baby under three months old with a temperature of 38°C or higher
- Has a rash that stays visible when you press a clear glass against it
- Has a stiff neck, or a baby has a bulging soft spot on the head
- Is unusually drowsy, floppy or difficult to wake
- Is struggling to breathe, breathing very fast, or the skin between the ribs pulls in
- Shows signs of dehydration: no wet nappy for many hours, no tears, a dry mouth or sunken eyes
- Has a fit (seizure), or has a fever with severe pain
The children's emergency page explains what happens when you arrive.
What happens
The pediatrician asks when the fever started, how high it has been, how your child is eating, drinking and sleeping, and whether anyone at home or at nursery is unwell. Your child is weighed, and the temperature, heart rate and breathing are checked.
A gentle, full examination follows: ears, throat, chest, tummy and skin. Many infections are found this way, without any test. Tests are chosen only when they help:
| Test | When it helps |
|---|---|
| Urine test | Fever without an obvious cause, especially in babies and young children, since a urine infection can show up as fever alone |
| Throat swab | A sore throat that may be bacterial |
| Blood test | A child who seems more unwell, or a fever that continues longer than expected |
| Chest X-ray | Signs of a chest infection that need confirming |
Most childhood infections are caused by viruses. Viruses clear on their own, and antibiotics work only against bacteria. When an infection is bacterial, such as some ear, throat and urine infections, your pediatrician prescribes an antibiotic and explains how to give it. For viral illnesses, you leave with a comfort and fluids plan and clear signs to watch for.
Preparing for it
Bring your child's vaccination record, a list of any medicines given and when, and a note of the temperatures you have measured. If your child has had a fever medicine within the last few hours, tell the pediatrician, because it can lower the temperature at the appointment.
If a urine test is likely, the team explains how to collect a clean sample. Bring a spare nappy or change of clothes, a drink your child likes and a comfort toy.
Afterwards
At home, focus on comfort and fluids:
- Offer drinks little and often, including breast milk or formula for babies
- Dress your child in light clothing and use a light sheet; keep the room comfortably cool, using air-conditioning as normal
- Give a fever medicine suitable for children if your child is miserable, at the dose on the pack for your child's weight or age, or as your pediatrician advises
- Give only medicines made for children, and check with your pediatrician before combining two fever medicines
- Let your child rest, and expect a smaller appetite for a few days
In the UAE summer, children lose fluid quickly through sweating, so watch drinking and wet nappies closely. Children can return to nursery or school once they are free of fever and well enough to take part.
Contact the hospital or book a review if the fever continues beyond a few days, your child is drinking less, new symptoms appear, or you feel your child is getting worse. Go to the emergency department straight away if any of the warning signs listed earlier appear.
Cost and insurance
Most UAE health insurance plans cover pediatric consultations for fever and infection, along with urine tests, swabs and blood tests when the pediatrician requests them. Some plans require a co-payment or pre-approval for certain tests. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you check your cover on 06 599 7777.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the risks and limits of treating a child's fever at home?
Treating a child's fever at home is safe for most common infections when the child is drinking and alert, but a fever can occasionally signal a serious infection that needs urgent care. Fever medicine eases discomfort without treating the cause. If warning signs appear, such as drowsiness, a rash that does not fade under a glass or breathing difficulty, go to the emergency department.
How high a temperature is dangerous for a child?
For most children, how unwell they look matters more than the exact temperature. A baby under three months with 38°C or higher needs urgent medical assessment. In older children, a high fever in a child who is playing and drinking is less worrying than a lower fever in a child who is drowsy or floppy.
Does my child need antibiotics for a fever?
Most fevers in children are caused by viral infections, which antibiotics cannot treat. Antibiotics are prescribed when a bacterial infection is found, such as some ear, throat or urine infections. Unnecessary antibiotics can cause diarrhoea, rashes and resistance, so your pediatrician prescribes them only when they will help.
Should I give fever medicine to bring the temperature down?
Fever medicine is given to make your child more comfortable, not to reach a normal temperature. A child who perks up and starts drinking after a dose is a reassuring sign. Use a medicine made for children, at the dose on the pack for your child's weight or age, or as your pediatrician advises.
Can a fever cause brain damage?
A fever from a common infection does not damage the brain. Some young children have a short fit with a rising temperature, called a febrile seizure, which is frightening but usually harmless. Any first fit needs emergency assessment, so call emergency services or go to the emergency department.
When can my child go back to nursery or school after a fever?
Your child can usually return to nursery or school once the fever has settled without fever medicine and they are well enough to join in. Some infections, such as chickenpox, have specific rules about staying away until spots have crusted over, and your pediatrician will advise.
Is fever treatment for children covered by insurance?
Most UAE insurance plans cover pediatric consultations and the tests needed to find the cause of a fever, although some require a co-payment or pre-approval. Check your cover with Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777.
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