⚕️ Important Note
Viruses and other illnesses are very prevalent. This guide will help you manage your child's symptoms at home and know when to seek medical attention.
🌡️ Taking a Temperature and Managing Fever
The Canadian Pediatric Society provides excellent guidance on taking temperatures with different types of thermometers. Understanding how to properly measure your child's temperature is the first step in managing their illness.
Key Point: Fever isn't necessarily bad. The height of the temperature isn't always a good marker of how sick your child is. Looking at your child will tell you more than the thermometer does. Fevers may help the immune system work better, so if your child feels fine, there is no need to treat it.
Managing Fever at Home
Do simple things like not over-wrapping your child, but avoid cold cloths and baths as they don't help and often make the child feel worse. Treat the uncomfortable feeling that comes with the fever rather than just the number on the thermometer.
- Keep your child comfortable, not over-bundled
- Offer plenty of fluids
- Watch how your child is acting, not just the temperature
- Use Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) if needed for comfort
💊 Medications to Treat Fever & Viral Illnesses
Most viruses should be managed at home with simple supportive care. Very few of them need any prescription medications.
Fever Management
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) are your best choices. If your child feels fine despite a fever, there's no need to treat it - fevers may help the immune system work better.
Red Eyes & Discharge
Almost always viral, especially with cold symptoms. Despite what daycare says, "pink eye" doesn't generally need treatment - 90% go away on their own. Use warm compresses and artificial tears.
Stuffy & Runny Nose
Most decongestant medications don't work well in kids and can have risks. Try saline rinsing sprays, a humidifier, or the "snot sucker" instead.
Earache
Most ear infections are viral, so antibiotics don't help. They usually go away in 2-3 days. Have your child assessed if earache lasts more than 48-72 hours or if there's discharge.
COVID-19
Many viral infections are caused by COVID. Managing COVID in your child is the same as managing any other cold or virus. Visit Confused About COVID for comprehensive information.
💊 Medication Dosing - Dealing with Shortages
⚠️ Important: These charts outline how much acetaminophen and ibuprofen to give a child - including using adult forms. Almost all acetaminophen and ibuprofen tablets can be crushed and added to something like jam, applesauce, or yogurt. Look for forms without special coatings.
Ibuprofen Dosing
Recommended dose: 10 mg/kg
Example: A 10 kg (22 lb) child would need 100 mg. An adult regular strength ibuprofen is 200 mg, which means a 22 lb child could have ½ an adult regular strength tablet.
Acetaminophen Dosing
Recommended dose: 10-15 mg/kg
Example: A 15 kg (33 lb) child would need 130-225 mg. An adult regular strength acetaminophen is 325 mg. Half of that tablet is 162.5 mg, which is right in that range. So a 33 lb child could have ½ of an adult regular tablet.
⚠️ Safety Warning
If your child is too small for a full tablet, you may be able to cut them in half. This requires careful math to ensure the right dose. Be very careful with calculations - it's easy to overdose a child. Do not try to cut tablets into smaller amounts - it's too hard to do accurately. Always use a child-specific formulation if available.
Not sure? Ask your pharmacist to help make sure you're doing it right!
🏥 When Should My Child See a Doctor?
Most of the time you can manage illness at home and your doctor won't be able to do anything more to help. However, you should have your child assessed if:
- Any child with a fever under 6 weeks of age
- If your child has a fever lasting 72 hours or more
- If your child has an earache lasting more than 48-72 hours
- If your child is struggling to breathe or is really out of breath
- If your child is not eating or drinking (liquids are more important than food during illness)
📞 Need Help? Check out Health Connect Ontario which has a symptom checker, live chat with a nurse, or call 811 to be connected with a nurse 24 hours a day.