When to give medicine for fever?

[WinterLergy]

Particularly for illnesses that are bacterial?

Would be interested to hear from a doctor/nurse.

As a nurse we’re taught to treat the child not the number on the thermometer. With my own children I look at how they are, are they unsettled or miserable or in pain, will calpol or nurofen make them feel better. I don’t just give it because they’re hot.

One of my children can have a temperature of 39 and still be playing so I tend to look at how they are and what they’re doing. Children can be ill with a lower temperature, the number on the thermometer doesn’t necessarily indicate how poorly they are.