High Temperature in Children

High Temperature in Children

Things you can do to bring your child’s temperature down

You should:

• Give your child a medicine, such as Calpol or Junifen, to bring down their temperature
• Take your child’s clothes off to cool them down, but if they still wear nappies, you can keep one on to stop any accidents
• Use a fan to keep the room cool (if you have one or can borrow one), but do not point it straight at your child
• Give your child plenty of cool drinks or their favourite ice lollies to help keep them cool
• Get in touch with your GP or phone us if your child has a high temperature

You should NOT:

• Cool your child so much that your child starts to shiver. This means that they are too cold

Febrile Convulsions:
A febrile convulsion is a type of fit that can happen if your child’s temperature gets too high very quickly.

They usually happen to children between birth and 5 years old. They are usually not the same as epilepsy and do not mean that your child will get epilepsy.

The febrile convulsion must have been very frightening for you to see, but you can help your child by looking out for:

• A high temperature
• Flushing and sweating
• Breath holding
• Twitching of your child’s face, arms or legs.

If your child starts to have a fit, you should:

• Put your child on their side or in another safe position
• Phone 999 for an ambulance to bring your child to hospital

You should NOT:

• Try to take your child to hospital yourself

Patient Experience
We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to answer your questions and reassure you.

Feedback
Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf, if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:
Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: [email protected]
Opening times:
The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that you may need to leave a voicemail message, but we aim to return your call within one working day.
If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.

For additional medical advice, if your symptoms or condition worsens:
Contact your GP
NHS 111: Telephone 111
Get help with your symptoms, NHS111: https://111.nhs.uk/
Information to help you manage your health: www.nhs.uk
In an emergency telephone 999

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