Understanding Your Baby’s Fever: A Pediatrician’s Guide for New Moms

Navigating your baby’s health can be a challenging experience for new moms, especially when faced with your baby’s first fever. Dr. Darren Saks, a pediatrician at Tenafly Pediatrics in New Jersey, offers expert advice to demystify fevers in infants and provide reassurance.

The Importance of Fever in Your Baby’s Health

Fever is often misunderstood, but it plays a crucial role in an infant’s health. It’s our signal from our bodies that there’s something going on that we need to attend to. It’s our signal to slow down – to make sure that we’re attending a little differently to our child. And when we feel it ourselves, it’s a signal for us to rest.

Fevers: Good or Bad?

Well, why do people get so scared about fever? There’s a lot of reasons. Historically we see fever can be associated with terrible things, but with our child, the good news is that fever almost always indicates a simple illness – usually a virus that’s making our child respond. We know that our immune system is responding in a healthy way when we have fever. Fever makes our immune system communicate signals that it’s working to fight off something. And thankfully, it does it very well.

Deciding When to Treat Your Baby’s Fever

The other question is, what do you do about it? Is it always important to treat fever? Or should you just leave it alone and let your child’s body do what it’s been designed to do for hundreds of thousands of years?

The decision to treat a baby’s fever involves careful consideration. Dr. Saks outlines when it might be appropriate to let a fever run its course and when medical intervention is necessary, providing guidance on fever ranges and symptoms to watch for.

Safe Fever Management for Babies

In cases where a baby’s fever leads to discomfort, Dr. Saks discusses safe management options, including the use of acetaminophen or ibuprofen, while advising against aspirin. It’s important to consult with a pediatrician before administering any medications.

Embracing Fever as a Part of Babyhood

Fever is okay. Fever is a good sign from your body, and natural aspect of a baby’s development. It’s something that you will all experience and working with your pediatrician will be very helpful.

About Our Expert: Dr. Darren Saks, MD is a pediatrics specialist at Tenafly Pediatrics with over 26 years of experience in the medical field. He served as Attending Physician at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in the Emergency Department, and is currently an Attending Physician at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, Hackensack University Medical Center and The Valley Hospital. Dr. Saks enjoys spending time with his wife, a Special Education Teacher, and three children –  boy and girl twins, and a younger daughter. He has a special interest in helping families and communities understand the effects that media has on our children and society. Visit: tenaflypediatrics.com