Home Symptoms Fever in children

Fever in children — what to take?

Fever in children is common and almost always benign. Rarely an emergency — but in infants under 3 months, any fever requires immediate medical evaluation.

2 recommended OTC drugs
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OTC — no prescription

What you can take for fever in children

Ibuprofen pediatric

Nurofen pentru copii · Ibuprofen Sandoz pediatric

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Informativ. Nu înlocuiește sfatul medicului. Consultă medicul sau farmacistul înainte de a lua orice medicament.

Temperature thresholds

Axillary above 37.5°C or rectal above 38°C = fever. Axillary measurement is most used, rectal the most precise in infants. Tympanic thermometers are fast but less accurate.

OTC treatment

Paracetamol:

  • 10-15 mg/kg every 4-6h, maximum 4 doses/day, maximum 60 mg/kg/day.
  • Safe from birth.
  • Forms: drops, syrup, suppositories.

Ibuprofen:

  • 5-10 mg/kg every 6-8h, maximum 40 mg/kg/day.
  • From 3 months (under medical advice under 6 months).
  • Avoid in dehydration, chickenpox, severe asthma.

Alternating paracetamol + ibuprofen — possible for persistent fever that doesn't subside, every 3h intervals. Note the times.

Complementary measures

  • Generous hydration (water, milk, ORS).
  • Light clothing.
  • Room temperature 20-22°C.
  • Wet compress on forehead, armpits (NOT with ice or alcohol).
  • Do not force feeding.

Alarm signs — pediatric emergency

  • Any fever in infant under 3 months.
  • Fever above 39°C that doesn't respond to antipyretics.
  • Lethargy, deep drowsiness.
  • Prolonged food refusal, dehydration.
  • Rash that does not blanch on pressure (petechiae — meningitis suspicion).
  • Febrile convulsions (especially atypical).
  • Dyspnea, cyanosis.
  • Stiff neck.
  • Fever over 3 days without clear cause.

Medical disclaimer: the information in this guide is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical or pharmacist advice. For diagnosis and treatment consult a healthcare professional.

Nights, weekends, holidays

24/7 pharmacies for fever in children

Fever in children doesn't wait for office hours. If you need a medicine at 2 AM or on a weekend, open the map with the 24/7 filter on and find the nearest on-call pharmacy. Major cities have several round-the-clock pharmacies — the per-city pages below list them all, with address, phone and verified opening hours.

Call ahead before you leave, especially at night — on-call schedules can change and stock for some prescription items may be limited between deliveries.

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Medicine categories for fever in children

Step by step

How to find a pharmacy fast for fever in children

Open the interactive map and grant location permission — you'll immediately see pharmacies sorted by distance, each with its opening hours and a one-tap route in Google Maps. If it's night or a weekend, switch on the 24/7 filter to keep only the on-call ones. For fever in children most of the listed remedies are over the counter, so you can walk in without a prescription, but check stock and prices first to avoid wasted trips.

If you have a preferred active ingredient (paracetamol, ibuprofen, etc.), search it in the comparator before you leave — you'll see which chain has it cheapest near you and whether it's in stock. For chronic prescriptions, save your favourite pharmacy in the app and turn on hours notifications — it saves unnecessary trips, especially when treatment for fever in children runs over weeks.

When to see a doctor

If any of these signs appear, consult a doctor — OTC treatment is not enough:

  • Any fever in infant under 3 months
  • Fever above 39.5°C
  • Lethargy, deep drowsiness
  • Food refusal, dehydration
  • Petechial rash (does not blanch on pressure)
  • Febrile convulsions
  • Stiff neck, confusion
  • Dyspnea, cyanosis

Frequently asked

Common questions

Paracetamol or ibuprofen for child?
Both are effective. Paracetamol from birth, ibuprofen from 3 months. Choose based on tolerance and individual response.
Can I alternate?
Yes, for persistent fever, alternate every 3h. Note the times to avoid exceeding MDD for each.
At what temperature do I give antipyretic?
If the child is comfortable, you can wait. For fever above 38.5°C or obvious discomfort — yes. The goal is comfort, not forced normalization.
Febrile convulsions — what do I do?
Turn the child on their side, don't put anything in their mouth. Time the duration. Under 5 min — ambulance after, over 5 min — ambulance immediately.

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