Infants under 3 months with a body temperature of 38°C should be taken straight to the hospital — no home observation needed

8. Infants under 3 months with a body temperature of 38°C should be taken straight to the hospital — no home observation needed

Cost: Registration and tests cost several hundred yuan.

In plain terms: Infants under 3 months of age with a body temperature of 38°C must be taken to the hospital right away. Do not wait at home, and do not give them fever reducers first to see if symptoms improve. Even if an infant at this age has a serious bacterial infection, fever may be the only symptom they show. Therefore, the fact that a baby seems alert and in good spirits is not a valid reason to keep them at home. For infants under 8 days old, there are no relevant medical guidelines at all, so they must be seen by a doctor immediately.

Benefit: The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued specific guidelines for full-term infants aged 8 to 60 days who appear to be in decent health. These guidelines define fever as a body temperature of 38.0°C or higher. They further divide this age group into three subgroups — 8 to 21 days, 22 to 28 days, and 29 to 60 days — each with its own recommended course of action. Infants under 8 days old are not covered by these guidelines at all, which makes it even more imperative to seek medical care right away at this stage.

Evidence grade: A

Sources: Pantell RH, Roberts KB, Adams WG, et al. (2021). Evaluation and Management of Well-Appearing Febrile Infants 8 to 60 Days Old. Pediatrics, 148(2), e2021052228. <https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-052228>

Notes: Infants at this age can have serious bacterial infections that only manifest as fever. So, the fact that a baby seems alert and in good spirits is not a valid reason to keep them at home. Do not give them fever reducers first and then wait to see if symptoms improve.