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Fever in the pediatric patient

Robyn Wing1, Maya R Dor, Patricia A McQuilkin

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA.

Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America
|November 2, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Fever in children is a common emergency department visit. This article guides physicians in evaluating and treating pediatric fevers, distinguishing serious causes from benign ones.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Fever is a frequent chief complaint in pediatric emergency departments.
  • Differentiating benign from life-threatening causes of fever in children is a clinical challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the evaluation and treatment of pediatric fevers.
  • To discuss common and dangerous conditions presenting with fever in children.

Main Methods:

  • Review of clinical guidelines and literature on pediatric fever management.
  • Emphasis on age, immunization, immune status, physical examination, and diagnostic tests.

Main Results:

  • Management strategies are tailored based on patient-specific factors.
  • Differential diagnosis includes both common and severe febrile illnesses.

Conclusions:

  • Comprehensive evaluation is crucial for appropriate management of pediatric fever.
  • Understanding the causes of fever aids in timely and effective treatment.

Keywords:
Febrile neutropeniaFebrile seizureFeverFever without sourceMeningococcemiaOccult pneumoniaSickle cell diseaseUrinary tract infection

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