Fever is part of the body's way of fighting infection. At the same time, they call for help, signalling to the brain to raise the body's temperature. The heat kills some types of bacteria directly. It also seems to speed up the body's production of white blood cells and chemicals that kill germs. More important than the actual temperature is your child's behaviour.
Any fever lasts more than three days.
If your child's temperature rises suddenly, causing her to turn pale, stiffen, twitch uncontrollably, and perhaps even lose consciousness, she's having a fever-induced seizure, known as a febrile convulsion. It's frightening to watch, but it rarely harms the child. Although they may seem to last forever, these seizures usually continue for only 20 seconds, and rarely more than two minutes. In the event that a convulsion lasts more than four minutes, call for an ambulance or take your baby to the Accident and Emergency department immediately. While she's having the seizure, don't restrain your baby in any way.