Your baby is wailing, her skin is scorching, and your heart is about to break. But don't worry.
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.