# Baby Fever A&E: When to Call 999, 111 or Stay Home (NHS) | Clever Mum > NHS-aligned UK guide to baby fever: exact °C thresholds by age, when to call 999 or 111, safe home care, and red flags that mean skip the wait. * [ Home ](/) * › [ Baby ](/baby/) * › When to Take a Baby with a Fever to A&E (UK) Baby # When to Take a Baby with a Fever to A&E (UK) [ EW ](/authors/emma-whitfield/) By [ Emma Whitfield ](/authors/emma-whitfield/) · Pregnancy & Baby Writer Published 11 August 2026 Quick answer — Is 38°C an emergency in a 2-month-old? 38°C or above is a fever. Under 3 months with 38°C+, or 3–6 months with 39°C+, call NHS 111 or your GP now — do not wait it out. Call 999 or go to A&E for breathing difficulty, a non-blanching rash, a first seizure, drowsiness, blue/grey/mottled colour, or a baby who will not wake or respond normally. Behaviour beats the number. Who should skip this Do not delay 999 for a baby under 3 months with a fever, or any child who is floppy or struggling to breathe. This page is triage context. Links marked * are partner links. If you click one and buy, we may receive commission at no extra cost to you. Commission never affects which products we feature or how we rank them. [How we make money](/how-we-make-money/) Fever is the symptom that empties A&E waiting rooms at 2am — and also the one most parents second-guess. The NHS numbers are clearer than the folklore: **38°C is a fever**, age changes how urgently you act, and **how your baby looks and behaves** matters as much as the thermometer. ## What temperature counts as a fever in a baby? **38°C or above is a fever.** A normal temperature varies slightly between children. Under 5s, the NHS prefers a **digital thermometer in the armpit**; forehead strips alone are not enough for decisions. If your baby has just had a bath or been tightly wrapped, wait a few minutes and recheck — but never delay escalation when red-flag behaviour is already there. FactNHS / NICE figureFever definition**38°C or above**Typical courseSettles towards normal in **1–4 days**Under 3 months + feverHigh-risk for serious illness (NICE NG143)Under 3 months — urgent advice**38°C+** → call **111 / GP now**3–6 months — urgent advice**39°C+** → call **111 / GP now**Preferred check (under 5)Digital thermometer, **armpit** ## When should you call 999 or go to A&E? **Call 999, or go to A&E, if a feverish baby or child has any of these NHS immediate-action signs:** * **Difficulty breathing** — grunting, very fast breathing, tummy sucking in under the ribcage, or too breathless to feed * A **rash that does not fade** when you press a clear glass firmly against it * A **stiff neck**, or being **bothered by light** * A **fit / febrile seizure** for the first time * **Unusually cold** hands and feet * **Colour change** — blue, grey, paler than usual, or blotchy skin (harder to see on brown or black skin); also check lips and tongue * **Drowsy and hard to wake**, or not responding as they normally do * **Extremely agitated** (will not stop crying) or **confused** * Not interested in feeding or normal activities in a way that feels sharply wrong Do **not** drive while your child is still seizing or unconscious — call **999**. Local Healthier Together pathways also treat **under 3 months + 38°C+** as needing urgent face-to-face review unless the fever is clearly within **48 hours of vaccinations** and there are **no** other red features. If you are unsure, escalate. ## When should you call NHS 111 instead of A&E? **Use 111 or your GP now for same-day advice when there are no 999 red flags but the age/temperature rules still apply — or when the illness is dragging on.** SituationActionUnder **3 months**, **38°C+** (or you think they have a fever)**111 / GP now****3–6 months**, **39°C+** (or you think they have a fever)**111 / GP now**Fever lasting **5 days or more****111 / GP now**Fever **plus** other illness signs (including a fading rash)**111 / GP now**Not wanting to eat/drink, or “not themselves”, and you are worried**111 / GP now**Possible **dehydration** — dry/less wet nappies, sunken eyes, no tears when crying**111 / GP now** A&E is for red flags and life-threatening concern. 111 exists so babies who need same-day assessment are not left until morning. For the wider “always ill” nursery winter context, see [colds, fevers and when to worry](/baby/common-childhood-illnesses-when-to-worry). ## What can you safely manage at home? **If your child is outside the urgent age/temperature rules, has no red flags, and still has periods of being themselves between spikes, NHS advice is usually home care while the fever settles over 1–4 days.** **Do**- Offer plenty of fluids; keep breastfeeding as normal- Watch for dehydration- Offer food if they want it — do not force- Check regularly, including at night- Give **infant paracetamol** (from **2 months**) or **ibuprofen** (from **3 months** and **≥5kg**) only if they are distressed or uncomfortable **Do not**- Undress them or sponge them down to “cool” them- Bundle them in extra layers- Give **aspirin** under 16- Alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen unless a clinician tells you to- Give ibuprofen under 3 months, under 5kg, with chickenpox, if dehydrated, or with asthma unless a doctor has said it is OK ## What if the fever is after vaccinations? **Fever in the 48 hours after routine immunisations is common.** Healthier Together guidance: if your baby is otherwise well in that window, age-appropriate paracetamol can be reasonable without automatically treating it as an emergency fever visit. Still escalate if any red or amber features appear, or if you are worried — vaccination does not rule out other illness. ## What should you do during a febrile seizure? **Febrile seizures usually affect children from about 6 months to 6 years, often last 2–3 minutes, and rarely last more than 10 minutes.** They look terrifying; most are not dangerous long-term — but a **first seizure needs medical assessment**. Call **999 / go to A&E** if: first seizure; lasts **over 5 minutes**; breathing difficulty; stiffness/twitching on **one side only**; more sleepy than usual for **over 1 hour** afterwards; **more than one** seizure in 24 hours. While waiting: note start and end time; protect the head; clear hazards; after it stops use the recovery position and check the airway is clear. Do **not** hold them down, put anything in their mouth, or sponge them with cold water. ## What do UK parents actually say about this? **Across UK parent communities, the repeated lesson is that the hard call is rarely the number — it is trusting “not themselves” at 2am.** Parents of young babies consistently say same-day 111/GP checks for under-3-month fevers felt excessive beforehand and obviously correct afterwards. Practical consensus: photograph any rash, write down the highest reading and time, and do not apologise for calling. ## Who should skip the “wait and see at home” approach? **Skip home-only watching — and get urgent help — if:** * Your baby is **under 3 months** with a known or suspected fever (**38°C+**) * Your baby is **3–6 months** with **39°C+** * There is **any** NHS red-flag symptom above * Medicine has not helped and they are still severely distressed, floppy, or worsening * Your gut says this is different from their usual viral days **What we’d change about common advice online:** stop ranking “how high is too high” as the main question for older babies. A hot but drinking, wet-nappied toddler with playful windows is often manageable at home with 111 backup; a mottled, grunting, hard-to-wake infant is an emergency even before the fever crosses a neat line. And teething does **not** cause true fever — see [baby teething signs](/baby/baby-teething-signs-and-soothing). ## How do you take a baby’s temperature properly? If you do not own one yet, a [digital armpit thermometer on Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=digital+baby+thermometer+armpit&tag=clevermum0c-21) is the usual UK home kit (check the live price/listing). * Use a **digital** thermometer. * Place it in the **top of the armpit**. * Hold the arm gently against the body for the time on the leaflet (many beep). * Read the display. * Recheck if the reading conflicts with how unwell they look — and escalate on **behaviour** if needed. ## How do you escalate a baby fever at a glance? Age / pictureTemperature / signsWhere to goUnder 3 months38°C+ (or suspected fever)**111 / GP now** (999/A&E if red flags)3–6 months39°C+ (or suspected fever)**111 / GP now**Any ageBreathing trouble, non-blanching rash, seizure, won’t wake, blue/grey/mottled, cold hands/feet, extreme agitation/confusion**999 / A&E**Any ageFever ≥5 days, dehydration signs, rash + fever, “not themselves” and worried**111 / GP now**Otherwise well, no red flags, outside age/temp urgent rulesFever with some settled periods**Home care** + recheck Condition-specific escalation (croup, bronchiolitis, tonsillitis and more) lives in our [childhood illnesses hub](/health/childhood-illnesses/). ## What questions come up most? Is 38°C an emergency in a 2-month-old? Yes for same-day medical advice. Call 111 or your GP now. NICE classes under-3-month fever as high-risk for serious illness — treat it as high priority even if they seem “not that bad”. Should I take my baby to A&E for a fever with no other symptoms? Not automatically. Under 3 months (38°C+) or 3–6 months (39°C+), start with 111 or your GP urgently. Go to A&E or call 999 if red-flag symptoms appear — breathing trouble, non-blanching rash, seizure, extreme drowsiness, or colour change. Can I give Calpol for a fever under 3 months? Infant paracetamol is licensed from 2 months, but a fever under 3 months still needs same-day medical advice first (unless it is within 48 hours of vaccinations and your baby is otherwise well). Do not treat the number and skip the check. Should I alternate Calpol and ibuprofen? Not unless a health professional tells you to. Pick one age-appropriate medicine if they are distressed, dose by the pack/weight guidance, and get advice if it is not helping. When is a rash with fever an emergency? If it does not fade under a pressed glass, treat as emergency (999/A&E). If it does fade but your child is unwell with fever, still call 111/GP the same day. Can teething cause a high fever? No. Teething may cause mild warmth and unsettled behaviour; it is not a reliable explanation for 38°C+ in a young baby. Do not blame teething and skip NHS thresholds. ## Sources & further reading * [ High temperature (fever) in children ](https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/fever-in-children/) — NHS * [ Febrile seizures ](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/febrile-seizures/) — NHS * [ Fever in under 5s: assessment and initial management (NG143) ](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng143) — NICE * [ Fever / high temperature ](https://www.healthiertogether.nhs.uk/new-parent-and-baby/fever) — NHS Healthier Together * [ Glass test for meningitis rash ](https://www.meningitis.org/meningitis/check-symptoms/glass-test) — Meningitis Research Foundation ## On this page * [ 1 What temperature counts as a fever in a baby? ](#what-temperature-counts-as-a-fever-in-a-baby) * [ 2 When should you call 999 or go to A&E? ](#when-should-you-call-999-or-go-to-ae) * [ 3 When should you call NHS 111 instead of A&E? ](#when-should-you-call-nhs-111-instead-of-ae) * [ 4 What can you safely manage at home? ](#what-can-you-safely-manage-at-home) * [ 5 What if the fever is after vaccinations? ](#what-if-the-fever-is-after-vaccinations) * [ 6 What should you do during a febrile seizure? ](#what-should-you-do-during-a-febrile-seizure) * [ 7 What do UK parents actually say about this? ](#what-do-uk-parents-actually-say-about-this) * [ 8 Who should skip the “wait and see at home” approach? ](#who-should-skip-the-wait-and-see-at-home-approach) * [ 9 How do you take a baby’s temperature properly? ](#how-do-you-take-a-babys-temperature-properly) * [ 10 How do you escalate a baby fever at a glance? ](#how-do-you-escalate-a-baby-fever-at-a-glance) ## At a glance Fever 38°C or above Under 3 months 38°C+ → 111 / GP now 3–6 months 39°C+ → 111 / GP now Typical duration 1–4 days Thermometer Digital, armpit (under 5) 999 / A&E Breathing, non-blanching rash, seizure, won’t wake Our promise Health-adjacent points cite NHS or equivalent guidance. This article is general information, not medical advice — see our [editorial policy](/editorial-policy/). ## Keep reading [ Baby ### Febrile Seizure First Aid: What UK Parents Should Do NHS first aid for febrile seizures in babies and children — timing the fit, recovery position, when to call 999, and what not to do. ](/baby/febrile-seizure-first-aid-uk/)[ Baby ### Meningitis Rash & the Glass Test: When to Call 999 How to do the glass test for a meningitis-type rash, what non-blanching means, and the NHS red flags that mean call 999 even without a rash. ](/baby/meningitis-rash-glass-test-uk/)[ Baby ### Croup: When to Call 999 or Go to A&E NHS-aligned croup escalation guide for UK parents — barking cough home care, GP timing, and the breathing red flags that mean 999 or A&E. ](/baby/croup-when-to-go-to-ae/)