advocaresocietyhillpediatrics

Fever in Children: When to Worry and When to Call

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 00:41:45 GMT

A fever in children is a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, and most fevers are a sign the body is fighting an infection, not a danger on their own. Worry less about the number and more about how your child looks and acts, and call us right away for any fever in a baby under 3 months.

What temperature counts as a fever?

A fever is a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher . How you measure it matters:

Under 3 months: a rectal temperature is the most accurate
3 months to 4 years: rectal or armpit readings work; armpit readings can run a bit low
4 years and older: an oral thermometer is fine once your child can hold it under the tongue
Forehead and ear thermometers are handy for quick checks, but confirm a borderline reading another way

Feeling your child's forehead can tell you they feel warm, but it cannot tell you whether they have a fever.

Is a fever bad for my child?

Usually not. Fever is one of the body's defenses. Raising the body's temperature helps the immune system work faster and makes it harder for many viruses and bacteria to multiply.

Most fevers in children come from common viral infections and go away on their own in two to three days. A higher number does not always mean a more serious illness. A child with a 103°F fever who is drinking and playing is often less worrying than a child with a 101°F fever who is limp and hard to wake.

Fevers from infection do not cause brain damage. Some young children have a brief febrile seizure when a fever rises quickly. These are frightening but usually harmless. Still, any seizure needs emergency care, so call 911.

How can I keep my child comfortable with a fever?

The goal of fever care is comfort, not a normal number on the thermometer.

Offer plenty of fluids, like water, breast milk, formula, or ice pops
Dress your child in light clothing and use a light blanket
Let them rest, but there is no need to wake a sleeping child to give medicine
Keep the room at a comfortable temperature
Skip cold baths and rubbing alcohol; they can cause shivering and discomfort

If your child is uncomfortable, fever-reducing medicine can help them feel better, drink, and sleep.

How much fever medicine should I give?

Dosing for acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) is based on your child's weight , not just their age. Products come in different strengths, so the right amount depends on which one you have.

Check our Medicine Dosages page for weight-based charts
Always use the dosing tool that comes with the medicine, not a kitchen spoon
Do not give ibuprofen to babies under 6 months unless we tell you to
Never give aspirin to children or teens
Do not give any fever medicine to a baby under 3 months before calling us

If you are unsure of the right dose, call us at 215-545-8188. Our nurses can confirm it with you, day or night.

When should I call the pediatrician about a fever?

Call us right away if:

Your baby is under 3 months old and has a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher , even if they seem fine
Your child has a fever of 104°F (40°C) or higher
Your child has a weak immune system or a serious medical condition
Your child seems very sick, very fussy, or will not drink

Call us during office hours if:

The fever lasts more than 24 hours in a child under 2, or more than 3 days in a child 2 or older
The fever went away for a day and then came back
Your child has ear pain, a sore throat, pain when peeing, or a new rash with the fever
You are worried, or your gut tells you something is wrong

We make every effort to see sick children the same day you call. Learn more about our sick visits . After hours, call 215-545-8188 and you will reach our triage nurses , with a physician always on call for backup.

When should I go to the ER or call 911?

Call 911 for any life-threatening emergency, such as loss of consciousness, a seizure, or severe trouble breathing. Go to the emergency room or call 911 if your child has a fever and:

Is struggling to breathe, or has blue or gray lips
Is very hard to wake up, or is limp and unresponsive
Has a stiff neck or a severe headache with confusion
Has a purple or red rash that does not fade when you press on it
Shows signs of dehydration, such as no urine in 8 or more hours, no tears, or a very dry mouth
Cannot stop crying and cannot be comforted

If you are not sure whether it is an emergency, call us first. Our nurses are available around the clock. See our Emergencies page for more.

Frequently asked questions

Key takeaways for families

A fever of 100.4°F or higher is usually the body fighting infection. Focus on comfort, fluids, and how your child acts. Give fever medicine by weight, and ask us if you are unsure of the dose. Call right away for any fever in a baby under 3 months, and go to the ER or call 911 for trouble breathing, seizures, or a child who is hard to wake. Advocare Society Hill Pediatrics serves families in Philadelphia, PA, with same-day sick visits and nurses available 24/7. To have your child seen, call 215-545-8188 or book your appointment online .

Flu Shot for Kids: What Philadelphia Parents Should Know This Season

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 00:28:22 GMT

Every child 6 months and older should get a flu shot each fall, because flu viruses keep changing and last year's protection fades. A yearly flu vaccine lowers your child's chances of getting sick and, more importantly, of getting seriously sick, and we offer it during flu season at our Philadelphia office as part of our immunization services.

Why does my child need a new flu shot every year?

There are two reasons a single flu shot is not enough.

The virus shifts. Influenza strains change from one season to the next. Each year's vaccine is reformulated to match the strains expected to spread most.
Immunity wears off. The protection from a flu shot drops over the months after vaccination. By the next fall, it may be too low to count on.

That is why flu vaccine appears on our well visit schedule every flu season, starting at the 6-month visit and continuing through the teen years.

Are kids really at risk from the flu?

Yes. Flu is not just a bad cold for children. Kids catch and spread flu easily at school, day care, and home, and each season thousands of children in the U.S. are hospitalized.

Children at higher risk of complications include:

Children younger than 5, and especially those under 2
Children with asthma or other lung conditions
Children with heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, or a weak immune system
Children with neurologic or developmental conditions

Complications can include pneumonia, dehydration, ear and sinus infections, worsening asthma, and, rarely, inflammation of the heart or brain. Healthy children with no medical conditions can also become seriously ill, which is why the vaccine is recommended for every child 6 months and older.

If your child already has flu symptoms, our Is Your Child Sick?® tool can help you decide what to do next, and our sick visit team works to see ill children the same day you call.

Why do some kids under 9 need two doses?

The first time a young child's immune system meets the flu vaccine, one dose is often not enough to build strong protection. The second dose acts like a booster.

Children 6 months through 8 years usually need two doses, given at least 4 weeks apart, if they have never had a flu vaccine before or have had fewer than two doses in total before this season. Children who have already had two or more doses in past seasons usually need just one. Children 9 and older need one dose each year.

Because the doses must be spaced out, children who need two should start early in the season so they are fully protected before flu peaks. Tell us if your child got a flu shot somewhere else, so we can check their history.

What side effects can my child have after a flu shot?

Most children have no side effects at all, or mild ones that pass within a day or two:

Sore arm, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
Low-grade fever
Feeling tired or a little cranky
Mild headache or body aches

A cool cloth on the arm, extra fluids, and rest usually help. Check our Medicine Dosages page or call us before giving fever medicine so we can confirm the right dose for your child's weight. Serious allergic reactions are very rare. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat.

What are the most common flu shot myths?

Myth: The flu shot can give my child the flu

Fact: The flu shot is made from inactivated virus or a single viral protein. It cannot cause influenza. A sore arm or low fever is the immune system responding, not an infection.

Myth: My child is healthy, so they don't need it

Fact: Many children hospitalized with flu had no prior health problems. Vaccinating healthy kids also helps protect babies under 6 months and other family members who are more vulnerable.

Myth: My child got the flu shot and still got sick, so it doesn't work

Fact: No vaccine is perfect, and many other viruses cause flu-like symptoms. Vaccinated children who do catch the flu tend to have milder illness and fewer complications.

Myth: It's too late in the season to bother

Fact: Flu can circulate well into spring. Getting vaccinated later is still better than skipping the season.

When should my child get the flu shot?

Early fall is ideal, ideally by the end of October, but vaccination still helps later in the season. If your child is due for a well visit during flu season, we can give the flu vaccine at that visit. Otherwise, call us to schedule a flu shot. Bring any vaccine records from other offices so we can tell whether your child needs one dose or two.

Frequently asked questions

Key takeaways for families

A flu shot for kids is a yearly step for every child 6 months and older, because flu strains change and protection fades. Young children and kids with chronic conditions face the highest risk of complications, but healthy kids can get very sick too. Side effects are usually mild and short. Some children under 9 need two doses 4 weeks apart, so starting early matters. Advocare Society Hill Pediatrics serves families in Philadelphia, PA . To schedule your child's flu shot, call 215-545-8188 or book your appointment online .

Developmental Milestones by Age: A Parent's Guide from Birth to 5

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 23:42:40 GMT

Developmental milestones by age are the movement, speech, and social skills most children show by a certain point, based on guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Every child grows at their own pace, so milestones are a guide for conversation, not a test, and your pediatrician checks them at every well visit.

What are developmental milestones?

Milestones are skills such as rolling over, waving, saying first words, or taking turns in play. The AAP updated their milestone checklists in 2022. The new lists describe what most children (about 3 in 4) can do by each age. That means a child who has not reached a milestone yet is worth a closer look, rather than simply "a little behind average."

Milestones fall into a few areas:

Movement: sitting, crawling, walking, climbing, and hand skills like picking up small objects
Language and communication: cooing, babbling, words, sentences, and understanding what others say
Social and emotional: smiling, eye contact, playing with others, and showing feelings
Thinking and learning: exploring objects, solving simple problems, and pretend play

What milestones should my child reach from birth to 12 months?

What milestones should my toddler reach from 15 months to 3 years?

What milestones should my child reach at 4 and 5 years?

These tables show a sample of milestones, not every skill. For age-specific parent handouts, visit our Growth & Development library .

Is it normal for kids to reach milestones at different times?

Yes. Children develop at different rates, and a child may race ahead in one area while taking longer in another. A baby who walks early may talk later. Premature babies are often measured by their adjusted age in the early months.

What matters most is steady progress over time. That is why we track development at every checkup instead of judging one moment.

Which delays should I talk to my pediatrician about?

Trust your instincts. You know your child best. Bring up any concern, and call sooner rather than waiting for the next checkup if you notice:

Loss of skills your child once had, at any age
No babbling or pointing by 12 months
Not responding to their name by 12 months
No single words by 16–18 months, or no two-word phrases by 2 years
Not walking by 18 months
Little eye contact or interest in playing with others
Speech that is very hard for family to understand by age 3
Trouble with simple pretend play or following simple directions by age 3–4

Raising a concern early never hurts. If everything is on track, you leave reassured. If not, you have a head start on support.

How do we screen development at well visits?

At Advocare Society Hill Pediatrics in Philadelphia, we assess physical and cognitive development at every well visit by asking questions, watching your child, and listening to you. At key ages, we add standardized screening tools:

Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) at the 9-month, 18-month, and 2½-year visits. For the 2½-year visit, we ask families to complete the ASQ 2–3 days before the appointment.
M-CHAT autism screening questionnaire at the 18-month and 2-year visits
Hearing and vision checks , including a hearing test at 12 months and vision photoscreening at 1 and 2 years
Speech and development review at the 5-year visit, along with kindergarten readiness

Screening does not diagnose a condition. It helps us decide whether a closer evaluation would help.

What does early intervention offer?

Early intervention is a set of services for babies and toddlers under age 3 who have developmental delays or a condition likely to cause one. A federal law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), requires every state to offer it. Evaluations are free, and services are provided at no cost or low cost to families.

Services are built around your child and family. They can include:

Speech and language therapy
Physical therapy for movement skills
Occupational therapy for hand skills, feeding, and daily routines
Developmental support and coaching for parents

Often services take place at home or in child care, during everyday routines. After age 3, children who need ongoing support can be evaluated for preschool special education services through the local school district. You do not need a diagnosis to ask for an evaluation, and we can help you take the first step.

Frequently asked questions

Key takeaways for families

Milestones give parents a simple way to follow their child's growth from birth to age 5. Kids vary, but loss of skills, missed key milestones, or a gut feeling that something is off are all worth raising. We screen development at every well visit and use the ASQ and M-CHAT at key ages. Early intervention works best when it starts early. Advocare Society Hill Pediatrics serves families in Philadelphia, PA. To talk about your child's development, call 215-545-8188 or book your appointment online .

Well-Child Visit Schedule: Why Checkups Matter When Your Child Is Healthy

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 23:21:13 GMT

Our well-child visit schedule follows the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) plan: frequent checkups in the first two years, then one visit every year through the teen years. These visits matter most when your child is healthy, because that is when we can track growth, screen development, give vaccines on time, and answer your questions before small concerns become big ones.

Why does my child need a checkup if they aren't sick?

A sick visit focuses on one problem. A well visit looks at the whole child over time. Many of the things we watch for have no obvious symptoms early on.

Regular checkups help us:

Spot a change in growth, vision, hearing, or development early, when support works best
Keep immunizations on schedule so protection is in place before exposure
Build a relationship, so your child is seen by someone who knows their history
Give you age-specific guidance on sleep, feeding, safety, and behavior

At Advocare Society Hill Pediatrics in Philadelphia, we use these visits to assess physical and cognitive development and to provide preventive care through advice, vaccines, and screening labs.

What happens at a well-child visit?

Every checkup is tailored to your child's age, but most include the same core parts.

Growth check. We measure weight, length or height, and head size in the early years, and plot them on a growth curve. Starting around age 2, we add body mass index. One measurement says little. The trend over several visits tells the real story.

Development screening. We ask about and observe how your child moves, talks, plays, and learns. At set ages we use standardized tools such as the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and the M-CHAT autism screening questionnaire.

Vaccines. Most visits in the first two years include immunizations, with a few more in early school age and the preteen years. The flu vaccine is offered every flu season starting at 6 months.

Screenings and tests. Depending on age, these can include a newborn screen follow-up, vision photoscreening, hearing tests, lead and anemia checks, a cholesterol (lipid) test once between ages 9 and 11, and depression screening for teens.

 Your questions. This is your time. Bring a list. No question about feeding, sleep, tantrums, school, or puberty is too small.

What is the AAP well-child visit schedule from newborn to teen?

Our office follows the AAP recommended schedule. Here is what that looks like, with a few examples of what each stage covers.

See the full age-by-age details on our Well Visits page and our Immunization Schedule .

Why are there so many visits in the first two years?

Babies change faster in their first two years than at any other time. Weight gain, feeding, motor skills, and early language all move quickly. Most of the early vaccine series is also given during this window. Closely spaced visits let us catch problems early and keep protection on track.

What changes at teen well visits?

Teen checkups shift toward independence and healthy decision-making. During the teen years, we offer your teen time for at least part of the visit with the parent out of the room. That private time helps teens practice speaking up about their own health.

Teen visits also cover sports physical forms, sleep, nutrition and body image, mood, and safety topics like driving. In Pennsylvania, we can complete the driver's permit form at the visit.

How should I prepare for a well-child visit?

A little preparation makes the visit more useful.

Write down your questions and any changes since the last visit
Bring vaccine records if your child has received care elsewhere
Complete any developmental questionnaire we send ahead of time (for the 2½-year visit, we ask families to complete the ASQ 2–3 days before)
Bring school, camp, or sports forms that need to be filled out
Check our Forms page for anything you can complete before you arrive

Frequently asked questions

Key takeaways for families

Well-child visits keep healthy kids healthy. Following the AAP schedule, from the first week of life through the teen years, lets us track growth, screen development, give vaccines on time, and answer your questions in one visit. Advocare Society Hill Pediatrics serves families in Philadelphia, PA. To schedule your child's next checkup, call 215-545-8188, email infosocietyhillpeds@advocaredoctors.com, or book your appointment online .