Common cold and fever: when to seek help

Fever is the body's response to infection and may occur with a cold, especially early in the illness. A person may also have chills, tiredness, a sore throat, blocked nose, or cough. Fever does not identify the cause by itself: influenza, another virus, or a bacterial infection can produce a similar pattern.

Look at the whole picture. Drinking, passing urine, breathing comfortably, and responding normally are reassuring signs. A fever in a very young baby, a person with a weakened immune system, or someone with a serious long-term condition needs medical advice sooner.

Offer frequent fluids and rest, and dress the person comfortably rather than adding heavy layers. Check the temperature with a reliable thermometer and record the reading, time, and any medicine given. Use paracetamol or another fever medicine only as directed for the person's age, weight, and health conditions; never combine products that contain the same ingredient. Do not use aspirin for children unless a clinician specifically directs it.

Contact a clinician if the fever is persistent, the person is becoming less alert, fluids are difficult to keep down, urine is reduced, or symptoms are getting worse after initial improvement. Seek urgent help for trouble breathing, blue or grey lips, a seizure, a stiff neck, a new widespread rash, severe headache, confusion, or inability to wake normally. Any fever in a baby younger than three months needs prompt medical advice.

Ask whether the illness fits a cold, how often to check temperature, and which fever medicine and dose are suitable. Tell the clinician the highest reading, how it was measured, fluid intake, urine output, and every medicine taken.