“How do you treat a coronavirus fever in a child?”

Fever from an infection is treated (or not treated) the same way, regardless of its cause. Fever is the body's natural response to infection and is part of the immune system's efforts to cure the infection. The fever, by itself, is not dangerous (although the infection that's causing it might be). Medications that decrease a fever also treat pain/discomfort. They do that by actually blocking the body's natural immune response, and that, at least theoretically, may also interfere with the natural healing process. Therefore, it's important to give antifever medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen when your child is complaining of *pain*, and not just because the numbers on a thermometer are > 100.4. Having a fever also helps your doctor understand what's going on with your child's health, so blocking it with medication takes that important tool away from your doctor. Treating the underlying cause is always the best way to approach illness in children.

Shelley C. Springer, MD, MBA, MSc, JD, FAAP

Pretty much the same as any other fever, though Tylenol is the preferred choice of medication.