When to Take a Child With a Fever to A&E in Singapore
A high number on the thermometer is rarely the reason to go to A&E. How your child looks and behaves matters more. This is a simple decision guide for parents in Singapore: when to call 995, when to go to the nearest 24-hour A&E, when a GP or polyclinic is the right call, and when watching at home is fine.
With a feverish child, the hardest question is not what the temperature is, but where to take them. For a child over 3 months, the number on the thermometer is rarely the deciding factor. How your child looks and behaves tells you more.
Use the sections below as a quick decision guide. If anything in the first section applies, act on it now. Babies under 3 months are a separate case, covered further down.
Call 995 or go to the nearest A&E
Call 995 when it is really serious and cannot wait. An ambulance means care can start on the way. Go to the nearest 24-hour A&E or children's emergency when it is urgent but there is still time to travel. Several hospitals across Singapore have 24-hour emergency services, so go to whichever is closest.
Call 995 now if your child has a fever and any of these:
- !A seizure lasting more than 5 minutes (give rectal diazepam if a doctor has prescribed it, and still call)
- !Struggling to breathe (skin pulling in under the ribs, nostrils flaring, or grunting), pauses in breathing, or lips turning blue or grey
- !Cannot be woken, or floppy and not responding to you
- !A rash of small red or purple spots that does not fade when you press a glass on it
- !Swelling of the lips, tongue, or face, with any difficulty breathing
- !Cold, clammy, or mottled skin, with drowsiness or restlessness
Go to the nearest 24-hour A&E or children's emergency now if:
- !Breathing faster than normal
- !A bad headache with a fever, or bright light hurts their eyes
- !Pain that is not settling, or crying you cannot soothe
- !A baby under 3 months with a temperature of 38.0°C or above
- !A first febrile seizure, even if it has stopped
- !After a seizure: confused, still drowsy after 30 minutes, or more than one seizure in a day
- !A stiff neck, or crying in pain when bending the head forward
- !Unusually drowsy or hard to wake, but can be woken
- !Dengue warning signs as the fever comes down: tummy pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding gums or nose, or very tired
- !No urine or wet nappy for 12 hours or more
- !No tears when crying, sunken eyes, or a very dry mouth
- !Cannot keep any fluids down
- !Green vomit
- !A temperature above 40°C that is not coming down, and your child seems unwell
If your gut says something is wrong even without these signs, trust it and get your child seen.
→ What to do during a febrile seizure, step by step
→ The rash test that tells you to act fast
→ Dengue in children: the warning signs as the fever comes down
→ What happens when you take a feverish child to A&E
When a GP or polyclinic is enough
Most feverish children do not need A&E. If your child is over 3 months, is alert when the fever eases, and is still drinking, a GP or polyclinic during opening hours is the right level of care. See one if:
- The fever has lasted more than 3 days without a clear cause.
- A fever lasting 5 days or more, especially with red eyes, red cracked lips, a rash, or swollen red hands or feet. This can be Kawasaki disease, which needs a same-day check.
- Your child has ear pain, a sore throat, pain passing urine, or another specific symptom that needs checking.
- The fever keeps returning over several days and your child is not picking up between spikes.
- You are simply not sure, and want a professional to take a look.
A GP can also check for dengue and other causes with a blood test when a fever has no obvious source, which matters in Singapore.
Babies under 3 months are different
The rules above are for children over 3 months. For a younger baby, a fever is treated more cautiously because illness can be harder to read at this age. A temperature of 38.0°C or above in a baby under 3 months needs urgent assessment, even if the baby looks well and is feeding.
Do not give fever medicine first to see if it settles. Have your baby seen at the nearest 24-hour children's emergency now, including if they are drowsy but can be woken, or are not feeding. Call 995 instead if your baby is floppy, not responding, or struggling to breathe.
→ Fever in a baby under 3 months: what to do
When watching at home is reasonable
A child over 3 months who is feverish but drinking, responsive when the fever eases, and settling with comfort and medicine can usually be watched at home. The fever itself is part of how the body fights infection, and a high number alone is not harmful.
Offer fluids often, dress them lightly, and give paracetamol or ibuprofen by weight for comfort once your child is uncomfortable or the fever is 38.5°C or above. Keep checking on them, including overnight, and move up a level if any of the signs above appear.
Use paracetamol, not ibuprofen, if dengue is possible, your child is vomiting or not drinking well, is under 3 months, or has had diclofenac. When not to use ibuprofen
Keeping a simple record of each temperature and the time and dose of any medicine makes it much easier to answer a doctor's questions later, and to see whether things are getting better or worse.
→ Toddler fever of 39°C: when to monitor vs seek help
→ How long does a fever usually last in a child?
Frequently asked questions
Is a high fever on its own a reason to go to A&E?+
Usually not. For a child over 3 months, how your child looks and behaves matters more than the number. A child with a fever of 39.5°C who is still drinking, responsive, and settles after medicine is in a very different position from a child with a lower fever who is drowsy, struggling to breathe, or hard to wake. Treat the child, not the thermometer.
My baby is under 3 months and has a fever. Where do I go?+
A fever of 38.0°C or above in a baby under 3 months needs urgent assessment, even if the baby looks well. Go to the nearest 24-hour children's emergency now, including if your baby is drowsy but can be woken, or is not feeding. Call 995 instead if your baby is floppy, not responding, or struggling to breathe. Do not give fever medicine first to see if it settles.
When should I call 995 instead of driving to A&E?+
Call 995 if a seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, your child cannot be woken or is floppy and not responding, is struggling to breathe or going blue around the lips, or has a rash of small red or purple spots that do not fade when pressed. In these situations an ambulance can start care on the way, which is safer than driving. A first febrile seizure that has stopped needs the nearest 24-hour children's emergency immediately.
It is the middle of the night. Should I wait until morning to see a GP?+
For the emergency signs in this guide, do not wait. For a child over 3 months who is feverish but drinking, responsive, and settling with comfort and medicine, it is usually reasonable to watch overnight and see your GP or polyclinic in the morning if the fever continues or you are worried.
How many days of fever is too many before seeing a doctor?+
A fever lasting more than 3 days without a clear cause is worth a review by your GP or polyclinic, even if your child seems otherwise alright. In Singapore this also lets the doctor check for dengue and other causes with a blood test if needed.