Fever Medicine for Infants: Safe Options, Dosing, and What to Avoid

When your baby has a fever, finding the right fever medicine for infants, a safe, age-appropriate medication used to reduce body temperature in babies. Also known as antipyretic, it's not about making the fever disappear—it's about helping your child feel better while their body fights off infection. Fever in infants isn’t always dangerous, but it can be scary. The key isn’t to lower the number on the thermometer, but to watch how your baby is acting. Are they drinking? Are they alert? Are they crying more than usual? Those signs matter more than the temperature itself.

For babies over 2 months old, only two medicines are recommended: acetaminophen, a common pain and fever reducer that’s gentle on infants’ systems and ibuprofen, a stronger anti-inflammatory used for babies 6 months and older. Acetaminophen works well for mild fevers and is often the first choice. Ibuprofen lasts longer and may help if the fever is stubborn, but it’s harder on the stomach and kidneys, so it’s not for younger babies. Never give aspirin. Never give cold medicines labeled for adults. Never guess the dose. Even a half-milliliter too much can cause liver damage or kidney failure.

Dosing isn’t based on age alone—it’s based on weight. A 10-pound baby needs a different amount than a 16-pound baby, even if they’re both 4 months old. Always check the label. Use the dropper or syringe that came with the bottle, not a kitchen spoon. Many parents make the mistake of using a teaspoon from the drawer, which can be off by 50%. If you’re unsure, call your pediatrician. They’ve seen this before. They’ll tell you exactly how much to give, and when to come in.

Some parents try home remedies—alcohol baths, cold compresses, bundling up to "sweat it out." These don’t help. Alcohol can be absorbed through the skin and poison a baby. Bundling traps heat and makes the fever worse. A lukewarm sponge bath might feel nice, but it won’t bring the fever down fast. The only thing that reliably works is the right medicine, at the right dose, at the right time.

What about teething? It doesn’t cause high fevers. If your baby has a temperature over 100.4°F and is under 3 months, call your doctor immediately. No waiting. No googling. That’s a medical alert. Between 3 and 6 months, a fever over 102°F needs attention. After 6 months, you can watch for 24 hours if your baby is still drinking, peeing, and acting mostly like themselves. But if they’re limp, pale, or won’t wake up, go to the ER. Fever isn’t the enemy—what it hides is.

Below, you’ll find real-world advice from parents and doctors on how to handle infant fevers safely. You’ll learn how to read medicine labels correctly, what to do if your baby vomits the dose, how to tell if it’s a virus or something more serious, and why some "natural" remedies are more dangerous than the fever itself. This isn’t guesswork. It’s proven, practical guidance—so you can act fast, stay calm, and keep your baby safe.