If your child is younger than 3 months old, contact the child's pediatrician any time there is a fever above 38 °C (100.4 °F). For children older than 3 months with a fever under 40 °C (104 °F), you should call your doctor if the fever lasts more than two to three days. In these cases, your doctor should know whether or not your child needs to be monitored by medical professionals or if you can continue to treat the fever at home. Immediately contact a physician or emergency services if a child has a fever above 40.6 °C (105 °F), no matter the age. When your child is running a fever of 40.5 °C (105 °F) or above and starts having seizures or other neurological symptoms, is very lethargic, dehydrated, or if the fever is due to heat exhaustion, you should call an ambulance for immediate assistance. If the child has a temperature of 40.5 °C (105 °F), medical attention is necessary. Take your child to the doctor for assistance. Apply lukewarm or room temperature water with a sponge or cloth to your child’s head, neck, armpits, and wrists if his or her temperature is at or exceeds 40.5 °C (105 °F). This will provide a temporary reduction in body temperature. Give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen right away to start bringing down the fever. After a doctor or medical professional has reduced your child’s fever, he or she will provide you with monitoring and treatment options for the future. Follow your doctor’s instructions closely to prevent another onset of dangerously high fever. Even if your child’s high-grade fever has seemingly been eliminated, it is critical you bring the child back for future follow-ups and visits with the doctor. This will help to eliminate any dangerous or potentially life-threatening complications in the future.

Summary: Know when to contact your doctor. Seek medical intervention. Know when to call an ambulance. Cool your child with lukewarm water. Follow your doctor’s instructions. Bring your child back for a follow-up visit.


Not all snakes are dangerous. However, it is a good rule of thumb to avoid any snakes you encounter in the wild. Certain signals can tell you whether the snake in question is particularly dangerous.  Pay attention to the snake's position. A coiled snake is likely getting ready to strike. If you encounter a rattlesnake, back away slowly. If the snake is coiled and audibly rattling, it is getting ready to strike. Be aware that a snake can strike from any position. It can strike the furthest distance from a coiled position, but it can also attack from a stretched out position. There is no foolproof way to tell if the snake you encounter is venomous. It's a good idea to assume that it is and move along. Venomous snakes do carry some common traits that are good indicators that they are poisonous.  Poisonous snakes in the United States are almost all pit vipers. Pit vipers have heat-seeking pits on their snouts that help them to locate prey. Many poisonous snakes have triangular heads. The water moccasin, rattlesnake, and copperhead all have pointed heads and are venomous. The water moccasin is also known as a cottonmouth and is found in many southern waterways. Its venom can cause muscle and tissue damage. The coral snake is the exception to many rules and is the most venomous snake in the US. It has a rounded head, rounded pupils, and is more brightly colored than other snakes. Hikers and fishermen frequently encounter rattlesnakes. These snakes live in all parts of the continental United States. They are particular common in the Southwest.  You can identify a rattlesnake by looking for the distinct, noise-making scales at the end of its tale. Be aware that not all rattlesnakes will actively be rattling. They are still dangerous. Rattlesnakes are strong swimmers. Be on the lookout for them if you are fishing in a stream, lake, or river. The rattlesnake has hollow, retractable fangs. These fangs appear when the snake strikes and can inject large amounts of venom in their victim. The best thing to do when you encounter a snake is to walk away and let it be. However, sometimes you may feel that you absolutely need to get rid of the snake. Make sure to keep safety as your top priority.  If you find a snake in your yard, you might worry about it biting your children or pets. To send it on its way, spray it gently with a garden hose. Stand a good distance away while you spray. If you find a snake in your house, try to isolate it in one room. If you're sure it is not dangerous, you can set a glue trap to catch the snake, and then set it free. Call animal control. Each city has experts that can come help you deal with the snake who is invading your space.

Summary: Observe the snake's posture. Recognize poisonous snakes. Stay away from rattlesnakes. Get rid of a snake.


Writing about yourself can be tough, because there is so much you can say. You have a lifetime of experiences, talents, and skills to summarize in a paragraph, or two. Whatever kind of writing you are planning on doing, whatever your purpose, just think about it like you are introducing yourself to a stranger. What do they need to know? Answer questions like:  Who are you? What is your background? What are your interests? What are your talents? What are your achievements? What challenges have you faced? If you are not sure where to start, or if you are limited to one thing for the assignment, start by making a list. Brainstorm good ideas that will help you decide, then sketch out as many different answers as you feel necessary.. Pick one specific topic, describe it in detail, and use that to introduce yourself. It is better to pick one thing and use a lot of detail, than to give someone a big long list of general items. What is your most interesting or unique quality? What word(s) describes you the best? Choose that topic. When you have a specific topic to narrow in on, give the reader unique details to hold onto. Remember, you are describing yourself and add details that show you in a positive light:  Bad: I like sports. Ok: I'm a fan of basketball, football, tennis, and soccer. Good: My favorite sport is football, both to watch and to play. Better: When I was growing up, I would watch Big Ten football with my dad and brothers every Saturday, before we'd go outside and toss the football around. I've loved it ever since. . Even if you are very accomplished or talented, you want to come across like a down-to-earth person. Do not write about yourself to brag. List your accomplishments and your successes, but temper them with some more humble language:  Braggy: I'm the best and most dynamic worker at my company right now, so you should want to hire me for my talents. Humble: I was lucky enough to be awarded three employee of the month awards at my current job. Turns out it was a company record.
Summary: Introduce yourself. Start with a short list of your talents and interests. Narrow your topic. Use a few good details. Be humble