Is your child too hot to handle?

Facts about fevers

By Annamaria Church, MD

Your child says she’s achy—and you know something’s not quite right. When you reach for the thermometer, you soon find her temperature is above normal. Your child has a fever—a sign that something is out of balance in her body.

Fevers aren’t necessarily bad. In fact, a fever can help fight off disease-causing bacteria and viruses, which tend to grow and flourish at the body’s normal temperature. Fever also activates the body’s immune system, which protects you against infection.

Normal body temperature is considered 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. In reality, there is a lot of individual variation in a normal temperature. Body temperature often fluctuates throughout the day; it tends to be higher in the afternoon and early evening and is typically lower in the middle of the night. A slight rise in temperature without other symptoms does not necessarily mean you have a fever.

How hot is too hot?

In general, doctors don’t consider adults and children to have a fever until the body’s temperature reaches 100.4 degrees. Fever can make you feel uncomfortable, and you may have trouble sleeping, but it’s rarely dangerous in adults or older children. It’s different, however, for infants under 3 months old. They should be evaluated by a doctor for any fever that reaches 100.4 degrees.

Fever often brings the shivers. Both children and adults feel chilled because blood vessels in the skin tighten and shrink, keeping warm blood deeper within the body and making your skin feel cold. As a result, your muscles contract and you shiver. Fevers often subside when you begin to sweat. Sweating is good, because it helps your body cool down and return your temperature to normal.

Infections are the most common cause of fever, but there are many other triggers. Toxins, certain medications, cancer, and diseases that weaken the immune system can also cause your temperature to rise.

Fever-induced seizures

Fever in children between 6 months and 6 years of age can sometimes cause febrile (fever-induced) seizures. During a febrile seizure, a child often loses consciousness and shakes. Most seizures last just a minute or two. Although they can be frightening to parents, febrile seizures are usually harmless. A child with a first-time febrile seizure should be evaluated by his physician.

In general, if a child with a mild fever is comfortable, drinking liquids and sleeping well, no treatment is needed. Over-the-counter medicines like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help control discomfort. Most adults can take aspirin, but children and teens with fever should avoid it because aspirin increases the risk of a rare and sometimes deadly disease called Reye’s syndrome.

When giving children medication, follow your pediatrician’s recommendation. Also check the label to make sure you’re giving the right dose for your child’s weight.