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Fever:MedlinePlusMedicalEncyclopedia

NationalInstitutesofHealth/ U.S.NationalLibraryofMedicine

HomeMedicalEncyclopediaFever

URLofthispage://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003090.htm

Fever
Feveristhetemporaryincreaseinthebody'stemperatureinresponsetoadiseaseorillness.
Achildhasafeverwhenthetemperatureisatoraboveoneoftheselevels:
100.4F(38C)measuredinthebottom(rectally)
99.5F(37.5C)measuredinthemouth(orally)
99F(37.2C)measuredunderthearm(axillary)
Anadultprobablyhasafeverwhenthetemperatureisabove9999.5F(37.237.5C),dependingon
thetimeofday.

Considerations
Normalbodytemperaturemaychangeduringanygivenday.Itisusuallyhighestintheevening.Other
factorsthatmayaffectbodytemperatureare:
Awoman'smenstrualcycle.Inthesecondpartofthiscycle,hertemperaturemaygoupby1
degreeormore.
Physicalactivity,strongemotion,eating,heavyclothing,medications,highroomtemperature,and
highhumiditycanallincreasebodytemperature.
Feverisanimportantpartofthebody'sdefenseagainstinfection.Mostbacteriaandvirusesthatcause
infectionsinpeoplethrivebestat98.6F.Manyinfantsandchildrendevelophighfeverswithmildviral
illnesses.Althoughafeversignalsthatabattlemightbegoingoninthebody,thefeverisfightingfor,
notagainsttheperson.
Braindamagefromafevergenerallywillnotoccurunlessthefeverisover107.6F(42C).Untreated
feverscausedbyinfectionwillseldomgoover105Funlessthechildisoverdressedortrappedinahot
place.
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Febrileseizuresdooccurinsomechildren.Mostfebrileseizuresareoverquicklyanddonotmean
yourchildhasepilepsy.Theseseizuresalsodonotcauseanypermanentharm.
Unexplainedfeversthatcontinuefordaysorweeksarecalledfeversofundeterminedorigin(FUO).

Causes
Almostanyinfectioncancauseafever,including:
Boneinfections(osteomyelitis),appendicitis,skininfectionsorcellulitis,andmeningitis
Respiratoryinfectionssuchascoldsorflulikeillnesses,sorethroats,earinfections,sinus
infections,mononucleosis,bronchitis,pneumonia,andtuberculosis
Urinarytractinfections
Viralgastroenteritisandbacterialgastroenteritis
Childrenmayhavealowgradefeverfor1or2daysaftersomeimmunizations.
Teethingmaycauseaslightincreaseinachild'stemperature,butnothigherthan100F.
Autoimmuneorinflammatorydisordersmayalsocausefevers.Someexamplesare:
Arthritisorconnectivetissueillnessessuchasrheumatoidarthritisandsystemiclupus
erythematosus
UlcerativecolitisandCrohndisease
Vasculitisorperiarteritisnodosa
Thefirstsymptomofacancermaybeafever.ThisisespeciallytrueofHodgkindisease,nonHodgkin
lymphoma,andleukemia.
Otherpossiblecausesoffeverinclude:
Bloodclotsorthrombophlebitis
Medications,suchassomeantibiotics,antihistamines,andseizuremedicines

HomeCare
Asimplecoldorotherviralinfectioncansometimescauseahighfever(102104F,or38.940C).
Thisdoesnotusuallymeanyouoryourchildhasaseriousproblem.Someseriousinfectionsmaynot
causeafever,ormayevencauseaverylowbodytemperature,especiallyininfants.
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Ifthefeverismildandyouhavenootherproblems,youdonotneedtreatment.Drinkfluidsandrest.
Theillnessisprobablynotseriousifyourchild:
Isstillinterestedinplaying
Iseatinganddrinkingwell
Isalertandsmilingatyou
Hasanormalskincolor
Lookswellwhentheirtemperaturecomesdown
Takestepstolowerafeverifyouoryourchildisuncomfortable,vomiting,driedout(dehydrated),ornot
sleepingwell.Remember,thegoalistolower,noteliminate,thefever.
Whentryingtolowerafever:
Donotbundleupsomeonewhohasthechills.
Removeexcessclothingorblankets.Theroomshouldbecomfortable,nottoohotorcool.Try
onelayeroflightweightclothing,andonelightweightblanketforsleep.Iftheroomishotorstuffy,a
fanmayhelp.
Alukewarmbathorspongebathmayhelpcoolsomeonewithafever.Thisisespeciallyeffective
aftermedicationisgivenotherwisethetemperaturemightbouncerightbackup.
Donotusecoldbaths,ice,oralcoholrubs.Thesecooltheskin,butoftenmakethesituation
worsebycausingshivering,whichraisesthecorebodytemperature.
Herearesomeguidelinesfortakingmedicinetolowerafever:
Acetaminophen(Tylenol)andibuprofen(Advil,Motrin)helpreducefeverinchildrenandadults.
Sometimesdoctorsadviseyoutousebothtypesofmedicine.
Takeacetaminophenevery4to6hours.Itworksbyturningdownthebrain'sthermostat.
Takeibuprofenevery6to8hours.Donotuseibuprofeninchildren6monthsoryounger.
Aspirinisveryeffectivefortreatingfeverinadults.Donotgiveaspirintoachildunlessyourchild's
doctortellsyouto.
Knowhowmuchyouoryourchildweighs,andthenalwayschecktheinstructionsonthepackage
tofindthecorrectdose.
Inchildren3monthsoryounger,callyourdoctorfirstbeforegivingmedicines.
Eatinganddrinking:
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Everyone,especiallychildren,shoulddrinkplentyoffluids.Water,popsicles,soup,andgelatinare
allgoodchoices.
Donotgivetoomuchfruitjuiceorapplejuiceandavoidsportsdrinksinyoungerchildren.
Althougheatingisfine,donotforcefoods.

WhentoContactaMedicalProfessional
Calladoctorrightawayifyourchild:
Is3monthsoryoungerandhasarectaltemperatureof100.4F(38C)orhigher
Is3to12monthsoldandhasafeverof102.2F(39C)orhigher
Is2yearsoryoungerandhasafeverthatlastslongerthan24to48hours
Isolderandhasafeverforlongerthan48to72hours
Hasafeverof105F(40.5C)orhigher,unlessitcomesdownreadilywithtreatmentandthe
personiscomfortable
Hasothersymptomsthatsuggestanillnessmayneedtobetreated,suchasasorethroat,
earache,orcough
Hashadfeverscomeandgoforuptoaweekormore,evenifthesefeversarenotveryhigh
Hasaseriousmedicalillness,suchasaheartproblem,sicklecellanemia,diabetes,orcystic
fibrosis
Recentlyhadanimmunization
Hasanewrashorbruises
Haspainwithurination
Hastroublewiththeimmunesystem(becauseofchronicsteroidtherapy,abonemarrowororgan
transplant,spleenremoval,HIV,orcancertreatment)
Hasrecentlytraveledtoanothercountry
Call911ifyouoryourchildhasafeverand:
Iscryingandcannotbecalmed(children)
Cannotbeawakenedeasilyoratall
Seemsconfused
Cannotwalk
Hasdifficultybreathing,evenafterthenoseiscleared
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Hasbluelips,tongue,ornails
Hasaverybadheadache
Hasastiffneck
Refusestomoveanarmorleg(children)
Hasaseizure
Callyourdoctorrightawayifyouareanadultandyou:
Haveafeverof105F(40.5C)orhigher,unlessitcomesdownreadilywithtreatmentandyouare
comfortable
Haveafeverthatstaysatorkeepsrisingabove103F
Haveafeverforlongerthan48to72hours
Havehadfeverscomeandgoforuptoaweekormore,eveniftheyarenotveryhigh
Haveaseriousmedicalillness,suchasaheartproblem,sicklecellanemia,diabetes,cystic
fibrosis,COPD,orotherchroniclungproblems
Haveanewrashorbruises
Havepainwithurination
Havetroublewithyourimmunesystem(fromchronicsteroidtherapy,abonemarrowororgan
transplant,spleenremoval,HIV,orcancertreatment)
Haverecentlytraveledtoanothercountry

WhattoExpectatYourOfficeVisit
Yourdoctorwillperformaphysicalexamination.Thismayincludeadetailedexaminationoftheskin,
eyes,ears,nose,throat,neck,chest,andabdomentolookforthecauseofthefever.
Treatmentdependsonthedurationandcauseofthefever,aswellasothersymptoms.
Thefollowingtestsmaybeperformed:
Bloodstudies,suchasaCBCorblooddifferential
Urinalysis
Xrayofthechest

AlternativeNames
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ElevatedtemperatureHyperthermiaPyrexia

References
LeggettJ.Approachtofeverorsuspectedinfectioninthenormalhost.In:GoldmanL,SchaferAI,eds.
Goldman'sCecilMedicine.24thed.Philadelphia,PA:ElsevierSaunders2011:chap288.
SullivanJE,FarrarHC,andtheAmericanAcademyofPediatricsSectiononClinicalPharmacology
andTherapeutics,andCommitteeonDrugs.Feverandantipyreticuseinchildren.Pediatrics.
2011127:5807.PMID:21357332www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21357332
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21357332].

UpdateDate8/30/2014
Updatedby:NeilK.Kaneshiro,MD,MHA,ClinicalAssistantProfessorofPediatrics,Universityof
WashingtonSchoolofMedicine,Seattle,WA.AlsoreviewedbyDavidZieve,MD,MHA,IslaOgilvie,
PhD,andtheA.D.A.M.Editorialteam.

A.D.A.M.,Inc.isaccreditedbyURAC,alsoknownastheAmericanAccreditationHealthCareCommission
(www.urac.org).URAC'saccreditationprogramisanindependentaudittoverifythatA.D.A.M.followsrigorous
standardsofqualityandaccountability.A.D.A.M.isamongthefirsttoachievethisimportantdistinctionforonlinehealth
informationandservices.LearnmoreaboutA.D.A.M.'seditorialpolicy,editorialprocessandprivacypolicy.A.D.A.M.isalsoafounding
memberofHiEthicsandsubscribestotheprinciplesoftheHealthontheNetFoundation(www.hon.ch).

Theinformationprovidedhereinshouldnotbeusedduringanymedicalemergencyorforthediagnosisortreatmentofanymedical
condition.Alicensedphysicianshouldbeconsultedfordiagnosisandtreatmentofanyandallmedicalconditions.Call911forall
medicalemergencies.Linkstoothersitesareprovidedforinformationonlytheydonotconstituteendorsementsofthoseothersites.
Copyright19972016,A.D.A.M.,Inc.DuplicationforcommercialusemustbeauthorizedinwritingbyADAMHealthSolutions.

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Pagelastupdated:02March2016

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