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Fever

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Fever

Definition:

Normal body temperature varies by person, age, activity, and time of day. The average normal body temperature is 98.6°F (37°C).

Alternative Names:
Elevated temperature; Hyperthermia; Pyrexia

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Considerations:

Normal body temperature is a moving target:

• In children younger than six months of age, the daily variation is small.
• In children 6 months to 2 years old, the daily variation is about 1 degree.
• Daily variations gradually increase to 2 degrees per day by age six.

Body temperature varies less in adults. However, a woman's menstrual cycle can elevate temperature by one degree or more.

Your body temperature is usually highest in the evening. It can be raised by physical activity, strong emotion, eating, heavy clothing, medications, high room temperature, and high humidity. This is especially true in children.

A rectal temperature up to 100.4°F (38°C) may be entirely normal. A rectal temperature of 100.5°F or above should always be considered a fever. Lower values might be a fever, depending on the person.

Fever is not an illness. Far from being an enemy, it is an important part of the body's defense against infection. Many infants and children develop high fevers with minor viral illnesses. While a fever signals to us that a battle might be going on in the body, the fever is fighting for the person, not against.

Most bacteria and viruses that cause infections in people thrive best at 98.6°F. Raising the temperature a few degrees can give your body the winning edge. In addition, a fever activates the body's immune system to make more white blood cells, antibodies, and other infection-fighting agents.

Many parents fear that fevers will cause brain damage. Brain damage from a fever generally will not occur unless the fever is over 107.6°F (42°C). Many parents also fear that untreated fevers will keep going higher and higher. Untreated fevers caused by infection will seldom go over 105°F unless the child is overdressed, or trapped in a hot place. The brain's thermostat will stop the fever from climbing above 106°F.