What Do You Know About Fever?
One minute you're hot; the next, you're chilled and your teeth chatter. You've got a fever. See how much you know about fever, what causes it, and the best ways to treat it.
2. A child’s body temperature will show as the same number, no matter if it’s measured by mouth, in the armpit, or in the rectum.
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A person’s temperature varies depending on how it’s taken. Check with your child’s healthcare provider to find out what temperature they consider a fever. Some providers say that a child is considered to have a fever if their temperature is 99.5°F (37.5°C) or higher by mouth, 99°F (37.2°C) or higher in the armpit, or 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in the rectum. If you use a thermometer that's put in the ear (tympanic) or held near the forehead (temporal), ask your provider what temperature means a fever on that device. Ask your child's provider for a handout so you'll remember the temperature numbers when your child is ill.
5. A baby 8 weeks old or younger who has a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher should see a healthcare provider right away.
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A fever of this temperature is considered urgent and could mean a medical emergency. Take your baby to their healthcare provider or to the emergency room right away. Don’t give your child any fever-reducing medicine unless your doctor tells you to do so. These medicines can mask symptoms that your provider wants to see to help with a diagnosis.
If your baby is younger than 3 months and has a fever of more than 100.4°F (38°C), you should see your provider right away. Follow your provider’s instructions for treating fever or being seen at an emergency room.
If your child has any of these symptoms, seek care for them right away:
- Fever of 104°F (40°C) or higher
- Lethargy. This means your child is limp or unresponsive, or won’t make eye contact or interact with you.
- Irritableness. This goes beyond fussiness. It means that your child can’t be comforted and cries for extended periods of time.
- Stiff neck or pain in the back of the neck along with a high fever. This may mean meningitis. Other symptoms of meningitis include vomiting, headache, and sensitivity to bright lights and loud noises.
6. A person with a fever and chills should dress in warm clothes or stay in bed under lots of warm blankets.
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These things can raise a person’s body temperature by trapping body heat. Lightweight clothing and lightweight bed coverings are best. These allow body heat to escape and help to not raise a person’s temperature. If a person’s body temperature gets too high, it can cause serious problems. In a child, it may cause a febrile seizure. In children and adults, it can cause damage to the brain and other organs.
7. There are no medicines that can reduce a fever. You just have to wait for a fever to go away on its own.
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Acetaminophen and ibuprofen can lower a fever in both children and adults. These medicines won’t make an illness that causes fever to go away, but they can help lessen the discomfort of a fever. Talk with your child’s healthcare provider before giving any medicine. You should never give aspirin to a child.
8. Eating or drinking just before taking your temperature doesn’t affect the reading of an oral thermometer.
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Hot or cold food and drinks can affect the temperature reading in a person’s mouth. You should take your oral temperature at least 20 minutes after you eat or drink anything.
9. A person under age 19 with a fever should never be given aspirin.
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When someone under age 19 with a fever is given aspirin, it can lead to a rare but very serious disease called Reye syndrome. Reye syndrome is a condition that causes pressure in the brain and fat to build up quickly in the liver and other organs. It only follows a viral infection, such a cold, the flu, or chickenpox. Taking aspirin can trigger it. Symptoms include vomiting, lethargy, confusion, convulsions, and loss of consciousness. It can cause coma and even death. Make sure to read all medicine labels to see if they contain aspirin. Look for the words acetylsalicylic acid or salicylate.
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