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Fever or Chills, Age 11 and Younger

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Fever or Chills, Age 11 and Younger

Overview

A fever is the body's normal and healthy reaction to infection and other illnesses, both minor and serious. Fevers help the body fight infection. A fever is a symptom, not a disease. In most cases, a fever means that your child has a minor illness. Often you must look at your child's other symptoms to find out how serious the illness is. It may be scary when your child's temperature goes up. But a fever isn't harmful.

Normal body temperature

The average normal body temperature is about 98.6 °F (37°C), measured orally (under the tongue). It usually rises during the day from a lower temperature in the morning to a higher temperature in the late afternoon. Each child has a normal temperature range that may be different from another child's. Mild increases in temperature can be caused by exercising, wearing too many clothes, taking a hot bath, or being outside in hot weather.

Fever

Temperature measurements vary depending on how you take it. The most common ways to measure it are:

  • Under the tongue.
  • In the armpit.
  • In the rectum.
  • In the ear.

You can also use:

  • Forehead thermometers.
  • Pacifier thermometers.

Some methods may not be as reliable or accurate as others.

If you think that your child has a fever but you can't measure their temperature, it's important to look for other symptoms of illness.

Children tend to have higher fevers than adults. The degree of fever may not show how serious your child's illness is. With a minor illness, such as a cold, your child may have a fever. But a very serious infection may cause little or no fever. With many illnesses, a fever temperature can go up and down very quickly and often. So be sure to look for other symptoms along with the fever.

Babies with a fever often have an infection caused by a virus, such as a cold or the flu. Infections caused by bacteria, such as a urinary infection or bacterial pneumonia, also can cause a fever. Babies younger than 3 months should be seen by a doctor anytime they have a fever. That's because they can get extremely sick quickly.

A fever in a healthy child usually isn't dangerous, especially if the child doesn't have other symptoms and the fever goes away in 3 to 4 days. Most children who have a fever will be fussy and play less. And they may not eat as much as usual.

High fevers may make your child uncomfortable, but they rarely cause serious problems. There is no medical evidence that fevers from infection cause brain damage. But outside heat—such as from being in a car that is parked in the sun—can cause body temperature to rise above 107 °F (41.7 °C). In those cases, brain damage can occur.

Childhood immunizations can reduce the risk for fever-related illnesses, such as Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) infection. No vaccine is 100% effective. But most routine childhood immunizations are effective for 85% to 95% of the children who get them.

Causes of fever

It's not unusual for a preschool-aged child to have 7 to 10 viral infections in a year. Each new viral infection may cause a fever. It may seem that a fever is ongoing. But if 48 hours pass between fevers, then the new fever is most likely from a new illness.

Common causes of a fever include:

  • Viral infections, such as colds, flu, and chickenpox.
  • Bacterial infections, such as a urinary tract infection.
  • Immunizations.

Teething may cause a mild increase in your child's temperature. But if the temperature gets high, look for symptoms that may be related to an infection or illness.

A fever that rises quickly may lead to a fever seizure in some children. After a fever has reached a high temperature, the risk of a seizure is less. Fever seizures can be scary to see. But they usually don't cause other problems, such as brain damage, intellectual disability, or learning problems.

Low body temperature

If a low body temperature is your child's only symptom, it's not something to worry about. If a low body temperature occurs with other symptoms, such as chills, shaking, breathing problems, or confusion, then this may be a sign of more serious illness.

Low body temperature may occur from cold exposure, shock, or certain metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, Opens dialog. A low body temperature may also occur with an infection. This is most likely in newborns, older adults, and people who are frail. An overwhelming infection, such as sepsis, may also cause an abnormally low body temperature.

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Information about Fever or Chills, Age 11 and Younger

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

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