Swedish Kids Symptom Checker

Swedish Kids Symptom Checker

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Fever - Myths Versus Facts

Misconceptions about fever are commonplace. Many parents needlessly worry and lose sleep when their child has a fever. This is called fever phobia. Overall, fevers are harmless. Let the following facts help you put fever into perspective:  


FACT: Children can feel warm for a many reasons such as playing hard, crying, getting out of a warm bed or being outside on a hot day. They are “giving off heat”. Their skin temperature should return to normal in 10 to 20 minutes. Once these causes are excluded, about 80% of children who feel warm and act sick actually have a fever. If you want to be sure, take their temperature.  The following are the cutoffs for fever using different types of thermometers:

  • Rectal, ear or temporal artery thermometers: 100.4° F (38.0° C) or higher
  • Oral or pacifier thermometers: 100° F (37.8° C) or higher
  • Under the arm (Axillary or Armpit) temperatures: 99° F (37.2° C) or higher

MYTH:  All fevers are bad for children.

FACT:  Fevers turn on the body's immune system and help the body fight infection. Fevers are one of the body's protective mechanisms. Normal fevers between 100° and 104° F (37.8° - 40° C) are actually good for sick children. 





MYTH:  Febrile seizures are harmful.


MYTH:  All fevers need to be treated with fever medicine.

FACT:  Fevers only need to be treated if they cause discomfort.  Usually fevers don't cause any discomfort until they go above 102° or 103° F (39° or 39.5° C).

MYTH:  Without treatment, fevers will keep going higher.

FACT:  Wrong.  Because the brain has a thermostat, fevers from infection usually don't go above 103° or 104° F (39.5°- 40° C). They rarely go to 105° or 106° F (40.6° or 41.1° C). While the latter are "high" fevers, they are harmless ones.

MYTH:  With treatment, fevers should come down to normal.

FACT:  With treatment, fevers usually come down 2° or 3° F (1° or 1.5° C).


FACT:  Fevers that don't respond to fever medicine can be caused by viruses or bacteria.  It doesn't relate to the seriousness of the infection.





MYTH:  The exact number of the temperature is very important.




SUMMARY: Remember that fever is fighting off your child's infection. Fever is one of the good guys.

Barton D. Schmitt, M.D.

If this is an emergency call 911 immediately.

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