Fever in Children

Swine Flu FAQ Slideshow

• Fever in Children Overview
• Fever in Children Causes
• Fever in Children Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Fever in Children Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

Fever in Children Overview

Fever remains the most common concern for which parents bring their child to the emergency department. Fever has traditionally been defined as a rectal temperature over 100.4°F or 38.0°C. Temperatures measured at other sites are usually lower. The threshold for defining a fever does vary significantly between different individuals by as much as 1°F.

Fever itself is not life-threatening unless it is extremely and persistently high, such as greater than 107°F (41.6°C) when measured rectally. Fever may indicate the presence of a serious illness, but usually a fever is caused by common infections which are not serious. The part of the brain called the hypothalamus controls body temperature. The hypothalamus increases the body's temperature as a way to fight the infection. However, many conditions other than infections may cause a fever.