Fever in Children

1. Childhood Skin Problems Slideshow
2. Childhood Illnesses You Should Know Slideshow
3. Slideshow: Cold and Flu - Treating Your Child's Cold or Fever

Medical Author:

Robert Ferry Jr., MD

Robert Ferry Jr., MD

Robert Ferry Jr., MD, is a U.S. board-certified Pediatric Endocrinologist. After taking his baccalaureate degree from Yale College, receiving his doctoral degree and residency training in pediatrics at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), he completed fellowship training in pediatric endocrinology at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

View Full Profile

• Fever in Children Overview
• Fever in Children Causes
• Fever in Children Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Diagnosis
• Fever in Children Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Prognosis
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Read more on Fever in Children from Healthwise
• Viewer Comments: Fever in Children - Treatment

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, since body temperatures can vary 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.

Must Read Articles Related to Fever in Children

Fever in Adults A fever is a body temperature of 100.4 F or greater. A fever may be caused by a virus, bacteria, fungus, blood clot, tumor, drug, or the environment. Treatment ...learn more >>

Mild Headache Mild headaches are common but usually do not represent a serious illness. They result from irritation or injury to pain-sensing structures of the head. Symptoms...learn more >>

Skin Rashes in Children Skin rashes in children may be categorized as bacterial, viral, life-threatening, fungal, and parasitic rashes. Oftentimes, the associated symptoms help establi...learn more >>

See the Entire Fever in Children Topic Guide »