Fever in Children Topic Guide

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 of fever in adults usually involves ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or aspirin.

Skin rashes in children may be categorized as bacterial, viral, life-threatening, fungal, and parasitic rashes. Oftentimes, the associated symptoms help establish the diagnosis. Treatment depends upon the type of rash and the severity of the signs and symptoms.

A fever is a higher-than-normal body temperature. A fever is not an illness in itself, but a sign the body is fighting an infection. Fever is often defined as a core (rectal) body temperature of 100.4° F (38.0° C) or greater in adults and 99°F (37.2°C) (armpit) or 100.4°F (38°C) (rectal) in babies under one year. A fever usually isn't a concern unless it is 103° F (39.4° C) or higher.