Fevers

Fevers in children can be scary. They can serve as a signal that a battle might be going on. The fever is fighting for the child, not against.

Dr. Greene’s Answer:

Not very long ago — when my parents were children — a high fever in a child could mean there was a serious, untreatable condition. Today, most of the devastating illnesses causing these high fevers are either treatable (thanks largely to antibiotics), or better yet preventable (thanks largely to vaccines). Nevertheless, for generation after generation on our planet, a high fever in a child was a chilling terror to the parents. Fever as an enemy is deeply ingrained in our cultural memory.

I was surprised to learn in medical school that fever, far from being an enemy, is an important part of the body’s defense against infection. While a fever in a child signals to us that a battle might be going on in a child’s body, the fever is fighting for the child, not against.

Causes of Fevers

Most bacteria and viruses that cause infections in humans thrive best at 98.6 degrees F (37C). Raising the temperature a few degrees can give the body the winning edge. In addition, a fever activates the body’s immune system, accelerating the production of white blood cells, antibodies, and many other infection-fighting agents.

Cold-blooded animals adjust their temperatures by moving to a different spot. While a medical student, I sat fascinated as I learned that lizards, when infected, will move to a warmer place to give themselves a fever. If they are prevented from finding a warmer spot, they will likely die.


How many infections are too many?


Fevers and Brain Damage

Many parents fear that fevers will cause brain damage. Brain damage from a fever will not occur unless the fever is over 107.6 degrees F (42C) for an extended period of time. Many also fear that untreated fevers will keep going higher and higher, up to 107 degrees F or even more. Untreated fevers caused by infection will seldom go over 105 degrees unless the child is overdressed or trapped in a hot place. The brain’s thermostat will stop the fever from climbing above 106 degrees F. Some parents fear that fevers will cause seizures. For the great majority of children this is not the case. About 2.5% of young children, though, will sometimes have seizures with fever. These febrile seizures are caused by rapid increase in temperature, not necessarily by the height of the temperature. Once a child already has a high fever, a febrile seizure is unlikely with the current illness. In any event, simple febrile seizures are over in moments without lasting consequences.

What Temperature Constitutes a Fever?

While 98.6 degrees F is considered the normal core body temperature, this value varies between individuals and throughout the day. The daily variation is minimal in children less than six months of age, about 1 degree in children 6 months to 2 years old, and gradually increases to 2 degrees per day by age six. A person’s baseline temperature is usually highest in the evening.

Body temperature, especially in children, is normally raised by physical activity, strong emotion, eating, heavy clothing, elevated room temperature, and elevated humidity. A rectal temperature up to 100.4 degrees F (38C) may be entirely normal (no fever). A rectal temperature of 100.5 or above should be considered a fever. Lower values might be a fever, depending on the child.

So where is the best spot to measure your child’s temperature? This depends on the age and level of cooperativity of your child. For an infant or child who cannot hold a thermometer under their tongue, an ear measurement will provide a good starting place and is accurate if done properly. However, it may need to be confirmed by a rectal temperature if there is concern that the child is seriously ill. For older children, measuring under the tongue (oral temperature) provides a good accurate measurement of body temperature. And although you may have a parent’s intuition about fever (which can often be correct!) it is not accurate to measure temperature by feeling a child’s forehead. This method is highly dependent on your own temperature. Pacifier thermometers and fever strips on the forehead are okay for screening, but are not accurate enough for measuring a true fever. 

When and How to Treat Fevers in Children

A fever does not necessarily need to be treated. If a child is playful and comfortable, drinking plenty of fluids, and able to sleep, fever treatment is not likely to be helpful. Steps should be taken to lower a fever if the child is uncomfortable, vomiting, dehydrated, or having difficulty sleeping. The goal is to bring the temperature between about 100 and 102 degrees F — not to eliminate the fever.

When trying to reduce a fever, first remove excess clothing or blankets. The environment should be comfortably cool (one layer of lightweight clothing, and one lightweight blanket to sleep). Two medicines are useful for reducing fever in children: acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Children’s Advil or Motrin). Acetaminophen is given every 4-6 hours, and works by turning down the brain’s thermostat. Ibuprofen is given every 6-8 hours and helps fight the inflammation at the source of the fever. It is not approved for children under 6 months. Both medicines may be given for stubborn fevers, but be very careful about using the correct dose of each. Do not use any anti-fever medications for children under three months of age without first having the child examined by a physician. 

A lukewarm bath or sponge bath may help cool a febrile child (after medication is given — otherwise the temperature bounces right back up). Cold baths or alcohol rubs cool the skin, but often make the situation worse by causing shivering, which raises the core body temperature.

During a fever, it is also very important to keep your child well hydrated.  Children may not be hungry and that is okay, but you should ensure they get adequate fluids in the form of water, breastmilk, or formula.  You may also offer things like popsicles, broth, and oral rehydration solutions like Pedialyte to help with hydration.  If your child is refusing any form of hydration for a couple of hours, it is worth a call or visit to your pediatrician. 

Fever is a signal that something is going on in your child. Usually, this is a minor illness, but it can be a serious infection, such as meningitis. Any child less than 90 days old with a fever >100.4 degrees F should be examined by a physician right away, to rule out a serious infection. Children of any age who have a fever >104 degrees F should also be seen, unless the fever comes down readily with treatment and the child is comfortable. Any child who has a fever and is very irritable, confused, has difficulty breathing, has a stiff neck, won’t move an arm or leg, or who has a seizure should also be seen right away. Also, if you have serious concerns about your child’s condition for any reason, do not hesitate to contact your pediatrician or to seek medical attention for your child.

Fevers in Infants

Even without obvious symptoms, children under 6 months of age with a fever should be examined by a physician within 24 hours, since they may have some infection that needs to be treated. Older children with a fever (6 to 24 months old) who are acting well and have no other symptoms should be seen if the fever lasts 48 hours (or 72 hours if they do have minor cold or flu symptoms).

While caring for your son with a fever, remember the shadows of the many generations before ours when a fever would break a mother’s heart. The fever was the body’s desperate attempt to save the child. Remember now that fever is a friend — alerting us to potential problems, activating the immune system, and fighting bacteria and viruses.

Resources and References

Barbi E, Marzuillo P, et al.  Fever in children: Pearls and pitfalls. Children (Basel). 2017;4(9):81. 

Sarrell EM, et al. Antipyretic treatment in young children with fever: acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or both alternating in a randomized, double-blind study. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006;160(2):197-202. 

Sullivan JE,  The Section on Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics and Committee on Drugs. Fever and antipyretic use in children. Pediatrics. 2011;127(3):580-587. 

Wyckoff A.  Thermometer use 101. AAP News. 2009;30(11):29.

Dr. Greene is a practicing physician, author, national and international TEDx speaker, and global health advocate. He is a graduate of Princeton University and University of California San Francisco.

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  1. ALCM

    When my daughter was 2, she started getting frequent fevers. I told everyone, doctors, family, taht something was wrong. After 4 months of drs visits, antibiotics, blood tests and being constantly told it was “just a bug” – she received a diagnosis of PFD. Basically, she gets a fever for no KNOWN reason/cause every 3 weeks like clockwork.

    Takeaway: You are your child’s only advocate. We were lucky, PFD is manageable, but a proper diagnosis is something every parent should pursue. Don’t be afraid to insist on blood tests or further tests, if symptoms persist. We also learned she had low iron levels, which would of been worth the extra testing alone.

    I’ve been working on starting an online database for parents who’s child has also been diagnosed with PFD to track symptoms. There’s a link somewhere. I’m not qualified to find it, but maybe someone who was, would be interested in viewing the data one day.

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    • Dear ALCM,

      You are wise to begin to look for common links. So many illnesses are still unexplained because we just don’t know enough yet.

      Dr. Greene and I are co-founders of a company called doc.ai — a company that uses A.I. to conduct medical research. Individuals use their health data to get personalized insights by conducting User initiated research. Basically, you can encourage other families with PFD to feed their data in the doc.ai database (all the data is still yours and lives securely on your phone, not on our servers) to be analyzed by the doc.ai A.I. Check it out. It may be just what you need to find the common link for kids with PDF.

      I hope that helps.
      Best, @MsGreene
      Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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    • Abby

      How high does her fever get? My bestfriends two year old just got “Diagnosed” with PFD and her fever is at least 104 plus twice a week. I just don’t think this is normal and we have been to so many different doctors. How old is your daughter now and does she still have fevers?

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  2. Monie

    Thank you Dr. Greene, very informative and helpful. You saved me a trip to the ER. I had already diagnosed my 13 year old with fever of unknown origin and thought he needed iv antibiotics. He has a fever that goes up to 104 , gradually comes down with Tyl. and slowly climbs back. Was really worried.

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  3. Andreena Gallardo

    Finally an article straight with facts. I feel other articles are fear based and shy away from giving your child anything really to alleviate symptoms/pain. And fevers really are the body’s fighting mechanism against infection, not a foe.
    Thank You!!!
    Andreena

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  4. Renee

    My daughter is almost 3 years old. Every week she deals with fevers ranging between 104 and 106. Recently I took her to the ER due to her fever going over 107. These fevers have been affecting her with many different illnesses averaging over 20 illnesses per year. I have decided to take her to see allergy/immunology. Could anyone tell me if this is the right path. I am getting really concerned about how high her fevers are running.

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    • Emma Stone

      Could be PFAPA syndrome. Ask your Dr about it. My friend’s child had it. It helped immensely when they removed her tonsils.

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  5. jasmine howden

    Former ER nurse here. so different when it’s your own child. Parents out of country and I;m worried about grandaughter. I found this reassuring and calming. Thanks!

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  6. Heli

    Hi dr greene
    My daughter 14 months old and she get fever every 2 to 3 week and I give her calpol and Nurofen so dose is good for body bcs did notice with my son he was suffering same like my daughter. I was giving home both but leter he had asthma.so I m worried does any happen if I give calpol and nurofen .

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    • Lesleyanne Cremin

      I work in a pharmacy. We are taught never to recommend the use of paracetamol and nitrogen together in children and if the have asthma then they shouldn’t have nurofen

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  7. Amanda

    My daughter is 23 months old she started getting this fever a day an a half ago. The fever keeps shooting up to 102.7 then I’ll give her tylenol and it will shoot back down to regular temperature. She also has a cough and a little mucus which I picked her up childrens cold and mucus combo pack daytime an nightime medication. She is sleeping now she also is only drinking about 2 to 3 bottles a day since this cold has started. Do you think I should take her in because everytime I do they say keep doing what your doing with the tylenol.

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  8. Phil

    Very nice article. At this time, our 5 week old great grand daughter is in a hospital in the Atlanta area. Her mother took her there last night after finding her temp at 100.4. I don’t know what her temp was after arriving at the hospital. My daughter, the babies granny is a practicing RN She went down for a week end visit along with her friend who is also a practucing RN. They arrived after the little one was admitted. They called the doctor they work for in Illinois and explained the treatment. He told them the baby was being tested and treated correctly. Then my daughter called my grand daughter in Iowa, who is a Pediatrician in Iowa City. Daughter told Grandaughter of all the testing they were doing and my grandaughter told her the same as what her “boss” doctor told her and it was exactly what you mention in you well written article.
    They did a spinal tap to check for meningitis I guess.
    As I write this, all tests so far are coming back good.
    The facility told them to expect a 48 hour stay, so hopefully tomorrow she will be going home.
    I felt very good after reading your article. I also explained all of it to my wife who is very worried about our great grand daughter.
    Thank you Dr Green

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  9. Nikki

    The opening paragraphs about the fever being the end for many children in past generations could and should be left out. It is painful to read those statements when most likely the parent is going through a fever with their child while reading it. How inconsiderate is this?? All it does is reinforce fears, when all the readers want is a simple straight forward, sound answer. Bye.

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    • Hi Nikki,

      Thanks for your feedback. Dr. Greene has edited his answer based on your feedback. Please check it out and see if his softening makes it less frightening, while still communicating that in the past fevers were seen as the enemy, when in fact they are a way of fighting illness.

      Best, @MsGreene
      Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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    • Destiny Roberson

      I disagree with you. I’m a grandmother who’s got my little fella next to me and I understood what the doctor was saying in his opening statement. Back in the day, it was a fact. I’m reading this for facts on fevers, not fiction. Not trying to be callous, just appreciate hard fact so I can react accordingly
      Thank y’all.

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      • Tara Taylor

        Yes!!! Great reply!!

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        • Tara Taylor

          Its more important to tell the truth and cause pain than to lie to the reader and confuse them even more. The doctor wanted the reader to understand where the fear of fevers come from. I felt much better about my son’s fever after reading the article. Just because you may not have liked the answer doesn’t change the facts.

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          • Brandae Quiñones

            Doctors need to read your research.. My son had a fever yesterday, and I was really worried so I took him to Urgent care where he was prescribed Amoxicillin and Tamaflu… I took him to the pediatrician today where she said he 100% did not have an ear infection (which is why he was prescribed the antibiotic). The copay was outrageous, and I’m pissed off that antibiotics are given out all willy-nilly.. he told me the common cold does not raise the body temperature to 103.5, which is the completely opposite of what the pediatrician told me. The public should be able to rely on doctors. Period. I understand that it’s better safe than sorry, but no tests were ran, and I just felt like they pushed us out of the door with a prescription to get us out of there.

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    • Lynnsey Norman

      I thought it was comforting. And beautifully written.

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    • An educated reader

      There is always one who has to whine and complain, instead of taking away the facts and appreciate the information you did get. Instead, you must find fault and tear down others. The take away is you don’t have to worry like those mothers did. So just leave the website if you can’t distinguish past facts from the present.

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      • Nikoya Chynese

        I have a right to an opinion. Thanks.

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    • Nikki

      thank You for your kindness.

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    • Grams

      That statement is calming actually to me because, we learn from our moms who learn from their moms, and the general consequences has always been to fear the fever and the opening statement is true! It used to be a “serious” situation.

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    • Lorena

      I thought it was comforting. And beautifully written.
      My 7 years old son has a fever that spikes every 5 hours to almost 40C, and still I think this article was comforting. I know some people can be more sensitive than others but We don’t need to be dramatic.

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    • Jen

      He was explaining why we are triggered by fevers. It’s a brief history and I’m literally writing this comment down while my son has a fever! It’s good to know why my grandparents freak out and my parents. Bc of the past. Get over it. The flu killed many before modern medicine. Chill

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    • Holly

      I disagree. I think it helps to explain WHY we all have the idea that a fever is dangerous. He also states that it’s something we don’t need to fear anymore because of antibiotics and vaccines. This article calmed my worries.

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      • Chandler

        Totally agree Holly- right on!

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    • Chandler

      No it shouldn’t be taken out! Dr. Greene was only explaining the cultural history and understanding of fevers in the past! With medical research and study having come soooooo far, we now know that fevers are indeed a good thing and the body’s response to fight infection! And if needed, keep your child comfortable with appropriate meds. What’s wrong with stating facts? No Parent should Be offended by that – if anything …feel comforted! I don’t think you read the whole article…. it was nothing but informative and supportive of both parents and feverish children. I myself sit here with my child day 3 of unexplained 103 fever.

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      • Nikki

        You’re late. He already redacted the article so what you’re reading now is not the same As what I initially read.

        Hope your baby gets well ASAP.

        Added:
        • Hi Nikki,

          You are correct, we did edit the piece after the initial comment. We very much appreciate hearing from readers regularly edit content in response to their input.

          Best, @MsGreene
          Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

          Added:
  10. Abubaker Hayat

    Hi Dr.Green,

    my 18 month old had high fever last month of june and then doctor gave him antibiotic because he was little coughing then on 8th of july he had really high fever like 103 and 104 i gave him tylenol and after 6 hour ibuprofen but temprature doesn’t go away .also he is not gaining weight from 4 moth because he doesn’t wana eat.we went to the doctor office and they did his flu test and it was normal , his throat looks normal .they don’t know the reason of temperature?they say wait for five days and on the fifth day his fever gone we were so happy and now after fourth day of his fever gone his fever again came back to 103.6…..what should i do now ?please help me because he has no any other symptoms accept fever i am scare if he has any dangerous diseas?? please answer me.thanks

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    • Heather

      My daughter is going thru this right now. Curious what the outcome was with your son. Is he okay now?

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    • Jennys

      Is the baby theething? Cause if so that can be the cause of the fever

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  11. Wendy

    My 23 mon th old son @ 915p was extremely hot to the touch more than norm (he usually runs on the warmer side) decided to check his temp it was 102.9 @ 920p thought something was wrong w my thermometer, 5 mins ltr @ 925/30p retook it was @ 103.1 gv him 3ml of acetaminophen by 1030p it had risen to 103.7 decided to put damp w warm water baking soda bands on his wrist for about 40/45 mins checked it again @ 1125p it dropped to 102.5 the bands had dried out n I took them off n gv him some acetaminophen of 2ml, since it was lowering let him fall asleep, since about 1220a he’s been waking up almost every 25 mins and I checked his temp at 220a and it was back up to 103.1 so I waited another hr at 330a (now) and gv him another 2.5ml acetaminophen and he has fallen back to sleep I’ve used the pain reliever/fever reducer generic brand name w same active ingredient just to make sure what he was taking versus brand name n ingredients for 6hrs total- 1st@930p/3ml- 2nd@1125p /2ml 3rd@330a/2.5ml which equals 7.5 ml of acetaminophen n 6hrs also hv used damp cool clothes on his face too of head back of neck lightly his back n just chest where he’s the hottest n hv tried to keep it in place on forehead but he’s not hvng it so I’ve been blotting him he’s not found of things being stationary on top of his head or touching his face I’ve used an old lil book of baking soda bands wise tail w cool damp water soaked just through n fully over the baking soda part used in the rags wrapped around his wrist palms up for totaled 1x for 45 mins an hr after 1st dosage of fever reducer didn’t seem to starting to help well those soda bands which had worked for myself n my son n 2 other children 9&10 @ that time of their fevers a cpl yrs ago n then 1 other time on my 23 month son when he was between 10-12 months old and then my self a yr ago this past February when I ended up w beginning stages of phenomena and each and every time we had fevers my husband had swore by these bands n thought well what’s to loose its just baking soda good for the teeth n sometimes may ingest a taste n no harm I’ve ever heard of so tried n has never failed has always n bout 30 mins broke all of our fever at different temps different seasons different places we were at during the time we had them but this time we could find the new box we had bought but my mom has kept some n a glass jar up n get seasoning cabinet for she thinking couldn’t be longer than just 4-5 years tops n I had to used that old baking soda to make his soda bands and this time around it broke n the since down to 102.5 but didn’t not lower it down to where i wasn’t concerned any longer unless it happened to come back which this method is not a cure but to break the fever and get other means of medical help if necessary I’ve also hv a light layer of clothes short sleeved T-shirt w cloth shorts no socks 2 of the only kids blankets he will hv anything to do w or won’t do anything w/o I hv a stand up small floor model fan on iscolating low maybe a good 10 feet diagonal towards him on he’s had 7-9 oz of milk w 3 scoops of oatmeal mixed n w it for an over night bottle total of 2 6-8 oz of koolaide 2 6-8 oz of Gatorade n also another 2 oz since 1045p he had a normal size dinner good portions, no food or drinks of out the norm has been fussy somewhat grumpy and a lil touchy these last cpl days but no symptoms or changes n behavior eating or sleep that was a major factor he has also had a bowel movement yesterday morning (june 4, 2018) like most morning nothing of a difference just n quantity it wasn’t as much as every morning he can hv any where from 1-5 depending on foods he ate n how much and activity during the day this is the only one he had yesterday and he had no other symptoms at all, not as active yesterday as days prior just kinda sat around n played but was acting fine up til I noticed how hot he was last night (06/04/18 monday evening @ 920p) n when spoke w my mom who had watched him from 630/645p-815p when I had ran an errand from that time frame said he was fine finished eating and chased the dog around for about 10-15 mins then walked around yawing n got up on the couch n laid in her lap n she rubbed his head n back til he was completely asleep on her lap around 715/730 and she would hv had noticed him hvng a fever and done something about immediately n gvn me a phone call to let it be aware of n said he was not at all hot to the touch otherwise to be running a high grade fever n not notice n do something about immediately, he was just a lil warm from just getting done chasing our small 10lbs dog around the house for maybe 10-15 mins after he got done eating at 645/7p n fell asleep on the couch n a living room at 715/730p I didn’t get back til about maybe 30-45 mins at 815p n check on him w visual didn’t want to wake a sleep 2yr old toddler he did look a slight flushed but I thought that was from sleeping on his chest n that usually makes him sleep warmer as far as body heat n an air conditioned house around 66°-68° n then he had woken up around 9pm n was cranky (from his lil food coma),(had a full belly n needed a nap like always) n got his stuff ready hes not had any cold symptoms,no tugging of either of his ears, all his baby teeth r completely in except one set of molers on both sides same set 1st from very back set (top n bottom) but they hvnt bothered him n quick a while now since they started to come in n push through a cpl months ago I hv no ideas or or beginning ideas of what could hv caused him to start hvng an high grade fever all of a sudden he wasn’t hot to touch when I left him at 645p I kissed him goodbye n he gv me a hug n I brushed the tip of his head around saying bye n nothing was fine what infections could make this happen could an ear rake be present n not hv any signs also but cause other under lying probles like a fever he has no known food of any type, any pets/animal or their hair, insects/bugs & or w- w/o stings or bits etc.. , seasonal allergies dust pollen weed dander etc… Nothing not allergic to anything, √d his entire body n cavities for ticks or their larvae from beginning stages I mean nothing is explaining this fever onsetting n jumping so quick n fast n high n even w other remedies n dosage of meds not work well n the time it took me to start writing this go back n sit w my son for a few moments it’s now 5am he has slightly woken up a few times n I hv not took his temp or gvn him any more meds which is making me stay awake w worry even more not knowing the temp results but hes not fussing so much when he sort of wakes up anymore he’s staying are seems more sound n lil more comfortable n his back has cooled off completely since I had took his shirt off around 2a his forehead n top of his head r not hot to touch n feels some what if not all the way back to normal I’m just very concerned what could hv caused this and should i be alarmed since hes on meds right now n could only be a mask to an under lying problem he’s a perfectly healthy 23 month old boy whose never had an issue other r than being 6 weeks early at 3lbs n low blood sugar when he was born n only a cpl time w a minor jead cold about a yr ago n is not being near anyone adult nkr child that is or has been sick or animals just very concerned what could be some infections etc that cause this to happen to someone his age n height of maybe 36-38 inches tall n about 26-30 lbs w all vaccines n shots up to date except starting his 24month shots n vaccines thank u for time thoughts answers info and advice Wendy

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    • Nater

      You didn’t use one period………!

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      • Sarah

        Hahaha. I noticed that too.

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      • SB

        I counted 12 , but not where I know you meant

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      • QueenBee5o3

        No kidding. Talk about rambling that got harder and harder to read/understand. The details about the baking soda – really?? I thought maybe it’s a joke.. smh. In either case, well-written article and great info. THANK YOU! My 13 mo is running a fever between 101.7-102.8F since yesterday. My husband keeps wanting to go to the ER altho we’ve already gone to urgent care and they’re saying they think it’s cuz his top molars are coming in. He’s eating, drinking, and active.. just a bit tired cuz he doesn’t sleep well with the fever. How high should I let the fever get up to before seeking urgent or emergent care again? They didn’t run any tests when we were at urgent care yesterday.

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      • Marissa

        She actually used 14 but none at the end of a sentence

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    • Kat

      Not to be mean, but a lot of what you typed, made little sense.

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      • Carissa

        Super rude for no reason. Maybe it didnt make sense to you bc you didnt take the time to understand she was CURRENTLY flipping out over the fever!

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  12. Malisa

    My daughter is 12 months and was in the hospital two weeks ago for coughing vomiting and fever now the everythimg is back and the fever os now going on for three days now. What could be the problem

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  13. Rose Nunez

    My son is 7 months old and has run a fever between 103.5 -104.4 for six days now. He has been to the Doctor twice and had blood,urine,flu,strep and RSV tests which were all normal. He is drinking and seems fairly happy seeing that he don’t feel well but I’m starting worry about this fever.

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    • Himanshu

      I am also going through the san situation.kindly suggest, Was it normal ?

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    • Yashinca Gaye Pontillas-Bonzo

      My daughter is going through the same thing. Fever for almost five days now. My first thought was teething. Appetite is back after three days of fever but the fever still keeps on. I’m starting to worry.

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    • Hayley

      Did you get a solution ? Same situation

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  14. wasim malik

    Hello dear doctor, my daughter is 6 year old she is suffering in fever from last week. We r doing treatment but her is not giong away. After every 8 hours she suffers in fever… i want your suggestions what should we do?

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  15. kirby

    my son is 5 years old since 7 months he spiked a fever of 103 they said he had a febrile seizure but he didn’t have any type of infection in his whole life hes had 15 seizures they turned out to be absent seizures well on Friday the 2nd he was sent home with a fever of 100.5 when he got home I gave him motrin then 4 hours later tylonel he went to sleep he was fine today at church they couldn’t wake him up so they called me he was so drained I just let him sleep he got up at 1 when we got home I checked his temp it was 101.2 I gave him tylonel then at 3:40 I gave him motrin because his temp was 102.6 its 4:56 now and his temp is still 102.6 what else could I do and do I need to take him in due to the fact he has a history of absent seizures

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  16. Christy

    Hi Dr. Greene, my 17 yr old son is a medically complex child with multiple rare disease diagnoses. Recently his fever spiked to 106.7/107 degrees from a Flu Virus & mild Pneumonia. When I found him in bed, he felt like he was on fire and going in and out of deliriousness. I quickly tried giving him Motrin to bring it down, but he wobbled into the bathroom and uncontrollably vomited it all up. We called 911 immediately. He started going into respiratory distress and was rushed to the ER. He had to be given 2 IVs to run fluids and start IV antibiotics, then was given a high dose steroid shot and put on continuous nebulizer treatments. He was admitted onto the pediatric respiratory ICU floor for 3 days. Is this common for children who are battling Autoimmune disease/rare disease to spike these high fevers with illness and why does it happen? The highest I’ve ever seen it go before was 105 degrees when he developed Aseptic Meningitis from IVIG infusions. The ER doctors told us it was so rare, they’d never seen it before, only read about it in literature. My son can no longer receive Immunotherapy infusions to treat his Autoimmune disease because he is at high risk for life-threatening reactions. He is now labeled “untreatable” and we were told to focus on quality of life instead. These high fevers are really scaring me and I am wondering if this is going to become more common as he gets older. We still have no treatment or cure for any of his rare diagnoses yet. I feel it’s not the diagnosis’ itself we need to fear taking his life anymore, it’s these high fevers! I feel we got very lucky we got to him in time before he laid there for a prolonged period without medical intervention to bring it down….I feel like he would have suffered brain damage or even lost his life! Would that have been the case? Why do you think his fevers are getting so high every time he comes down with a virus?? Is there any kind of testing I can get done for him to see the status of how strong his Immune system is??? I need to prepare for the next time. Thank you!

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  17. Tina Perkins

    My son is 17 years old and has been running a fever for 3 days. It’s been going up and down between 98.2 and 103.8. For the first 2 days he had no other symptoms, only a fever. Today nasal congestion has been added to it. We have been keeping fluids in him and he is still using the restroom regularly. Lukewarm baths, cold cloths on the forehead. The problem is we can get his temp down but we are having trouble keeping it down.

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  18. Evan Pressley grandma

    My grandson 5 years of age was taken to Children’s Hospital in Atlanta this morning and was told he had the flu. Which was determined by visual observation and a wiggle of his leg. NO TEST…I informed them of his high sensitivity to light. Fever was reduced to 100.3 and discharged to get Miralax, Tylenol, and Motrin to alternate. For the last 10 hours his fever is spiking to now 104.8. Now, having chills, watery eyes, vomiting, eyes more sensitive to light. Called emergency room and they said bring him back for observation…Charged $150 for a visual observation already. My grandson demeanor has changed drastically. He will go to his Pediatrician tomorrow. What should I watch for tonight?

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    • Sharon Pringle

      Please may ask…. was your grandson ok in the end?

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  19. sachi

    Hello doctor, My 11 and 1/2 month old is running high fever. First two day 102-103. Next three: 104-<106. Today is the sixth day and I have seen 101 so far. No other symptom. She is not eating or drinking much. Her blood work showed overall infection in the body. Doctors think its UTI and still waiting for the blood culture results to come back .. will take another two days. What's your suggestion? Could it be something else? also in the evening, she gets fever with chills and i have also seen her blue lips before her fever shoots up. In that last 5-6 days she had one diarrhoea incident (mild) and 2 throw ups. Thanks a lot!

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  20. liz Ducady

    When my child was 5 and half , I took him to the doctor and got told lungs were clear ,sinuses fine .. that night he blew a 105.8 oral temputure … they never told me to bring him to the hospital or anything….. we got the fever down in the 104’s … the next day took him to his doc again and again was put off … he got sicker and sicker , throwing up with just a tsp of water ,lethargic ect … wound up getting bloodwork to find out his wbc was in the high 36,000 ‘s … he was sent to hospital ..they couldnt figure out what was wrong and his cell count was raising by the hour … it got up to that i know of 43,000 … they though appendix ,ct scan was neg … we got sent to childrens hospital …at 3 am I figured it out…it was his sinuses … they ct scanned him and found a ” huge puss ball” as the nurse stated .. up in his sinus near his brain and they needed to drain it ( they didnt , the ent didnt want to take the risk ) he wound up on some really wicked antibiotic … He is now diagnosed with aspergers …. has moderate hearing loss (neuro sensory hearing loss of unknown origin ) has all kinds of learning disabilities , cognitive issues , and i could go on and on …. Could this have caused his hearing issues and his cognitive issues? What could a fever rectally of 107 due to your brain ? And they never told me he had ” sepsis” but the nurse just uttered those words the other day at the office when reciting his medical history …

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    • Marilyn

      Have you looked into PANDAS? Some of these symptoms post infection (strep in particular) could point to this autoimmune syndrome. Treatment can help if it is the proper diagnosis!

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      • liz Ducady

        Hi , yes we did look into PANDAS at his therapists advice , came out negative

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  21. Felicia

    my son who is 4 had a fever of 103.1 at night. He complained about his ear the day before the fever. took him to the doctor NOTHING… no flu, no ear infection! and no fever the next day GREAT!! His fever began to rise at night but no higher than 100.5 . I gave him Motrin before bed just in case. 1 hour after he was in bed he was screaming and had a fever of 104.9!! I put him in a cool bath for 20 mins checking his temp every 5 mins it was going down. and gave him Tylenol. he slept fine and now NO fever at all. If he gets a high fever again tonight what should i do? what does it mean and is it normal?

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  22. Naomi Shifferly

    My Grandson is 15 and has had a fever for 4 days. From 99.9 to 104.8 stomach hurting and can’t keep nothing down.

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    • Naomi,

      Poor guy. He sounds miserable. A fever of 104.8 seems high, even for a 15 year old. If you haven’t spoken to his doctor, I think it would be smart to call.

      Note: I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, but I am not Dr. Greene and I am not a doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  23. Jason

    It’s a bad call to run 102/103 temp for 3 weeks before you see a doctor the reason I didn’t cause it was only a fever and wasn’t sick yet. Turns out I had Lyme disease, rocky mnt.spotted fever and 3 viral infections and since it took them a week just to find out I didn’t get on antibiotics quick enough and it went to every joint in my body ( Lyme arthritis) that was almost 5 yrs ago , currently taking three kinds of arthritis pills and one kind of pain pills daily, monthly shots and cortisone shots every 3 to 4 months under my knee caps and elbows, so do the right thing and go to doctor soon

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    • Great information. A word to the wise, right?

      @MsGreene
      Note: I answer a lot of questions on DrGreene.com, I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, Dr. Greene’s business partner, but I am a not doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  24. Christina Mccoy

    My 19 month old has a 103 fever. He had one today around 2 also that was almost 104 . I have given him ibprofan. It broke the fever earlier but he is still hot this time. He’s never had a fever that I knew about. Should I take him to the hospital??

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    • Christina,

      In discussing a child (not a baby) Dr. Greene says, “Steps should be taken to lower a fever if the child is uncomfortable, vomiting, dehydrated, or having difficulty sleeping. The goal is to bring the temperature between about 100 and 102 degrees F — not to eliminate the fever.”

      You can read more at Fast Facts about Fevers.

      Best, @MsGreene
      Note: I answer a lot of questions on DrGreene.com, I am the co-founder of DrGreene.com, Dr. Greene’s business partner, but I am a not doctor. Please keep that in mind when reading my comments and replies.

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  25. Jessica

    I know this is an old post but I thought I would try. My son has had a fever of around 103-104 for almost a week. The last few days when he is sleeping his fever goes up to 106.5. He says his ears hurt but was diagnosed with strep yesterday. We have done two doses of antibiotics and give him Ibuprofen every eight hours, but when the medicine wears off he still spikes crazy temperatures. Today, when I checked him during his nap, he was 107.5!!! All I read is that your body wont let your temperature get that high but what if it does? We put him in a warm shower to cool him down (after making sure he has some fever reducers) and his temperature comes back down to 103 but I feel like his temperature shouldn’t be getting that high in the first place. The doctor didn’t seem too concerned with the 106’s and said that I need to stop taking his temperature so often, but we have a really good thermometer (the same ones our doctors use to take temps) and I calibrate it on myself regularly to make sure it is reading accurately as well as take several readings. I’m lost at what I should do and what can be done. Please help. Thanks!!

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    • All thermometers have a range in which they are accurate. Yours may not be accurate over 105, but any child with a fever of 107.5 should be taken to an Emergency Room.

      Hope that helps,
      @MsGreene
      Co-founder & Executive Producer, DrGreene.com
      Mother

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  26. Ewa

    Hi,

    My Son whi is 6 has a fever up to 38 Celcius degrees for 7 days now. He is very sleepy all the time, do not have energy at all, do not want to eat, he has headaches.
    It all started 7 days ago on Tuesday morning with vomitting and fever up to 39 Celsius degrees, he had vomitted several times till Friday, than stopped. We took him to hospital as he had signals of dehydration, he had blood test done (the doc said it suggested viral infection) and was given a drip to hydrate him.
    His state has slightly improven however he still is very weak, has a temperature up to 38 Celsius degree, has a lack of appettite :( :(
    How to cure him, what else can be checked, shoud I worry?
    Thank You,
    Ewa

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  27. Ntombi Ayanda

    Hi doctor my son is 14months old his temperature is very high and his vomiting I’m worried what can I do and another thing DAT worries me so much he likes to eat soil and small stones pls help…

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  28. Amanda

    Hi; my 14 months daughter has been having fever for 2 nights now. Though it dropped after giving her paracetamol last night but I saw some wax-like substance in one of her ears this morning. What do you suggest?

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  29. sangeetha

    my is son (5 month old) having fever in the early morning for the past 1 week.. doctor advised for fever medicine and cold medicine phenethyrane ..but it continued till date..he is active for the rest of the day.. the start by 5.30 in the morning once the medicine was given got controlled within 4 hours.. what kind of the fever this is?

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  30. jodie taylor

    Hi my name is Jodie, I’ve been getting really bad headaches and I checked my temp and it was 197.1. I get hot flashes all the time, I can’t eat as much as I used to. I’m not losing weight or gaining weight. I’m 16 years old and my weight is 153.8, sometimes I can go days with out eating. My doctors are just saying its because I’ve tried to lose weight is why it’s doing it and I have a lot of stress and yeah, I’ve tried to lose weight but, I never stopped eating for it, yeah I’m stressed out, but it’s just because my boyfriend’s leaving for college and I’m scared he’s never come back from it…. but I’m not always stressed out. I’m actually a happy person when it comes to it, so I really need help. I wanna know what’s wrong with me, since my doctors just say it’s just cause I’m stressed out…

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    • Sherlock Holmes

      I don’t think it’s possible for temperatures above 107 not to kill you. How are you still alive? Is your thermometer broken? Have you been to the doctor?

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      • Emdudditx

        Lol right. No such temp 197.

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  31. nabhira

    My child is 2 years old and suffering frequent fever — almost per month? What type of diseases may be causing this?

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  32. Alisha

    Hi! my 6yr old has the flu with a fever for 7 day. is that normal for the flu?

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  33. CaliforniaMom

    Googling questions related to my daughters current fever I stumbled across your website. The beginning terrified me! The mere mention of death almost made me stop reading. So glad I continued on. Some very informative information. Thank you for this post. I can now lay down knowing my little one will not need an ER trip this evening, What a weight you’ve lifted by sharing your knowledge! Thank you!

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    • Thank you — and all my best to you and your daughter.

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  34. arpu thapa

    Since two days my brother has fever and we are tense about me brother taking medicine for brain.,.,.if fever injection cause infection to his brain.

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  35. Chloe

    My dad is about 37 and his temp is 101.5 it’s gone down from 102.9, he claimed he needs to go to the ER, but he won’t go without someone to watch my brother and I, what do I do?! Please help me!

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    • Chloe

      He has gotten in a cold bath to make his temp go down.

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  36. Tracy

    Maybe she needs recheck for ear infection might not be completely gone?

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  37. Tracy

    19Mth just got over ear infection last week, now she is running temps again of 100.4. WHAT do I do ? I already gave her Tyl. @9 pm temp 100.00, now 1am 100.4 gave her One dose amoxicillin 1t

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  38. Lexi Hamby

    My 13 year old friend has a temperature of 103.2, he is throwing up, and hasn’t eaten anything but soup all day. what do I do?

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  39. Travis MacLaren

    so what about prolonged fever of 102.5? my 4 y.o. daughter has had a fever of more than 102.5 and had spikes of 103.5 off and on for the last 3 1/2 days. I have been giving ibuprofen as needed to keep it down a bit but more so for the constant headache she is complaining of. She is taking fluids but not a lot and my other 2 kids had lower fevers and broke after 2 days… she also has had a small amount of vomiting and has not had a bowel movement the whole time…

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    • Lubomira

      My 4 y.o. daughter also had a fever up to 102.5 for 4 days. I also have been giving her motrin. She was checked by a pediatrician for ear infection and strep as we had to fly. Per the pediatrician, she just had a virus. She vomitted three times last night and the fevers continues….I keep giving her motrin as it last longer.

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