Fever is any body temperature above 100°F (37.8°C).A healthy person’s body temperature fluctuates between 97°F (36.1°C) and 100°F (37.8°C), with the average being 98.6°F (37°C).
Fever occurs when the body’s internal thermostat raises the body temperature above its normal level. This thermostat is found in the hypothalamus, a part of brain. The nervous system constantly relays information about the body’s temperature to the thermostat, which in turn activates different physical responses designed to cool or warm the body, depending on the circumstances.
A fever occurs when the thermostat resets at a higher temperature, primarily in response to an infection. To reach the higher temperature, the body moves blood to the warmer interior, increases the metabolic rate, and induces shivering.
Shivering generates heat through muscle contraction; and inducing sweating, which cools the body through evaporation. The chills that often accompany a fever are caused by the movement of blood to the body’s core, leaving the surface and extremities cold. Once the higher temperature is achieved, the shivering and chills stop.
Symptoms
A fever occurs when your temperature rises above its normal range. What’s normal for you may be a little higher or lower than the average temperature of 98.6 F. But a rectal temperature higher than 100.4 F is always considered a fever. A rectal temperature reading is generally 1 degree Fahrenheit higher than an oral reading.
Depending on what’s causing your fever, additional fever symptoms may include: Sweating, shivering, headache, muscle aches, lack of appetite, dehydration and general weakness
Very high fevers, between 103 and 106 F, may cause: Hallucinations, confusion, irritability and convulsions
Febrile seizures
About 4 percent of children younger than age 5 experience fever-induced seizures, febrile seizures. The signs of febrile seizures, which occur when a child’s temperature rises or falls rapidly, include a brief loss of consciousness and convulsions.
Treating fever
and You can give acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Never give aspirin to a child due to its association with Reye syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease.
and Giving a sponge bath help bring the fever down.
and Offer plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration- a fever will cause the patient to lose fluids more rapidly. Water, soup, ice pops, and flavored gelatin are all good choices. Avoid drinks containing caffeine, including colas and tea, because they can cause increased urination.
and Make sure you get plenty of rest.
