Causes high fever child: Causes of High Fever in Children and When to Worry

27.07.202321.06.2023 by alexxlab

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Fever and high temperature in children and babies – when to see a doctor

Key facts

Fever is common in children.
Fevers are usually caused by viral infections.
If your child has a fever, they will have a high temperature and may also be flushed, shivering or sweating.
You can make your child with a fever more comfortable by keeping them cool, dry and rested.
If your child with a fever is under 3 months old, seek medical attention.

Fever is one of the symptoms of COVID-19. Even if your symptoms are mild, get tested for COVID-19 immediately — use the fever Symptom Checker if you’re not sure what to do.

What is a fever?

A fever is a temperature of 38°C or higher.

Fevers are quite common in young children and are usually mild. Sometimes the causes of a fever will need urgent attention, but in most cases they can be managed at home.

What symptoms are related to fever in children?

Fever itself is rarely harmful. Your child may have a fever if:

their face is hot to the touch
they look red or flushed

The high temperature may make your child feel uncomfortable.

A fever can cause other symptoms such as:

chills or shivering when their temperature is rising
sweating when their temperature is falling
vomiting
discomfort

Infographic: fever in babies and children

What causes fever in children?

Fever is one of the ways your body fights infection.

Infections are by far the most common cause of fever in children. Most of these are caused by viruses, which are responsible for:

colds
the flu
COVID-19

These infections don’t last long and usually don’t need to be treated.

Some infections are caused by bacteria and need treatment with antibiotics. These include:

certain ear and throat infections
urinary tract infections
pneumonia
blood infections such as meningitis

You need to see a doctor if you think your child has any of these infections.

When should I take my child to see a doctor?

You generally don’t need to see a doctor if your child is:

over 3 years old
not too sick despite the fever

Some symptoms that appear when a child has a raised temperature require urgent attention. You should call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance if you notice that your child:

is drowsy
is having difficulty breathing
has a stiff neck

You should also see or contact your doctor straight away if you are concerned, or if your child:

is over 6 months and shows other signs of being unwell
is floppy and drowsy
is vomiting
has ongoing headaches
has ongoing tummy pain
the light is hurting their eyes
the fontanelle (soft spot on your baby’s head) is bulging
is not taking fluids well
has had the fever for more than 3 days
has travelled or been in contact with someone with a serious infection

If your baby is under 3 months of age and they have a fever, take them straight to a doctor. If a doctor is unavailable, go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Alternatively, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria).

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

How is fever diagnosed in children?

To see if your child has a fever, you can check their temperature with a thermometer.

A normal temperature in children is 36.5°C to 38°C although it depends on:

the person
their age
what they have been doing
the time of day
the part of the body where you take their temperature

Body temperature is usually lowest in the early hours of the morning. It’s usually highest in the late afternoon and early evening.

A doctor can also diagnose the cause of your child’s fever.

How do I treat my child if they have a fever?

Most causes of a raised temperature in a child are usually not serious and can be managed at home.

A fever will run its course regardless of treatment. Your child’s temperature will return to normal when the infection or other cause of the fever has completely gone.

Babies under 3 months are most at risk of fever complications. If your child is under 3 months, with a fever, get medical advice.

Generally, children handle fever well. However, if your child has a fever, here are some ways to make them more comfortable:

Dress them in light clothing to keep them cool.
Cover them with a sheet if they are shivering.
Keep the room at a comfortable temperature by adjusting the heating or opening a window.
Give them plenty of cool, clear fluids to drink. Give extra breastfeeds, formula or cool boiled water if your baby is under 6 months.
Wipe their head with a warm sponge or facecloth.

Cool baths, sponges and fans are not recommended. They may make your child uncomfortable, or too cold.

Don’t worry if your child isn’t hungry. The most important thing is to make sure they are drinking enough to avoid dehydration.

Fever medicines

There is no need to give medicines to a child for fever unless they are in pain or discomfort.

Paracetamol can be given to children aged 1 month or older for pain and symptoms of fever. Make sure you have the right strength for your child’s age and weight since overdosing can be dangerous. Read and follow the directions on the label carefully. If you are not sure, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Ibuprofen can be given for pain and symptoms of fever in children who are 3 months or older.

Avoid ibuprofen if your child has asthma, unless your doctor tells you differently.

Don’t give aspirin to children under 16 years unless it’s specifically prescribed by a doctor.

Can fever be prevented?

Lowering or preventing your child’s fever won’t help treat the underlying cause of fever.

Complications of fever

You can prevent complications by monitoring your child’s symptoms and seeking medical attention if needed.

Febrile convulsions are seizures (fits) that happen because of a fever. They usually happen when your child’s temperature rises quickly.

Febrile convulsions occur in about 1 in every 30 children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years. Most children who have a febrile convulsion won’t ever have another one.

Febrile convulsions have no long-term consequences, but you should talk to your doctor about them.

During a seizure your child will likely:

lose consciousness
become stiff
become red or blue in the face

The seizure may last for a few minutes. Your child will usually be drowsy or irritated afterwards.

During a seizure, you should put your child in the recovery position. It’s also important to ensure that they don’t overheat.

You should call an ambulance if:

it’s your child’s first seizure
the seizure lasts for more than 5 minutes
your child’s seizure ends but they don’t wake up
your child looks unwell when the seizure ends

Resources and Support

You can call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the fever Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Causes, treatments, and when to speak with a doctor

Fever in babies is a common concern that can cause worry among parents and caregivers. Understanding the temperature of fever in babies and what can cause fever can help with knowing how to care for the baby and when to seek medical advice.

A fever most often means that a baby’s body is fighting off an infection. Parents and caregivers may worry when they notice a baby has a fever, although this is a sign of a healthy immune system. However, because newborns have more vulnerable bodies, a fever can signal a serious infection.

This article examines the causes of fever in babies, what it means, and when a parent or caregiver may want to take the baby to a doctor. It also discusses how to care for a baby with a fever.

When taking a baby’s temperature, a rectal thermometer generally gives the most accurate results.

What is fever in babies?

A typical temperature in a child under the age of 12 months is an average of 98.6°F (37°C) when using a rectal thermometer. In the morning, this temperature can be as low as 96.8°F (36°C) and go up to 100.3°F (37.9°C) later in the day. This is a normal range for an infant at this age.

Fever in a child depends on the method of taking the temperature:

above 100.4°F (38°C) using a rectal thermometer
above 100°F (37.8°C) using an oral thermometer, however, this method is not accurate in infants
above 99°F (37.2°C) using an armpit thermometer

What does fever mean?

By itself, a fever does not necessarily signal a serious illness. If the baby is behaving as they would, they are likely to be fine. However, if a baby under 3 months of age has a rectal temperature of 100. 4°F (38°C) or higher, a parent or caregiver should call a doctor.

Additionally, the severity of a fever does not always indicate how unwell a child is at the time. The body temperatures of babies can rise for many reasons other than illness, including extended crying, sitting in the hot sun, or spending time playing. Their temperature may also slightly rise when they are teething. None of these things causes a fever.

A baby’s body is also less able to regulate temperature than an adult body, meaning it can be more difficult for them to cool down during a fever. Their bodies are naturally warmer than an adult’s body because they are more metabolically active, which generates heat.

A fever is a symptom of an illness, not the illness itself. Fever occurs due to the immune system fighting against infections, which can be bacterial or viral. Viral infections are much more common.

Common causes of fevers in babies include:

viral infections, including the common cold, the flu, roseola, or respiratory infections, such as respiratory syncytial virus or viral croup
ear infections
pneumonia, which can be viral or bacterial
meningitis, which can be viral or bacterial and is a very serious infection of the brain and spinal cord
A fever of 100. 4°F (38°C) or higher before the age of 3 months. At this age, any bacterial infection can progress quickly and lead to sepsis, so an infant needs immediate medical care.
A fever after a vaccine that can occur within 12 hours after the shot and lasts for 2–3 days.
Rarely, heat-related illnesses can cause high temperatures in babies. Babies are less effective at controlling their body temperature than adults, making them more vulnerable to very hot weather. Dressing babies in weather-appropriate clothing, keeping them out of the hot sun, and keeping them indoors when the weather is very hot will help regulate their body temperature.
urinary tract infection, a bacterial infection that can sometimes cause fever in babies

Despite common beliefs, teething does not cause a fever.

Fevers are a sign that the baby’s immune system is fighting infection, so the fever itself is not dangerous. What may put the baby at risk is the underlying infection, if it is serious.

Should parents be worried?

Some parents and caregivers may worry that fevers are dangerous. However, except in rare cases, these fevers themselves are rarely serious.

Fevers of up to 105°F (40.5°C) are common in babies and children whose temperatures often get much higher than an adult’s temperature. Where there is a viral infection causing this fever, they may just need to run their course. Some bacterial infections may require treatment with antibiotics, but the fever itself is just a symptom.

Additionally, treating the fever will not make the infection go away. Instead, parents and caregivers should simply carefully monitor the child for signs of complications.

However, a doctor needs to examine babies younger than 3 months for any signs of fever. This is to check for underlying conditions, as certain infections are more common and can be more dangerous in newborns.

Fever complications

Some parents or caregivers may hear about fevers causing brain damage. However, this can only happen if the temperature rises above 107°F (41.6°C), which is very rare. When an infant’s temperature is below this, there is no need to take drastic measures, such as ice baths, to lower the child’s fever.

For 2–5% of children aged between 6 months and 5 years, a fever can cause a seizure, which can be worrying but is not typically harmful. Doctors call them febrile seizures.

Febrile seizures do not cause brain damage or increase a child’s risk of epilepsy. Even long seizures, or those that last longer than 15 minutes, usually have a good outcome. However, prolonged seizures may mean a child is more likely to develop epilepsy.

The biggest risk of febrile seizures is that a child may fall, hit their head, or suffer a similar injury. Therefore, parents and caregivers should monitor children during a seizure to prevent injury and call 911 or emergency services for any seizures in a baby that continue for longer than 5 minutes.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents and caregivers make their babies comfortable if they have a fever, rather than focusing on lowering their temperature.

To look after a baby with a fever, parents and caregivers can:

Monitor the baby’s activity level and overall comfort: Babies who seem happy, alert, and comfortable may not need treatment.
Ensure the baby remains well hydrated: Fever increases the risk of dehydration, so parents, caregivers, and nurses should offer milk or formula on demand. Older babies should also drink plenty of water. In some cases, a healthcare professional may recommend using an electrolyte drink to help with dehydration.
Monitor the baby for signs of dehydration: This can include not urinating as often as usual, sunken eyes, chapped lips, or very dry or pasty-looking skin.
Avoid waking a sleeping baby to administer anti-fever medication: Unless a doctor instructs to do this.
Administer anti-fever medication under a doctor’s supervision: People can give this medication if the infant is in pain or uncomfortable from the fever. The baby’s weight determines the dose, so follow the label instructions carefully. Call a doctor before giving new medication to a baby, especially a sick one.
Help limit the spread of infections: Do not send a sick baby to daycare or take them to places where babies or other vulnerable people may be, as this can spread infections.

Call a doctor or seek medical care if a baby has a fever and one of the following:

The baby is inconsolable, lethargic, or seems very sick.
A fever lasts longer than 24 hours in a baby younger than 2 years old without other symptoms.
The fever rises above 104°F (40°C).
The child still seems sick with medication.
The baby is taking antibiotics but does not seem better within a day or two.
The baby has signs of dehydration, including dry lips or a sunken soft spot on top of their head.
The baby has a weak immune system for a separate reason.
The baby is younger than 3 months old.

Go to the emergency room for a fever if a baby:

is a newborn
has a seizure for the first time
has a seizure that lasts longer than 15 minutes
has a fever rising to 107°F (41.6°C) or higher

A fever in a newborn may be a sign of a serious medical condition. Newborns are more vulnerable to infections, so it is important to take any signs of infection seriously. Call a doctor if a newborn has a fever or other signs of illness.

One concern with newborns is respiratory illness. Newborns breathe more through their noses than older infants and children, so congestion can make breathing appear more difficult. They also have smaller airways.

A lack of oxygen can seriously injure a newborn. If a baby has trouble breathing, call a doctor, even if their fever goes down.

Signs that a newborn is having trouble breathing include:

wheezing or grunting
flaring the nostrils when breathing
white or blue skin, especially around the nail beds or on the mouth or tongue, though this may be harder to detect in infants with darker skin.
pulling in the muscles around the ribs when breathing

If a baby has breathing problems and a fever, a parent or caregiver should take them to the emergency room immediately.

Young children and babies sometimes experience fevers, but this is usually not a cause for concern when infants are behaving as expected.

Parents and carers can use a child’s behavior as a cue. If a baby seems fine but has a fever, the illness is probably a minor one that will soon pass.

Lethargy, excessive crying, and other signs of serious illness are important to address, even if a child’s fever is fairly low. A fever means that the immune system is working hard to fight an infection.

Parents and caregivers do not need to treat the fever itself, but they can comfort the baby and treat the symptoms instead. If they are unsure whether a baby’s symptoms are serious, they should consult with a healthcare professional.

High temperature in a child: causes of hyperthermia in children

Why a high temperature appears in children

Hyperthermia is the main, most common symptom of various diseases. Hyperthermia in children – temperature above 37.5. It is considered normal – 35.5-37.4 ° C in the absence of general complaints.

Hyperthermia is the body’s defense mechanism to help fight infections. So the body creates uncomfortable conditions for microbes (virus, bacteria), significantly reducing their harmful effects. With the appearance of heat, a large number of active protective components are produced – interferon, the formation of antibodies, and the activation of immunity. Body temperature up to 38.5°C in case of acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) against the background of an unimpaired general condition of the child – is normal, it does not need to be knocked down . Only if in the anamnesis of life (earlier) an episode of convulsions was observed against the background of high temperature (38-39 ° C), then knocking down should begin with 37.5-37.7 ° C.

Causes of high temperature in a child

In many diseases, a high temperature occurs in a child – the causes of are different. Hyperthermia is a manifestation of:

inflammatory and purulent processes;
food poisoning;
teething;
stressful situations;
disorders of the central nervous system, including brain injuries;
overheating of the body.

Main symptoms of hyperthermia:

weakness, drowsiness, pallor;
rapid breathing, palpitations;
loss of consciousness;
dizziness;
convulsions;
excessive sweating.

Fever may be the first symptom of diseases:

bacterial – otitis media, tonsillitis, pneumonia and others;
viral – measles, rubella, mumps, influenza, etc.

Other signs – rash, swollen lymph nodes – appear after a couple of days.

What to do if the child has a temperature

The child has a high temperature for several days. How to shoot down fever? – The main question that worries parents. Many begin to get nervous, resort to active treatment with a variety of medicines, folk methods – wiping with vinegar, alcohol. Such actions can have serious consequences, up to burns to the body. What actions can not be resorted to at a temperature?

Use methods that cause fever – alcohol compresses, mustard plasters, take a hot shower, bath.
Bring down the temperature below 38.5°C. The main condition is that the child normally tolerates heat.
Heat the air in the room (limit 18-22 degrees).
Use aspirin, analgin, nimesulide, mefenamic acid – drugs can cause a dangerous complication – Reye’s syndrome.

It is useful to give a child a lot of fluids – warm unsweetened fruit tea, milk, honey, herbal decoctions, mineral water, fruit drinks, compotes are useful. It is recommended to use the following antipyretics – paracetamol, ibuprofen. The antipyretic effect will be for 45 minutes-1.5 hours. It is recommended for kids to use candles, for older ones – to give syrup. You should regularly ventilate the room, humidify the air.

Seek medical attention if:

fever is accompanied by accompanying symptoms – pale skin, nausea, vomiting, febrile convulsions, rash, chills;
there are signs of dehydration – dry skin, mucous membranes, dry tongue, lack of urine;
delusions, hallucinations appear;
there are congenital heart defects, cardiac arrhythmias;
the baby is less than a year old.

High fever – seek medical attention from Fortis

Temperature rises above 38°C, persists for more than three days? It is necessary to call a doctor to determine the underlying cause of the fever. High temperature in children – the first manifestation of the disease. The pediatrician will make a diagnosis, prescribe treatment to reduce the child’s temperature.

Qualified assistance is provided by employees of the Fortis Medical Health Center. An experienced pediatrician will conduct an examination, prescribe antipyretic drugs, taking into account the individual characteristics of the child. Get more information, how to get rid of fever in a child , using the feedback form. You can find the schedule of doctor’s appointments conveniently by clicking on the link. We are waiting for you: Monday-Friday – 8.00-21.00, Saturday – 8.00-18.00.

Ask for help at the medical health center Fortis – we will be happy to help!

how to shoot down at home and whether to shoot down

It often happens that a child has a fever, but there are no symptoms of SARS, flu (sore throat, cough, weakness, often vomiting), and no other complaints. But the parents still start to panic and give the child an antipyretic. We discuss with pediatrician Evgeny Timakov when it is important to pay attention to a high temperature in a child without symptoms of a cold, and when it is not worth it.

– The most important thing to remember is that a child’s temperature is the body’s reaction to some kind of irritant, – says pediatrician Evgeny Timakov . – This may be a reaction of the immune system to viruses and bacteria, the nervous system to overexcitation, a reaction to pain, including during teething. At the same time, by knocking down any temperature with antipyretics, we prevent the immune system from fighting viruses and bacteria and producing antibodies. That is, we weaken the immune system.

The most important thing is to understand why the child has a high temperature and identify the cause. And only a doctor can establish a diagnosis after examining the child. But any increase in temperature in a child requires consultation with a pediatrician, because. inexperienced parents can miss serious processes – from the usual asymptomatic SARS to serious inflammation of the kidneys.

Up to a year and a half

In infants, and in children under 3 years old, the thermoregulation of the body has not yet been established. Therefore, temperature drops in a baby from 36.3 to 37.5 degrees are a variant of the norm, provided that the temperature drops on its own, and nothing bothers the child. But when the temperature rises higher and persists throughout the day, it becomes more serious.

The main causes of fever:

Overheating

Babies should not be wrapped up too much, because they still do not know how to sweat, so they quickly overheat. And too high a temperature in the apartment is also bad.

Pediatricians advise keeping the temperature in the apartment no higher than 20 degrees, then the baby will be comfortable. Let your baby drink plain water more often, not just mother’s milk. And do not forget to take air baths from time to time, laying them naked on a diaper – this is both a cooling and hardening procedure at the same time.

Teething

In babies, this period begins at about four months. If the fever is accompanied by whims, screams, anxiety, often profuse salivation, then teeth may begin to erupt. Sometimes children react to teeth with a runny nose and a change in stool (it becomes liquid and watery). It is quite difficult to visually see swollen and reddened gums. This can only be determined by an experienced pediatrician.

A doctor’s consultation is all the more important because these symptoms can also accompany an inflammatory process in the mouth (stomatitis, thrush, and simply sore throat).

Most often, a high temperature during teething occurs from 6 to 12 months, when incisors appear, and also at 1.5 years, when molars erupt. Then the temperature can rise to 39 degrees. On such days, children do not sleep well, often refuse to eat.

The temperature during teething should be brought down depending on the condition of the child. For example, the temperature is not high (around 37.3 degrees), but the child is crying, very naughty, so you need to give painkillers. At the same time, some children calmly react to temperatures and above.

Teething fever often lasts from one to seven days. After the tooth comes out, it will go away on its own.

Photo: pexels.com

It is best these days not to overexcite the child, often apply to the chest, hug. Do not turn on loud music, give him more sleep. Be sure to observe the temperature regime (not higher than +20 in the room). Dress your child in loose clothing that does not restrict movement. It is advisable, when the temperature is elevated, to leave the baby without a diaper so that the skin breathes and there is no overheating. And then the temperature will drop without medication.

IMPORTANT!

Kidney disorders

It happens that the temperature lasts longer than a day, is poorly controlled by antipyretics, or rises too quickly after taking medication.

It is especially important if the baby constantly cries monotonously, spits up more than usual, he vomits, he is constantly lethargic.

“It is very important to rule out urinary tract infections in asymptomatic infants,” warns pediatrician Yevgeny Timakov. – Especially dangerous is an asymptomatic disorder in the functioning of the kidneys, which is accompanied only by fever. Therefore, first of all, at a temperature, I recommend taking a general urine test, which can tell a doctor a lot.

From 2 to 6 years

Teeth again

A child’s teeth may continue to erupt until 2.5-3 years of age. At the age of about one and a half years, molars begin to break through. They, like fangs, can give an elevated temperature of up to 39 degrees.

You already know what to do – do not worry, give more to drink, comfort and often leave naked.

Reaction to vaccination

A child can react to any vaccination with fever, and at any age – both at 6 months and at 6 years. And this is a predictable reaction of the body, which passes within one to four days. In agreement with the pediatrician, you can give the child an antipyretic and antihistamine. The main thing is to drink plenty of water, rubbing with warm water and rest.

“Children react differently to vaccination, some may have a high temperature, some may have a strong reaction at the injection site, and some will not notice the vaccination at all,” Evgeny Timakov warns. – In any case, if you notice a violation in the behavior of the child (whims, lethargy), temperature – be sure to consult a doctor.

Allergies

After one year of age, children are often given various foods, especially tangerines and berries out of season (May and April strawberries), to which he can react with a strong allergic reaction with fever. It could also be an intestinal infection.

As a rule, a few hours after the temperature jump, the first skin manifestations appear – rashes, swelling, the child itches and acts up. Be sure to remember what food you gave the child last, to which there may be a reaction. To relieve symptoms, you can give a sorbent, an antihistamine. And be sure to see a doctor! Because a temperature reaction along with an allergy can be accompanied by anaphylactic shock.

Photo: Kristina Brazhnikova

After 6 years

The immunity of a child by the age of seven, if he went to kindergarten, as a rule, is already actually formed – he is familiar with most infections, vaccinated. Therefore, an increase in temperature in a child after seven years can be both in the above cases and in acute respiratory viral infections (other symptoms in the form of a runny nose and cough can appear much later, often on the next day), with intestinal viruses, or emotional overstrain and an overabundance of stress. Yes, stress or, conversely, too much joy can also give rise in temperature to 38 degrees.

So the first rule is to calm down. Moreover, both parents and children. And then be sure to determine the causes of temperature.