When Is a Fever Too High for a Child, Toddler, or Newborn?

Your little one feels warm to the touch. After taking their temperature, you realize it’s 103°F — a fever!

Even if this scenario sounds super familiar, it can still catch you off guard. Before you race to the doctor, though, take a deep breath.

It’s helpful to familiarize yourself with fever, its function in the human body, and any warning signs that may mean it’s serious — or, alternatively, when you can relax.

Related: What you should do if your newborn has a cold

Normal body temperature is around 98.6°F, though it may fluctuate slightly higher or lower throughout the day. A fever starts with any temperature that reaches 100.4°F or above.

A temperature between 100.4°F and 102.2°F is considered a low-grade fever; a temperature above 102.2°F is considered a high fever.

A fever isn’t a sickness in itself. Instead, elevated body temperature is a sign that your child’s immune system is hard at work fighting off some type of invader — usually an illness or infection.

Along with an elevated temperature, your child may experience these fever symptoms:

• chills
• sweating
• muscle aches
• appetite changes
• dehydration
• weakness
• changes in behavior

The number on the thermometer isn’t always the best indicator of how sick your child is. You need to take into account:

• your child’s age
• how they’re acting
• the number of days they’ve had the fever
• any other symptoms you observe

For example, a small percentage of younger kids — usually between the ages of 6 months and 5 years, according to Mayo Clinic — may even experience febrile seizures. These seizures may involve jerking motions or look like your child is passing out.

Call your doctor if your child experiences a seizure or call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes.

In young babies, even slight temperatures may be a reason for concern. That’s why you should always contact your doctor or head to urgent care if your little one has any fever that’s 100. 4°F or above. (The same goes with a temperature lower than 97.7°F when taken rectally.)

You should also head to the ER if your baby has a fever and any of the following symptoms:

• trouble feeding
• trouble breathing
• unexplained rash
• vomiting or diarrhea
• acting differently (lethargic, inconsolable, etc.)

For the most accurate read, take your infant’s temperature with a digital thermometer inserted rectally (yes, that’s the best way). There’s some research to suggest that temporal artery thermometers can work accurately for this age as well, but speak with your doctor for guidelines.

Related: Baby fever 101: How to care for your child

In older babies and toddlers, call your doctor if your child’s fever is 102.2°F or above.

You’ll also want to pay attention to how your child responds to over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Always ask your pediatrician about giving any OTC drugs to babies under age 1.

If the fever doesn’t respond to fever reducers (ibuprofen, acetaminophen), there may be something more serious going on.

Other symptoms that warrant urgent care:

• trouble waking up
• trouble breathing
• decreased urine output
• difficulty keeping fluids down (vomiting)
• unexplained dark rash
• stiff neck, abdominal pain, or other concerns

Rectal reading may still be the best way to get an accurate temperature with older babies and toddlers. That said, you may also have success using a digital thermometer in the underarm or a temporal artery scanner.

If you have an in-ear thermometer, you’ll want to wait until your child is at least 6 months old to use it.

Related: Symptoms of fever in adults, children, and babies

For kids over age 3, a fever over 102° F that lasts for 2 or more days may be a reason for concern.

If their doctor tells you to keep an eye on it, a couple days may be OK.

However, if your little one has had a fever for 5 or more days, be sure to call back to make an appointment with their doctor. The same goes for a fever that doesn’t lower with OTC medications.

Other symptoms that may warrant urgent care:

• trouble breathing or swallowing
• difficulty keeping fluids down (vomiting)
• burning with urination or infrequent urination
• unexplained dark rash
• stiff neck, abdominal pain, or other concerns
• acting lethargic or difficult to wake

For children ages 4 and up, you may use a digital thermometer to take temperature orally under the tongue (if your child can hold it there long enough). For best results, be sure to wait 30 minutes after your child last ate or drank anything.

You may also take a reading in the ear or armpit — or even on the forehead using a temporal artery thermometer.

You know your child best. If you feel in your gut something is wrong, don’t hesitate to give your pediatrician’s office a call. And don’t feel silly — they get questions all the time and would rather you be extra safe when it comes to your child’s health.

Get in touch with your doctor or urgent care if:

• Your baby is younger than 3 months old with a fever over 100. 4°F.
• Your baby (ages 3 to 6 months) has a temperature of 102°F and is acting unlike themselves (lethargic, uncomfortable, etc.).
• Your older baby (ages 6 to 24 months) has a temperature over 102°F that lasts more than 1 day with no other signs of illness, like cough or diarrhea.
• Your child’s fever has been present for 5 days or longer.
• Your little one’s fever is 104°F or above, regardless of the presence of other symptoms.
• Your child’s fever doesn’t lower even when taking fever reducers.
• Your child is inconsolable, lethargic, or not acting like themselves.
• Your little one is showing signs of dehydration, like decreased urine output. (FYI: Babies should wet at least 4 diapers per day; older kids should urinate at least once every 8 to 12 hours.)
• Your child has recently had immunizations and has a fever of 102° F or higher.
• Your child has recently had immunizations and has had an elevated temperature for more than 48 hours.
• Your child has a febrile seizure. Call your doctor if it lasts less than 5 minutes. If longer, call 911.

Remember: You should always call your doctor for fever in babies under 3 months old.

Older kids do get fevers, though. So while it’s important to know when you should head to the doctor, it’s equally key to know when you can relax and monitor on your own.

In many cases, a fever is their body’s response to fighting off a mild illness. It will resolve on its own when the illness winds down and your child gets better.

You may be able to monitor at home if:

• A fever lasts fewer than 3 to 5 days, provided your little one is acting like themselves. Observe their eating, drinking, and play patterns to see if they’re at their normal level of activity. Being slightly more tired than usual is expected, though.
• The fever is below 102.5°F in children ages 3 months to 3 years or below 103°F in older kids. (Of course, this is provided there are no other warning signs. ) Temperatures in this range are common and don’t necessarily signal an emergency.
• Your child gets a low-grade fever following immunizations. A slight temperature in the first couple of days after shots isn’t necessarily a reason for concern.

Related: What are the flu symptoms in kids and how is it treated?

Chances are, your little one will have many fevers in their lifetime.

Pay attention to the number on the thermometer but also look at your child. If they’re acting normally and drinking enough fluids — and their fever goes away relatively quickly — you can relax and try at-home comfort measures, like giving them a lukewarm bath.

Otherwise, get in touch with your doctor or head to urgent care to get things checked out.

Symptoms, treatment, and when to seek help

A fever is a part of the body’s protective response to illness. When certain pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses, enter the body, the immune system signals the body to increase its temperature in an attempt to destroy them.

However, severe illness can cause the mechanisms that maintain a normal body temperature to go awry, and the results can lead to extremely high temperatures that can be life-threatening.

This article will discuss how a fever affects an adult’s body and when it is cause for concern.

If a person is concerned about a fever or how they feel overall, they should talk to a doctor.

Share on PinterestDoctors consider a temperature above 104°F (40°C) to be a high-grade fever.

As a general rule, adults should consider seeking medical attention if their temperature reaches above 104 °F (40°C). Doctors consider this temperature to be a high-grade fever.

However, a fever is not the only symptom a person has when they are ill. A person should consider other symptoms, such as vomiting, breathing issues, confusion, or how they feel overall when deciding whether they need medical attention.

Doctors categorize a fever by the reading on the thermometer, how long the fever lasts, and whether it keeps going up and down.

Normal body temperature can fluctuate. According to a 2019 systematic review, typical body temperatures vary according to a person’s age, and whether they take their temperature orally or rectally. The table below indicates a range of normal body temperatures.

It is important to note that temperatures can fluctuate. A normal rectal body temperature ranges from 98.6–100.4°F.

The following are the classifications of body temperature ranges, according to an article in the Journal of Infection and Public Health:

• Mild or low-grade fever: 100.4–102.2°F (38–39°C)
• Moderate grade fever: 102. 2–104.0°F (39°C–40°C)
• High-grade fever: 104.1–106.0°F (40°C–41.1°C)

These temperature values are rectal measurements, which doctors consider the most accurate.

However, the article also emphasizes that doctors can better diagnose a person’s condition by considering their other symptoms rather than the severity of their temperature.

Sustained or continuous fever

A sustained fever is when a person has a temperature above normal that does not fluctuate by more than 1.5°F (1°C) for 24 hours.

Causes may include:

• Gram-negative bacteria: These are bacteria that can cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections, and surgical site infections.
• Typhoid: Typhoid is a bacterial infection that can cause fever.
• Acute bacterial meningitis: This is a severe infection that requires emergency medical help.
• Urinary tract infection (UTI): Cystitis is an infection of the bladder, and urethritis is an infection of the urethra.

Intermittent fever

An intermittent fever occurs when a person experiences a raised temperature for several hours a day. The temperature then goes back to normal before spiking again.

Common causes may include:

• Malaria: This is an infection that some mosquitoes transmit.
• Tuberculosis (TB): This is an infection of the lungs.
• Lymphoma: This is a form of cancer that begins in the cells.
• Sepsis: This occurs when the body has an extreme reaction to an infection.

Remittent fever

This is a daily fever that is always higher than normal but may fluctuate as much as 3.6°F (2°C) throughout the day.

Common causes may include:

• Infective endocarditis: This is an infection of the endocardium, which is the membrane that lines the inside of the heart.
• Rickettsiae infections: This is an infection transmitted by ticks, mites, and lice.

People who experience an internal temperature of 104°F (40°C) and higher for prolonged periods can develop hyperthermia. For this reason, it is essential to try to keep a fever from becoming too high.

Potential complications from a high-grade fever can include:

• seizures
• unsteadiness
• unconsciousness
• lethargy
• coma

A high-grade fever can also cause cognitive dysfunction, which affects a person’s memory, comprehension, reasoning, and problem-solving ability. Some people may also have difficulty paying attention.

Typically, these symptoms are only temporary, and most people recover. However, in extreme circumstances, some people experience permanent changes.

Fever is a common symptom of the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19.

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February 2020, data on 1,099 people in China who had COVID-19 showed that 43.8% had a fever on admission to the hospital. An estimated 88.7% developed a fever during their hospitalization.

The authors defined a fever as an axillary (armpit) temperature of 99.8°F (37.7°C) or higher.

Other symptoms include:

• a cough
• shortness of breath
• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea

If a person suspects they may have COVID-19, they should call a doctor or health department for further testing.

For live updates on the latest developments regarding the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, click here.

A low-grade fever can be the body’s protective measure. Scientists are still in debate whether a person should treat a low-grade fever.

However, if a person does have a fever or does not feel well, they could take fever-reducing medications, such as:

• acetaminophen
• ibuprofen
• aspirin

As a fever is typically a symptom of another condition, a person may require different treatments depending on the cause.

If a person has an underlying bacterial illness, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics. These can treat the infection, which can help reduce fever.

Other steps a person can take to make themselves more comfortable include resting, drinking plenty of fluids, wearing loose clothing, and taking cool or lukewarm baths.

There are some steps a person can take to help prevent getting a fever:

• Always cover the mouth and nose when sneezing and wash hands immediately after sneezing or coughing.
• Refrain from sharing personal items, such as utensils, cups, and even toothbrushes.
• Try not to touch the face. A person can easily transmit the pathogen from their face to their nose or mouth, which might allow the germs to enter the body.
• Avoid contact with people who are sick. This can help prevent the transmission of illness.
• Maintain good hygiene. Washing hands may help prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading.

Learn more about washing hands properly here.

A fever is a protective mechanism for the body as the immune system works to fight against illness in a variety of ways.

If a person feels very unwell in addition to having a fever or they are already immunocompromised due to pre-existing conditions, they should seek medical attention.

A person should also see their doctor if they have tried to control their fever at home, but over-the-counter medicines and other treatments are ineffective.

A fever can become dangerous if it reaches 104°F (40°C) or higher.

At what temperature to call an ambulance for a child and an adult – September 17, 2022

Sometimes calling an ambulance is not necessary – just drink paracetamol

Photo: Elena Latypova / NGS55.RU

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this time alarm the doctor, while others are ready to call an ambulance as soon as the thermometer shows 37.5. Doctors don’t always help either: someone asks why they called, someone asks why they didn’t call earlier? We talked with doctors to put an end to this issue: at what temperature should you call an ambulance, when to call a doctor, and in which case just drink an antipyretic and not disturb anyone.

In fact, there is no bar by which you can say: if the temperature is 0.1 degrees higher, it’s time to call an ambulance. Other symptoms may also be decisive.

– An ambulance is called when the temperature is febrile – that is, above 38.5 and is not dropping well, – says infectious disease doctor Andrey Pozdnyakov. – An ambulance is called when the temperature is accompanied by some other symptoms similar to life-threatening ones. The most striking is convulsions, impaired consciousness, severe tachycardia. An ambulance should be called according to the totality of symptoms, the temperature is not necessarily one of them.

Andrey Pozdnyakov — infectious disease specialist, candidate of medical sciences, chief physician of the clinical diagnostic laboratory “Invitro-Siberia”.

An adult needs an ambulance for hyperthermic reactions, that is, a very high temperature.

“If the temperature is above 40, then an ambulance is definitely needed, because it is fraught with serious consequences,” says therapist Ivan Skorokhodov. – If the temperature persists for a long time. If you have covid or you suspect that it is him, then if there are risk factors, a fever for more than three days is a reason to call an ambulance. If, in addition to temperature, you have abdominal pain, frequent loose stools is a suspicion of an intestinal infection, if the pain is intense, this may be a surgical pathology.

Ivan Skorokhodov — practicing therapist, allergist-immunologist. Member of the Russian Association of Allergists and Immunologists.

For children, the rules are slightly different: a temperature above 39 in a child is already a risk of seizures. With an acute appearance of temperature in a child, an ambulance is called in any case.

The polyclinic always has a doctor on duty who sees patients. You can turn to him if you feel unwell, but there is no reason to call an ambulance. However, with a temperature, it is still not worth going to the clinic.

— Let’s be honest and correct: from the point of view of epidemiology, it does not matter what disease caused the fever – covid, not covid, most often it is an acute respiratory infection. Accordingly, in order not to infect others, in principle, you don’t need to go to the clinic,” says Andrey Pozdnyakov. – If it is clear that this is a respiratory infection and the person is an adult, without any risk groups, then try to lower the temperature yourself and call a doctor as planned. In any case, you do not need to go to the clinic at a temperature.

As you might have guessed from the previous point, whenever you have a fever. If you do not notice anything unusual in your condition, you can try to cope on your own – antipyretic, vasoconstrictor drops, lozenges or tablets for sore throat. It is worth taking an antipyretic at a temperature above 38.5 degrees, but if the temperature is lower, and you still feel unwell, it is not necessary to endure the malaise.

– Temperature is just a symptom of the immune system and the development of inflammation. Some people do not tolerate inflammation well, they have a so-called flu-like syndrome: weakness, malaise, aches, pain in the joints, muscles, headaches, eyes hurt and fever, says Ivan Skorokhodov. – In fact, this is the response of the body to the introduction of an infection, for some it is more, for others it is less. The drugs we take when we have a temperature block this excess inflammation and we feel better accordingly.

The doctor emphasizes that if you see that the temperature does not go away, symptomatic therapy with over-the-counter drugs does not help for three days – this also requires a doctor’s call.

If you cannot stay at home with a fever, call your doctor to take sick leave. During a pandemic, all patients with symptoms of SARS are considered suspicious for covid, so it’s better to play it safe and not cough on others. How sick leave is now issued for covid and colds, we talked about in this material, and here you can read about how it is paid.

High temperature – causes of occurrence, in what diseases it occurs, diagnosis and methods of treatment

Encephalitis

Tick-borne encephalitis

Borreliosis

Measles

Whooping cough

Rubella

Diphtheria

Scarlet fever

Chicken pox

Poliomyelitis

Colds

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05 July

High temperature – the causes of occurrence, in which diseases it occurs, diagnosis and methods of treatment.

An increase in temperature serves as a protective reaction of the body and can occur under the influence of various factors. Be sure to separate such conditions as hyperthermia (overheating) and fever, which is also accompanied by an increase in body temperature, but its mechanism differs from overheating and requires other measures to influence the body.

Possible causes

Fever is triggered by external (or exogenous) pyrogens – substances foreign to the body that have entered the bloodstream. These include infectious pyrogens: toxins of viruses and metabolic products of microorganisms. The primary group also includes non-infectious pyrogens: certain lipids, proteins and protein-containing substances that enter the body from the external environment or occur in the body during inflammatory processes, allergic reactions, or the decay of tumor tissues. Primary pyrogens, interacting with the cells of the immune system, initiate the production of internal, or endogenous (secondary) pyrogens – cytokines. They, acting on the center of thermoregulation in the brain, cause an increase in body temperature.

The feverish state has its own dynamics and includes several stages.

If body temperature is taken as the criterion for the course of fever, then three stages can be distinguished:

stage 1 – the period of temperature rise;

Stage 2 – the period of preservation, or standing temperature;

Stage 3 – the period of temperature decrease to normal values ​​..

Temperature rise stage

The rate of temperature rise depends on the concentration of pyrogens in the blood and can serve as a diagnostic sign.

A rapid rise in temperature to high values ​​​​is observed with influenza, lobar pneumonia,

and it is also possible when a foreign protein enters the blood (for example, when transfusing blood components). In this case, there is a strong chill, there is a cooling of the skin, which is due to a spasm of the superficial blood vessels.

A slow rise in temperature is characteristic of adenovirus infection, typhoid fever, brucellosis. In these cases, there may be no pronounced chills, and the first sensations of the disease will be fever, dry eyes, headache, and malaise. Possible blanching of the skin, coldness of the feet and hands.

What should be done?

First of all, it is necessary to warm the patient by wrapping him in a blanket. A heating pad applied to the legs and arms gives a good effect.

Temperature standing stage

After reaching the upper value, the temperature remains at this level for some time. This period is called the stage of standing temperature, when a balance is established between heat production and heat transfer. At this stage of the disease, the patient feels fever, drowsiness. Perhaps lack of appetite, thirst. Depending on the level of temperature increase, a weak or subfebrile temperature is distinguished – 37-38 ° C; moderate, or febrile – 38-39°C; high – 39-41 ° C and excessive – above 41 ° C.

Knocking down the temperature is not always appropriate.

Fever is a protective and adaptive reaction of the body that occurs in response to the action of pyrogens.

At a temperature of 37.5-38 ° C, the body actively fights infection. However, each person reacts differently to elevated temperatures. Therefore, when deciding on a drug-induced decrease in temperature, one should focus on well-being and associated symptoms. This is especially true for children. Conditionally, the threshold temperature at which it is necessary to strengthen the monitoring of the state of health and external manifestations is a temperature of 38 ° C and above.

The period of maintaining the temperature at a high level depends on the infectious agent, the state of immunity and the treatment being carried out.

In normal cases, this time can vary from one to five days, but in severe cases of the disease, it can be extended for several weeks.

Temperature fluctuations in a febrile patient have a certain rhythm: the maximum values ​​are noted at 5-6 pm, the minimum – about 4-5 am and variability. With inflammation of the lungs, for example, the temperature can stay at a high level for a long time. For bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis are characterized by significant daily temperature fluctuations (1-2 ° C). The so-called debilitating fever is very dangerous, which is characterized by sharp temperature fluctuations (with a rapid rise and fall), sometimes repeated two or three times during the day. There is such a fever with sepsis, the presence of cavities in pulmonary tuberculosis and the decay of lung tissue.

What should be done?

At high temperatures, it is necessary, if possible, to free the patient from excess clothing and provide access to fresh air, eliminating drafts. A cold compress can be applied to the forehead and areas of large vessels (elbows and knees). You can wipe the body with a towel moistened with cool water.

The issue of drug temperature reduction is decided in each case individually.

It is more difficult for a person to endure not high temperature, but intoxication of the body. Therefore, the main measures should be aimed at removing toxic metabolic products from the body. This is achieved by drinking plenty of water, if necessary – cleansing enemas.

When prescribing antipyretic drugs for children, the following nuances are taken into account:

– the age of the child is less than three months, and the temperature has risen above 38 ° C;

– a previously healthy child between the ages of three months and six years has a temperature above 39°C;

– in a child with heart or lung disease, the temperature exceeds 38 ° C;

– a child of any age (up to 18 years old) with a convulsive syndrome, diseases of the central nervous system, in the presence of such external signs as pallor, cyanosis of the skin and cold extremities, general lethargy and lethargy, it is necessary to reduce the temperature if it reaches 38 ° C Otherwise, a convulsive syndrome may occur, which is extremely dangerous and can lead to suffocation.

At high temperatures, the functioning of all organ systems changes.

The heart rate increases by 8-10 beats per minute for every degree of temperature increase. Often there are arrhythmias, more often extrasystole (extraordinary contractions), spasm of blood vessels and increased blood pressure.

The secretory and motor functions of the gastrointestinal tract are reduced, which leads to food retention in the intestines, and the lack of fluid causes constipation. Given these factors, it is necessary to adjust the nutrition of a febrile patient. Preference should be given to liquid easily digestible food, reducing the portion size, but increasing the number of meals.

There is a feature that should be taken into account for patients with diabetes. It must be remembered that fever is accompanied by an increase in blood glucose levels, which requires appropriate measures.

Treatment

The main antipyretic drugs include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – paracetamol, ibuprofen, diclofenac. These drugs act quickly and are quickly eliminated from the body.

Although the practice of taking antipyretic pills is widespread, experience shows that side effects are more pronounced in this case.

It is preferable to use rectal suppositories.

With this method of drug administration, the active substance enters directly into the blood through the blood vessels of the rectum. There is no irritating effect of drugs on the gastric mucosa. It becomes possible to administer the drug regardless of food intake.

Temperature reduction stage

The decrease in temperature in infectious diseases occurs either quickly and is accompanied by profuse sweating, and sometimes a drop in blood pressure, or slowly, within one to two days.

What should be done?

You can help the patient with a sharp drop in temperature by quickly changing wet clothes to dry ones and drinking hot tea.

It is important to remember that a decrease in temperature is not an indicator of recovery.