Jan. 23, 2025 | Is it feed a cold and starve a fever, or the other way around? Actually, neither is correct. Both fevers and colds cause dehydration, so you should drink plenty of fluids anytime you are feeling ill. It’s also okay to eat if you have a fever, which is a temporary rise in body temperature. It’s one part of an overall response from the body’s immune system. A normal temperature can vary from person to person, but it is usually around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. A fever is usually caused by an infection. For most children and adults, a fever may be uncomfortable but it usually isn’t a cause for concern. For infants, however, even a low fever may mean there’s a serious infection. Fevers generally go away within a few days. A number of over-the-counter medications lower a fever, but you don’t necessarily need to treat a fever if it’s not causing discomfort. A fever is not a disease, it is usually a sign that your body is trying to fight an illness or infection.

Jan. 23, 2025 | How exactly do you know when you or a loved one has a fever? Body temperatures vary slightly from person to person and at different times of the day. The average temperature has traditionally been defined as 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees centigrade. A temperature taken using an oral thermometer that’s 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.8 degrees centigrade or higher is generally considered to be a fever. Depending on what’s causing the fever, other symptoms may include sweating, headache, muscle aches and chills and shivering. A loss of appetite, irritability, dehydration and general weakness may also be signs of a fever. Oral and rectal thermometers generally provide the most accurate measurement of core body temperature. In infants, a rectal temperature, if doable, is somewhat more accurate. Ear or forehead thermometers, although convenient, provide less accurate temperature measurements.

Jan. 23, 2025 | When reporting a temperature to you or your child’s physician, it’s important to give both the reading and the type of thermometer used. Fevers by themselves may not be a cause for alarm or a reason to call a doctor. Yet there are some circumstances when you should seek medical advice for your baby, your child or yourself. A baby between 7 and 24 months with a rectal temperature higher than 102 degrees that lasts longer than a day should be seen by a medical professional. An older child with a fever but is responsive, meaning they make eye contact with you and responds to your facial expressions and your voice, may need nothing more than fluids and an over-the-counter medication. If your child vomits repeatedly or has a fever that lasts more than three days, contact a physician. And talk to your child’s doctor for guidance in special circumstances, such as a child with immune system problems or with a pre-existing illness.

Jan. 23, 2025 | An adult with a fever of 103 degrees or higher should seek medical care, especially if the fever is accompanied by a severe headache, a rash, an unusual sensitivity to light or a stiff neck and pain when you bend your head forward. Persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, chest pain and pain when urinating along with a fever warrant immediate attention. Typical body temperature is a balance of heat production and heat loss. An area in the brain called the hypothalamus monitors this balance. Even when you’re healthy, your body temperature varies slightly throughout the day. When your immune system responds to disease, the hypothalamus can set your body temperature higher. This prompts complex processes that produce more heat and restrict heat loss. The shivering you might experience is one way the body produces heat. When you wrap up in a blanket because you feel slightly chilled, you are helping your body retain heat.

Jan. 23, 2025 | There are a number of steps you can take to prevent fevers by reducing your exposure to infectious diseases. First and foremost, get vaccinated as recommended for diseases like influenza and COVID-19. And then follow public health guidelines for wearing face masks and social distancing. You should wash your hands often and teach children to do the same, especially before eating, after using the bathroom and after spending time in a crowd or around someone who’s sick. Be sure to show your children how to wash their hands thoroughly, covering both the front and back of each hand with soap and rinsing completely under running water. Carry hand sanitizer with you for times when you don’t have access to soap and water. And try to avoid touching your nose, mouth or eyes, as these are the main ways that viruses and bacteria can enter your body and cause infection.