Fever

Things You Should Know

Normal temperature ups and downs:

When taking your child's temperature, keep in mind that temperature changes throughout the day. It's usually lower in the morning and higher in the afternoon, so if your child's temperature rises towards evening, this does not necessarily mean that he or she is getting worse.

Also, it is normal for your child's body temperature to rise due to physical activity. Again, a rise in temperature may be due to that wild, noisy game, not a sign that your child is getting sicker.

Interpreting your child's temperature reading:

A higher fever does not necessarily mean that a child is sicker. Some mild virus infections, such as roseola, may cause a very high temperature, while a serious hospital-acquired infection in a newborn baby may cause no fever, or a drop in temperature. Similarly, a rise in temperature during the course of a day does not necessarily mean that the infection is getting worse.

Fever is not harmful in itself, but a sudden rise in temperature may result in a seizure (convulsion or fit). Parents should be vigilant for seizure activity in children with febrile illnesses. A seizure in a child requires that the child be seen by a doctor as soon as possible.