Health Resources

Fever: Myths About

MYTH: FACT:

Fevers cause brain damage or fevers over 104°F (40°C) are dangerous. Fevers with infections don’t cause brain damage. Only body temperatures over 108°F (42.2°C) can cause brain damage. Fevers only go this high with high environmental temperatures (e.g. confined to a closed car).

MYTH: FACT:

Anyone can have a febrile seizure Only 4% of children can have a febrile seizure.

MYTH: FACT:

Febrile seizures are harmful. Febrile seizures are scary to watch, but they usually stop within 5 minutes. They cause no permanent harm.

MYTH: FACT:

All fevers need to be treated with fever medicine. Fevers only need to be treated if they cause discomfort. Usually fevers don’t cause any discomfort until they go over 102° or 103° F (39° or 39.5°C).

MYTH: FACT:

Without treatment, fevers will keep going higher. Wrong. Fevers from infection top out at 105° or 106°F (40.6° or 41.1°C), due to a thermostat in the brain.

MYTH: FACT:

With treatment, fevers should come down to normal. With treatment, fevers usually come down 2° or 3°F (1° or 1.5°C).

MYTH: FACT:

If the fever doesn’t come down (if you can’t “break the fever”), the cause is serious. Fevers that don’t respond to fever medicine can be caused by viruses or bacteria. It doesn’t relate to the seriousness of the infection.

MYTH: FACT:

If the fever is high, the cause is serious. If your child looks very sick, the cause is serious.

MYTH: FACT:

The exact number of the temperature is very important. How your child looks is what’s important.

MYTH: FACT:

Oral temperatures 98.7° to 100°F (37.1° to 37.8°C) are low-grade fevers. Oral temperatures 98.7° to 100°F (37.1° to 37.8°C) are normal temperature variations--often peaking in the late afternoon and evening. For rectal temperatures, normal elevations are 99.5° to 100.3°F (37.5° to 37.9°C)

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