Uptown Office: 450 West End Avenue • New York, NY 10024 • 212-769-3070 • Fax: 877-451-0227

Downtown Office: 2 Fifth Avenue • New York, NY 10011 • 212-353-0072 • Fax: 877-451-0227

Uptown Office: 450 West End Avenue • New York, NY 10024 • 212-769-3070 • Fax: 877-451-0227

Downtown Office: 2 Fifth Avenue • New York, NY 10011 • 212-353-0072 • Fax: 877-451-0227

Fever, Myths About

MYTH: All fevers are bad for children
 FACT: Fevers turn on the body's immune system.Fevers are one of the body's protective mechanisms.
Most fevers are good for children and help the body fight infection.

MYTH: Fevers cause brain damage or fevers over 104°F (40°C) are dangerous
 FACT:  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: Anyone can have a febrile seizure
 FACT:  Only 4% of children can have a febrile seizure

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

MYTH: All fevers need to be treated with fever medicine 
FACT: 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: Without treatment, fevers will keep going higher
 FACT:  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: With treatment, fevers should come down to normal 
FACT: With treatment, fevers usually come down 2° or 3°F (1° or 1.5°C)

MYTH: If the fever doesn't come down (if you can't 'break the fever'), the cause is serious 
FACT: 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: If the fever is high, the cause is serious
 FACT: If your child looks very sick, the cause is serious

MYTH: The exact number of the temperature is very important
 FACT: How your child looks is what's important

MYTH: Oral temperatures 98.7° to 100°F (37.1° to 37.8°C) are low-grade fevers
 FACT: 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)