Why Do We Get Fever? First and foremost, it is worth noting and knowing some fever facts.
The first and important thought is that fever is not an illness.
Fever is a defense mechanism of the body to fight infection. Fever works for the individual, not against him/her.
It is a sign that lets us know that our body is working against the infection.
Interleukin-1 is an important function of the body which sends a signal about the presence of infection.
IL-1 is produced by white blood cells, which called macrophages when they contact particular viruses or bacteria.
The signal sent by IL-1 to the white blood cells called helper T cells.
Many infants and children get high fevers when they even have minor viral illnesses.
What Is The Average Body Temperature?
The average normal body temperature is 37°C or 98.6°F.
It varies from individual to individual according to one’s age, time of the day, activity, physical condition, etc.
Body temperature is generally highest during the evening.
It can go up as a result of physical activity, emotional outbursts, eating, wearing heavy, think clothes, medications, room temperature, and humidity.
This holds especially true in the case of little children.
For example, women during their menstrual or ovulation cycle can experience temperature that is higher than normal by one degree or more.
Likewise, a rectal temperature up to 100.4°F (38°C) may be quite normal, but the rectal temperature of 100.5°F is certainly fever. Babies younger than six months of age, the temperature variation through the day is small.
While in children between 6 months to 2 years, the daily variation is about 1 degree. These variations steadily increase to 2 degrees per day by the time the child is two years old.
Fever Facts
When the temperature goes up by a few degrees, it gives their body the winning edge.
Besides, this fever activates the body’s immune system to produce more white blood cells, antibodies, and other agents that fight infection.
Although infections are the most common causes of high body temperature, fever can be a result of other things, also as toxins, cancers, and autoimmune diseases.
Heatstroke is another type of fever that cannot be taken casually either in adults or children or infants.
In heatstroke, the temperature continues to rise and doesn’t come under control.
There is also a type of fever called Unexplained Fever that continues for days or weeks and are termed as Fevers of Undetermined Origin.
Reasons, Why Do We Get Fever?
There can be many reasons behind getting a fever from simple viral infection and sore throat to AIDS and cancer.
It’s best to visit a doctor if you have high fever for some days continuously rather than settling for self-medication.
Ignoring continuous fever can result in a disorder in the brain. We should not ignore the fever.
However, if fever is slight without other prominent symptoms, medical treatment is not required.
Sometimes, letting your body fight against the infection is a good sign, as long as it doesn’t get out of control, and all you have to do is to make sure you get enough vitamins during the high fever to make your body strong enough to fight the viruses.
Drinking fluids and resting will do the trick.
If a child has a fever but is cheerful, playful, and comfortable, give the child plenty of fluids to drink and encourage him to sleep.
Avoid giving milk to a child who has a high fever.
Go for medication that, too, after consulting a physician to lower a fever if you or the child are experiencing discomfort, vomiting, dehydrated, or are having difficulty sleeping.
The idea should be to lower the temperature, not eliminate it.
What should we do or don’t do while we’re having a fever?
