When you or your children aren't feeling well, one of the first things you may do is check for a fever. Although a fever isn't an illness itself, it's usually a sign that something's going on in your body. Yet fevers aren't necessarily bad. In fact, they seem to play a key role in helping your body fight off a number of bacterial and viral infections. The main signs and symptoms for a fever are being flushed, hot and sweaty.

If you're an adult, a fever may be uncomfortable, but it usually isn't dangerous unless your body temperature measures 39°C / 103 F or higher. For very young children and infants, however, even slightly elevated temperatures may indicate a serious infection. In newborns, a subnormal (low) temperature — rather than a fever — may be a sign of serious illness.

Because a fever can occur with many different conditions, other signs and symptoms can often help identify the cause. If you don't know why you have a fever, it's best not to try to lower your temperature. This may only mask your symptoms and make it harder to determine the cause. In addition, some experts think that aggressively treating all fevers actually interferes with your body's immune response. This is because the viruses that cause colds and other respiratory infections thrive at cool temperatures. By producing a low-grade fever, your body may actually be helping eliminate the virus. What's more, most fevers go away in a relatively short time — usually within a few days.


Treatment

Medical treatment depends on the cause of your fever. Your doctor may possibly prescribe antibiotics for bacterial infections. For viral infections, the best treatment is often rest and plenty of fluids.