Fever: the concept

Fever is the increase in body temperature to more than 38º that the body generates as a defense mechanism in response to certain threats. Sometimes, boys can feel warm… that’s why it’s important to always check the temperature with a thermometer, since it will allow us to distinguish if it’s a fever or not.

Although the fever is annoying and generally scares us, we must know that it is not a disease in itself. It is a symptom that our body generates as a mechanism to defend itself!

Viruses and bacteria find it more difficult to grow or reproduce in a higher temperature environment. So this increase in temperature decreases the availability of certain elements that we have in the body and of which microorganisms take advantage of to live better. Fever encourages our immune response to function more efficiently.

There are many myths regarding fever, and this often leads us to be scared when our child has it. You have to know that fever by itself does not cause harm or is harmful to health.

What IS important is to discover what is the cause that is generating the fever to know if it is necessary to provide some specific treatment, or if it is simply something viral and self-limited.

Always remember to pay attention to its evolution, and offer: love and support.