Fever and body signals — Health, 7–10 years
A fever is a raised body temperature that can happen while the immune system is responding to an infection.
What a fever is
A fever means your body temperature is higher than usual. It can happen when the immune system is responding to an infection, although not every illness causes fever. Feeling hot, cold, tired or shivery can be a clue, but only a thermometer can measure temperature properly.
Why the body changes temperature
The body keeps its temperature within a useful range so its organs can work. During some infections, the immune response changes the body’s temperature setting, which may make conditions less comfortable for germs and helps the body’s defences work. Fever is a signal to notice, not a disease by itself.
Reading a thermometer
Leo feels shivery, so an adult checks his temperature with a thermometer. It reads 38.2 °C, which is higher than his usual temperature. The adult writes down the time, helps Leo rest and checks how he feels later. If he seems very unwell or the fever concerns them, they contact a health professional.
The warm-forehead trap
A reasonable mistake is to decide someone has a fever just by touching their forehead. Skin can feel warm after running, under a blanket or in a hot room, and it can feel cool even when the body is ill. A thermometer gives better information, while the person’s other symptoms still matter.
Listening to body signals
This idea helps when deciding whether to stop playing, rest and tell an adult that you feel unwell. It also helps adults describe symptoms clearly to a nurse or doctor: temperature, time, pain and changes in behaviour. Seek urgent adult help if someone has trouble breathing, is difficult to wake or seems seriously ill.
Keep exploring
Other languages
Loading MyLeoNes™…