Skip to contentFacts About Fevers
- Fever is above 38 ° C (measured in the rectum)
- Fever is one of the body’s reactions to infection
- Rising and falling temperatures during fever give chills and sweating, respectively
- Children with fever should not receive acetylsalicylic acid to lower the fever
What is fever?
- Fever is one of the body’s reactions to infection
- Normal temperature is approx. 37 ° C in the morning and 37.5 ° C in the evening
- Fever is defined as temperature above 38 ° C measured in the rectum
- Measured in the mouth, the temperature is approx. 0.5 degrees below measurement in the rectum
- Measured in the armpit, the temperature is approximately 0.6 degrees below measurement in the rectum
- Fever due to infection rarely gets higher than 40.5-41 ° C
- Fever above 41 ° C can be a serious disease
Typical symptoms and signs
- As the temperature rises, you freeze
- When the temperature drops you get sweat
- Fever suppressants will give sweating. When the effect stops (after 3-4 hours), freeze again
First aid
- Get the temperature down
- Make sure the sick person is comfortable and that the room is cool
- If necessary, put a cool cloth over the forehead
- Give plenty of cool drink
- Ingestion of paracetamol, ibuprofen usually reduces the fever
- Children should not be given acetylsalicylic acid, but paracetamol or ibuprofen is recommended
- Seek medical attention:
- If the child is 3 months or younger
- If the child has a temperature higher than 40 ° C
- In adults whose temperature is higher than 40 ° C or at fever above 39 ° C for more than three days
- With severe headache, stiff neck, swelling of the throat, impaired consciousness or difficulty breathing
- In case of rash
- In case of fever and abdominal pain
- Contact The Emergency
- If the child is 3 months or younger
- If the child has a temperature higher than 40 ° C
- In adults whose temperature is higher than 40 ° C or at fever above 39 ° C for more than three days
- In case of fever and abdominal pain
