What rectal temperature is considered a fever?
A rectal temperature higher than 100.4º F is considered a fever. What under-arm temperature is considered a fever? An under-arm temperature higher than 99º F is considered a fever. How high does a fever have to go before it can hurt you? Many parents are afraid that fevers will cause brain damage. Usually, if the fever is below 107.6° F, no damage will occur. Untreated fevers seldom go over 105° F unless the child is over-bundled or trapped in a hot place (such as a car). The brain’s thermostat will stop the fever from climbing above 106° F. Is 98.6° a normal temperature? A group of adults were studied by taking their temperatures over a period of time when they were all healthy. Their normal body temperatures ranged from 96º F to 100.8º F. Only eight percent of the group had a “normal” temperature of 98.6º F. Their temperatures varied, depending on what time of day they were taken, with body temperature usually being highest in the evening. The temperatures varied by 1.8º F over the c
