Whats a high fever and what are the dangers?
A fever is any temperature between 99.6 – 105F. Fever that results in brain damage is a fear that many parents have, but this concern is not warranted. The body won’t let a fever get too high from an infection unless there has been damage to the temperature regulator or “thermostat” of the brain, the hypothalamus. Damage to the hypothalamus can occur from a brain infection (meningitis or encephalitis), or a poisoning. When the weather turns warmer, there is a danger of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. During heat stroke, the body loses the ability to cool itself and control body temperature, and brain damage can result. It is very important to remain well hydrated and cool during extreme temperatures. Another major concern for parents are febrile seizures (convulsions). Seizures occur in 2-6% of children with high fevers. It is thought that these seizures are the body’s protective mechanism against rising fevers, like a circuit breaker. Although they can be quite traumatic to parents,
