What Is a Fever?

Everyone's body temperature varies from time to time.

How high a person's temperature is can depend on his age, activity level, general health, time of day (it tends to be lowest in the morning and highest in the evening), and how much clothing he is wearing.

But a fever refers to a body temperature that is higher than the normal range.

Fevers usually occur when a person's body is trying to fight off infection. When your child is exposed to a virus or bacteria, her body will heat up in an effort to fend it off.

The most common causes of a fever in children are an exposure to a stomach virus, a common cold, or an ear infection.

In the majority of cases (with the exception of heat stroke) the fever itself is not an illness -- only a symptom of one.

Fevers are generally more helpful to your child's body than harmful. In fact, they can be considered a good sign that your child's immune system is working properly.