Is it true that the temperature you have with a fever doesnt have anything to do with how sick you are?

Question

I went with my mom to the ER the other day because my baby sister had a 100.6 fever and for babies under 2 months, that can be dangerous. While we were there, the doctor mentioned that it doesnt matter how high or low a fever is, it doesnt tell you how sick the patient is. Is this correct? It seems like it could be right..but then again, if you were 120 degrees, you'd be dead. Someone please explain this madness to me.

Answer 1

A temp of 100.6 is not that high for a baby with the flu or some other typed of illness. The doctor means that some illnesses may cause a high fever but not be a serious illness, and other illnesses may cause a mild fever but be quite serious. He really just wanted to assure you that the 100.6 was not that bad.

Answer 2

I believe what the doctor was trying to share with you is that the indication of an elevated temperature is only an indication of something wrong going on in the body. It is a yes or no proposition. It is not reliable to classify illnesses by abnormal temperatures because there is a fairly wide variation in 'normal' temperatures from one person to another.

Sometime when you are feeling just fine, take your temperature. It probably will not be 98.6F. Then take your temperature when you wake up, during the middle of the day, and again at night just before going to bed. Just as an experiment. It may not be the same for you at different times of the day.

The doctor was trying to say that the human bodies temperature is only one indication of current health status, and a very vague one at that.

Answer 3

babies dont thermo regulate when they are sick, so a temp of 100.6 could be 105 in 15 minutes, and then down to 97.5 an hour or 2 later... there are so many reasons for a baby that a temp like that can be dangerouse, including cirulatory function returning to fetal ( a babies heart and circulation change at about 3 weeks old, and alot of that has to do with oxygen carrying capacity) ... now so onto the fever, at the childrens hospital i work at we dont treat a fever till its 104.5 as long as its just a fever... but if its suspected sepsis we trat agressivly... i guess it comes down to the case, but the main reason is the lack of thermo regulation

Answer 4

Clearly, a temperature that is too high can cause irreversible brain damage and even death. It's hard to guess why he said that other than a temperature, alone, does not indicate the severity of the accompanying illness. This is why it's counterproductive to bring down a fever when it's not in the "danger" zone. It's resisting the body's own defense against fighting off whatever is causing it.

Answer 5

don't really understand it myself other than they told me the same thing when my daughter got a high fever.

They say that the fever as actually a "good" thing as long as it isn't above 104 because the body is "heating up" to kill the jerms. Although, like you said, if it gets too high, one could be in trouble. When I was little, mine got up to 107 and they packed me in ice, but this was in 1983.

About all you can do it give her tylenol and wait and see if it breaks. She might get up in a day and the fever will have broken and she will feel fine.

Answer 6

From what I know, the body reacts to infection and illness differently and you can be really sick with a temp of 100 degrees and have a minor sickness and have the same temp. The raising of the temp is simply the body's way of trying to kill off whatever it is that is causing the illness.

Answer 7

He's an idiot. I stay away from doctors, unless I'm dying & need an antibiotic. READ about the Medical Mafia & pass it on.
http://www.alternativescentral.com/healthcrusade.htm

Answer 8

i didn't know that ..i kow some people have low temperature when they are sick.....then the doctor uses a themometer