Question
My child is three years old. They have had intermittent high fever for over 10 days, with the fever subsiding for the first three days. They were set to be discharged yesterday, but they spiked a high fever again at night. What could be the reason? Previous treatment and its effectiveness: none, advice: don’t worry, high fever refers to a body temperature between 37.3℃~38℃, and persistent high fever means continuous fever for more than two weeks, excluding intermittent high fevers. A child’s persistent high fever can also be physiological, meaning it does not necessarily indicate illness. Such fevers are usually between 37.2~37.5℃ (armpit temperature), with the child showing good spirit and appetite, without any symptoms. Detailed examinations from all aspects have not revealed any abnormalities. In this case, it is best to measure rectal temperature at the same time; if the rectal temperature is below 38℃, then you should not believe that the child has a high fever (rectal temperature is 1℃ higher than armpit temperature), and for young children, this kind of fever is considered normal.
Answer
Don’t worry, high fever refers to a body temperature between 37.3℃~38℃, and persistent high fever means continuous fever for more than two weeks, excluding intermittent high fevers. A child’s persistent high fever can also be physiological, meaning it does not necessarily indicate illness. Such fevers are usually between 37.2~37.5℃ (armpit temperature), with the child showing good spirit and appetite, without any symptoms. Detailed examinations from all aspects have not revealed any abnormalities. In this case, it is best to measure rectal temperature at the same time; if the rectal temperature is below 38℃, then you should not believe that the child has a high fever (rectal temperature is 1℃ higher than armpit temperature), and for young children, this kind of fever is considered normal.