Most Common Causes of Fever in Children

In main symptoms of fever in children are headache, vomiting, shivering, chills, body ache, furred tongue, constipation, high coloured urine,
convulsions (Fits) in children, confusion, irrelevant behavior are the normal symptoms of fever in kids.

Common causes of fever

In main causes of fever in children are common cold, viral infection of upper respiratory tract, tonsillitis, bronchitis, ear infections, measles, mumps, gastroenteritis, urinary infections, wound infections, meningitis are the common causes of high fever in children.

Child fever with rash: Always look for rash appearing on any part of the body, specially in children. This is because fever in chicken pox, measles and typhoid is commonly accompanied by skin rash which provides a clue. The rash usually appears within three to four days of fever but it may be delayed upto one week in certain cases. If the rash develops along with small blisters it can be chickenpox. Certain medicines used for pain or fever may produce skin rash. Consult your doctors if the rash appears within hours of taking certain medicines.

Middle Ear Infection: This is a very common cause of fever in children. If a small child cries excessively while running temperature and takes the hand frequently around the ear, then the cause may be infection in the middle ear. In such a case, do not try treating it yourself, but consult your doctor.

Chest Infection: If the baby coughs along with a wheezing sound in the chest it indicates infection in the chest. Your child may require antibiotics too.

Meningitis: If the baby is unusually drowsy, irritable, vomiting and his neck becomes stiff, take medical advice immediately. This may be due to infection of the membranes surrounding the brain. This is a serious emergency.

Gastroenteritis: It is an infection of the digestive tract and the child will have loose motions and vomiting. Small children may require hospital admission if diarrhea and vomiting continue.

Throat Infection (Tonsillitis): If the toddler is suffering from fever and he refuses to have solid foods, it is likely that he has throat infection.

Fever with Rigors and Chills (Shivering): Malaria and urinary infection are the commonest causes of fever with shivering. Shivering may occur in any fever whenever the temperature rises sharply and mostly causes high fever in children.

Vomiting may occur in fever of any origin. Do not force your child to eat during the spell of high fever. Give plenty of water, fruit juices or glucose water.

If the child has had a long spell of fever for a few days at a stretch, the temperature of 99.5°F may continue for some more days, even if the infection has been controlled. If  the child looks normal, do not worry, the temperature will come to normal by itself after a few days.