Are All Fevers in Your Baby Due to Infections?

by Dr. Pamela Bandelaria, pediatrician

As new parents, we often find ourselves worrying over little things, like a scratch or a runny nose. Add a fever into the mix, and we can find ourselves in a full-on state of panic. Fever is one of the most common reasons parents bring their child to visit a doctor. Fevers cause most parents to worry, especially first-time parents. In general, a fever is considered a temperature of 100.4°F or higher. It can occur alone or with other signs and symptoms. Usually, the presence of fever indicates infections in newborns and infants. However, there are some instances where a high temperature may be present without infections.

Regulating Your Little One’s Body Temperature

Controlling the body temperature is important for the metabolic processes the body undergoes. Babies, most especially newborns, are very vulnerable to changes in temperature. This is because babies are not yet good at controlling their body temperature. If the temperature is too cold, it may be hard for them to create the necessary heat to have a normal, stable body temperature. If the temperature is too warm, they may not be able to release the excess heat which may cause their body temperature to increase.

Sometimes when we let our babies stay outdoors on a hot sunny day, or when we cover them with a lot of clothes or blankets, their body temperature rises which can sometimes be interpreted as fever. This can also occur if we don’t bathe babies regularly as the body heat is retained in their body. Regular bathing, weather-appropriate clothing, and keeping them inside when the outdoors are too hot can avoid these instances.

Immune System Responses

Your baby’s body temperature may also increase due to the activation of the immune response. Babies often have a fever when they’re teething. This is because the gums can become sore or inflamed. The body’s response to this is to raise the core body temperature to control the inflammation, so fever may be observed. Usually, fevers due to teething do not exceed 101.3°F and are classified as low-grade fevers.

Vaccinations can also cause a fever. Some vaccines are formulated to evoke an immune response. Other vaccines are an inactivated form of the virus they are preventing. As mentioned above, activation of the immune response includes raising the body temperature, resulting in fever. The fever may accompany other symptoms such as rashes, but the fever will eventually resolve on its own once the immune response has run its course. In many cases, the fever disappears without needing medications.

Generally, a visit with your doctor is not warranted in the cases mentioned above. However, when in doubt, check with your doctor.

Fever is a symptom and not a disease. It is a marker that your baby’s immune response is functioning and may not be due to a worrisome cause. It is important to know that not all fever is dangerous and that there may be nonthreatening instances that cause increases in body temperature. However, if other signs and symptoms are present, or if there are warning signs for your baby, it is important to bring them immediately to the nearest doctor.