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- What is fever?
- Symptoms of fever
- Causes of fever
- Prevention of fever
- Risk factors for fever
- Complications of fever
- When to see a doctor about fever
- Diagnosis of fever
- Conventional treatment of fever
- Alternative/complementary treatment of fever
- Living with fever
- Caring for someone with fever
Very high fever that is sudden or which has occurred over a prolonged period can be dangerous and cause serious complications, ranging from brain damage to death.
It can be dangerous when the body temperature increases too high or for too long, when the hypothalamus tries harder to get rid of the viruses or bacteria, as this can overheat the body.
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Any type of fever (higher than normal body temperature and associated with infection) in newborn babies and infants should not be permitted to rise too quickly. The hypothalamus does not work as effectively in babies and infants as it does in older children and adults and high fever can become uncontrollable. If fever in a baby or infant reaches 42°C (106°F) brain damage can occur.
Always seek immediate medical attention if your baby or infant has a high temperature, as it could have serious repercussions if not reduced back to normal.
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