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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffThe best way to prevent fevers is to reduce your exposure to infectious diseases. One of the most effective ways to do that is also one of the simplest — frequent hand-washing.
Teach your children to wash their hands often, especially before they eat, after using the toilet, after spending time in a crowd or around someone who's sick, and after petting animals. Show them how to wash their hands vigorously, covering both the front and back of each hand with soap, and rinsing thoroughly under running water. Carry moist towelettes or hand sanitizer with you for times when you don't have access to soap and water. When possible, teach your kids not to touch their noses, mouths or eyes — the main way viral infections are transmitted.
In addition, teach your children to turn away from others and to cover their mouths when coughing and their noses when sneezing.
- Dinarello CA, et al. Fever and hyperthermia. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Online. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=2871330. Accessed April 28, 2011.
- Fever. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/sec14/ch167/ch167e.html. Accessed April 28, 2011.
- Torpy J. Fever in infants. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2004;291:1284.
- Fever, sweats and hot flashes. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/supportivecare/fever/healthprofessional. Accessed April 28, 2011.
- Febrile seizures fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/febrile_seizures/detail_febrile_seizures.htm. Accessed April 28, 2011.
- Ward MA. Pathophysiology and treatment of fever in infants and children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 25, 2011.
- O'Grady N, et al. Guidelines for evaluation of new fever in critically ill adult patients: 2008 update from the American College of Critical Care Medicine and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Critical Care Medicine, 2008;36:1330.
- Sullivan JE, et al. Clinical report — Fever and antipyretic use in children. Pediatrics. 2011;127:580.
- Leggett J. Approach to fever or suspected infection in the normal host. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/linkTo?type=bookPage&isbn=978-1-4160-2805-5&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50307-4. Accessed May 2, 2011.
- Bor DH. Approach to the adult with fever of unknown origin. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 25, 2011.
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