Fever: Parental Concerns

Although fever is a common pediatric complaint, temperatures less than 41.7°C rarely cause neurologic sequelae such as obtundation and death. Most cases of fever in children cause no more than transient discomfort. Fever phobia is an exaggerated misconception about causes and consequences of fever and is very common among parents. Unsubstantiated parental concerns often push health care providers to overtreat fevers and further reinforce the phobia. To decrease this response, it is important to educate health care workers about thermometry, the pathophysiology of fever, the distinction between hyperthermia and fever, and safe evidence-based treatment strategies. Informed practitioners will in turn be better equipped to educate parents.