Fever is a body temperature that is higher than normal.
Since the average body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, fever is typically used to describe a body temperature above 100 degrees. Fever is not a disease but a symptom. It is a complicated response of the body to an outside stimulus, usually an infection. Low or moderate fever alone is generally not harmful, though it may cause discomfort to the child. Fevers, even mild ones, are of much more significance in younger children, particularly babies.