Fever and chills often arise together. If the body temperature is higher than usual, the surrounding air and environment feels colder than normal.
The chills occur since the muscles rapidly contract and relax to produce body heat. This occurs as a response to both cold air temperatures and an increase in the internal body temperature.
What should I do for fever and chills
When caring for an individual with fever and chills, providing comfort can be difficult. The initial reaction to the discomfort is to wear more clothes or blankets to feel warm. The problem with this is that bundling up on more layers increases the body temperature further.
Nevertheless, if the individual is shivering or shaking due to chills, this will also increase the internal body temperature.
Providing comfort and lowering the temperature might require balancing such as:
- Fever-reducing medications – these drugs can lower the fever and make the individual more comfortable.
- Use warm clothing without bundling up – only use an extra blanket to stop the shivering. Wear extra layers for comfort to ease the chills. A young child should not be bundled up but simply dressed lightly and comfortably.
- Proper hydration – this is done by increasing the intake of clear liquids to lower the risk for dehydration
If a child has fever, do not panic. Remember that fever is a natural defense of the body against illness. It is how the body fights off infections by creating an environment that is uninhabitable for the microorganisms.
Disclaimer / More Information
The information posted on this page on fever and chills is for learning and educational purposes only. To learn more about the causes and how it is managed, register for first aid training at one of our training centers located throughout Canada. The training centers are in Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Kelowna, Saskatoon, Victoria, Surrey, Mississauga, Winnipeg, Red Deer, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax.