A normal body temperature can range from 97°F to 99°F, while a fever is generally considered 100.4°F or above. Here's what you need to know.

What a fever really is and why it happens The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers a person to have a fever when his or her temperature is 100.4 F or greater.

It simply means their body temperature is higher than normal, usually anything over 38°C (100.4°F), and it’s often a sign they’re fighting off a cold, virus, or other infection.

People with higher-than-normal temperatures may have a fever, but this doesn't always mean they're sick. Doctors share what the numbers on a thermometer actually mean.

The “normal” body temperature of 98.6 Fahrenheit is outdated, she adds, and relying on a number to define a fever is misplaced.

A normal temperature means your body is humming along the way it should. A higher temperature means you have a fever, and shows your body could be fighting an infection.

Recent studies suggest 98.6°F may not be the standard for normal body temperature anymore. Learn why our temperatures are dropping and what that means for detecting a fever.

What temperature is considered to be a fever in children? The same 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher standard applies to children, but parents need to take extra care when it comes to newborns ...

A normal temperature means your body is humming along the way it should. A higher temperature means you have a fever, and shows your body could be fighting an infection.