What is fever?

Fever is when your body gets warmer to fight off something it doesn't like.

Your body is like a castle with guards. When something sneaky, like a virus or bacteria, tries to get inside, the guards (which are called white blood cells) wake up and start working harder. To help them do their job better, your body turns on a little heater, that's where fever comes in.

Imagine you're wearing a blanket on a chilly night. The more layers you add, the warmer you get. Your body is like that, when it feels cold inside (because of the sneaky visitor), it adds blankets by making you warmer, so your guards can do their job better.

You might feel shaky or tired, like after a long run. Sometimes you sweat, just like when you're playing outside in the sun. That’s your body working hard to keep those sneaky visitors at bay!

Fever is just your body's way of saying, “I’m getting ready to win this battle!”