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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Can a child get a temperature from anxiety?

    Related Topics
    Anxiety Mental Health
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    Lucy Appadoo

    Counsellor

    I am a Registered Counsellor and Wellness Coach who specialises in grief and loss, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, anger management, and stress management. I have … View Profile

    I'm not an expert on medical conditions such as fevers but I can talk about how anxiety can affect the body. First of all, anxiety is defined as someone's perception of threat or danger to the point where particular symptoms occur. These can include restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, intense panicky feeling, such as shortness of breath and sleep difficulties. Therefore, if a child is confronted with anxiety and the threat is perceived, then this can lead to symptoms of anxiety. These symptoms, in turn, lead to stress. Research states that stress can affect the immune system and make children more vulnerable to infections and disease, possibly even fever. However, there are different types of anxiety disorders so, it does also depend on the type of anxiety. For example, obsessive-compulsive disorder may have a different effect on the body.

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    Vivienne Colegrove

    Counsellor

    I have been working in Eltham, Melbourne as a relationship and family counsellor for over twelve years. I draw on current theory and research about … View Profile

    Although it is possible that your child may be so anxious this is affecting their physical health, it is better to assume that there may be a physical cause in the first instance. The first place to start would be with your GP who can do a more thorough assessment of your child's physical health, and also refer them to a psychologist or counsellor who can assist with better managing their anxiety.

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