Symptom 3: Fever and Chills
Fever in children can be a common occurrence. However, when this symptom pairs up with others related to appendicitis, its presence becomes a cause for concern. The onset of a fever related to appendicitis isn’t usually high-grade at first. It’s subtle, creeping in, making it easy to dismiss it as a minor ailment or a passing virus.
The body is essentially sounding an internal alarm, a response to the inflammation of the appendix. The child may not even verbalize feeling unwell initially, but the warmth on the forehead or behind the ears is hard to miss.
As hours pass, you might find the fever fluctuating. Along with the persistent fever, chills set in, giving the child alternating sensations of warmth and cold. These chills are more than just a slight shiver. They’re often the body’s reaction to the fever, a physical manifestation of the internal battle occurring as the body attempts to combat the inflammation in the appendix.
But why do chills matter? It’s the body’s mechanism to raise its internal temperature. The rapid contraction and relaxation of muscles produce heat, thus the shivering sensation. The juxtaposition of feeling hot with the fever while shivering with cold can be both confusing and uncomfortable for the child. (3)
