Fever during a meltdown?

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I have a brother who is severely autistic. Whenever he has a meltdown, he runs a fever. Is this typical? He can run a fever as high as 102. After he calms down, his fever is gone. It is not from illness, because it is only during a meltdown. They would always send him home from school saying that he was sick, but as soon as he was home, he had no fever. The school just did not know how to handle meltdowns or autistic people; they mainly dealt with ret*d people in special ed.

I honestly don't know if a mellt down can cause a fever.

I do know you can run a high fever without any symptoms of sickness except for the fever. When I was in 5th grade I ran a fever of 103 to 104 and it even hit 105 at one time. I had to go to the hospital. I had to miss 2 weeks of school , I had the fever the whole time. A fever that severe can be very dangerous.

They never did find anything wrong with me just said it was probably something viral. Have you asked the doctor for any info on correlation between meltdown and fever?

It has been documented that a low grade fever can accompany an anxiety or panic attack.

Well, I've noticed most of the times I run cold, a bit colder than normal. People who touch me always ask me if I'm not cold, or shriek if I put my hands on them (my hands are almost always ice cold). But when I get angry or upset I feel like I'm on fire. It's odd but I feel it in the back of my neck, shoulders and my head the most, feels exactly like a fever, except without the groggy feeling. If it gets really bad I sometimes end up in the bathroom just trying to cool off with cold water.

Whenever I have a meltdown, which isn't too often any more, but when I do - I overheat. Now, no one has ever taken my temperature at such a time - that would not be safe to try... But I overheat dreadfully, start pouring sweat, and have to literally cool down afterward. This is so even if I am in a chilly atmosphere, and even if I am simply ranting and not involved in any physical exertion that would explain even half of the heat I generate; I mean I can run full tilt and not get that hot and sweaty...

Again, I've never tried to take my temperature at such a time. It wouldn't even have occurred to me. But, from experience of other fevers due to viruses or "bugs", yes, I'm sure I hit at least 102, possibly higher. And, yes, I start to cool down as soon as the meltdown ends. Immediately, I can feel the heat inside me "switch off", although it usually takes half an hour or more for the residue of that heat to radiate into the air and balance out my temperature completely.

Interesting that you say this! I often get a fever when I am stressed out. Usually 100-101. Then again, I run fevers periodically, and no one knows why. They can happen when I'm not stressed too...


-Mallory

Fever can accompany anxiety attacks because it's the body's way of burning out infection. If the immune system is compromised, like it is under severe stress, the body may react with a fever. Anyone feel free to correct me if I've got inaccurate information.

At times I have experienced a low grade fever, nothing like what your brother experiences. It's accompanied by a big headache and dizziness. My most common physical reaction to stress, and usually my clue of an onset of an anxiety attack, is that I get hives.

Hello. This is my first post on WP. This topic caught my attention because I also ran mysterious fevers when I was a child.

My mother signed me up for ballet. I remember thinking the outfit for the performance was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. But once I got back stage my mother said I ran a fever of over 100F. She said I was really scared and she couldn't get me to go on stage so she took me home thinking I was very sick. But when we got home I relaxed and was happy and the fever disappeared. The next recital the exact same thing happened. Stage fright caused me to run a fever. I must have been really stressing.

It causes me bad migraines after having a meltdown.

Makes sense. When you get sufficiently upset, the fight or flight response kicks in. Increased blood pressure, elevated heart rate, and muscles readying themselves (causing heat) are all common responses to this.

From what I understand, a fever is the body not releasing generated heat as efficiently coupled with increased red/white blood cell generation. The "fever" you get when stressed isn't really a fever, just all of your body systems running at 100% with the largest heat generator being the muscular system. A bodybuilder at the end of an intense workout will run a "fever" as well.

It's also why you will feel as if you did a short workout if you've been mad long enough.