A. An excellent question!! In truth, there is no single "normal" value of body temperature. What is normal is a daily rhythm, a circadian rhythm of body temperature.
Our bodies are normally at their lowest temperatures in the morning (as low as 36.1 C/97 F) and highest in the afternoon or evenings (as high as 37.4 C/99.3 F). In children this range of normal can be even wider. And don't forget there's a whole host of things that can also be a factor in body temperature, like exercise or menstruation.
When we get sick and our bodies mount a fever in reaction, this increase in body temperature is superimposed on our normal daily rhythm, so it's important to check for fevers on more than just one moment throughout the day (like that visit to the doctors office at 8:30 am).
And remember, fever is not always such a bad thing. It's how our body fights disease. But every good thing has its limit. Over 108 F and you get some direct cellular damage.
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