Buzz
If you want to fake a fever to avoid something, make your face feel hot, turn red, and start sweating. You can also heat up a thermometer to provide 'proof' of your fever. Adding a few more symptoms, such as appearing sluggish or having a stuffy nose, might help you skip school, avoid practice, or dodge a boring dinner party you don’t want to attend.
NOTE: Usually, it’s better to be honest about why you don’t want to do something rather than risking getting into trouble.
Steps
Increase the temperature reading on the thermometer
Quickly handle this by running hot water over the thermometer’s tip. If you need to prove you have a fever, you might need to fake your body temperature. One way to do this is by using hot water. Place the thermometer’s tip under warm running water and hold it steady until the temperature exceeds 38°C.
- Note the phrase 'quickly handle.' This process usually takes 2-3 minutes, up to a maximum of 4 minutes.
- Don’t let the temperature go above 39°C; otherwise, you’ll either be caught lying or rushed to the hospital unnecessarily! The latter is more likely if the temperature stays within a believable range, but if it exceeds 42°C, your act will definitely be exposed.
Shake a mercury thermometer to increase the temperature reading. The reading on a mercury thermometer can rise if you hold the tip and shake it. Be careful, though, as shaking it too hard can make the reading unrealistically high, revealing your deception. Avoid shaking so forcefully that you break the thermometer!
- A mercury thermometer has a metal tip on one end and a glass tube with numbers on the other. The mercury rises inside the tube to indicate the temperature.
- Hold the metal end while shaking. Point the other end downward and shake until the temperature reading increases.
Increase the reading on a digital thermometer by rubbing the tip between your fingers. Hold the thermometer firmly with one hand, and use your thumb and index finger to rub the tip quickly to raise the temperature reading.
- Digital thermometers usually have a plastic body, a metal tip, and a display screen showing the temperature.
Eat or drink something warm before taking an oral temperature reading. This is a great trick if you know someone will be monitoring your temperature. Consume something hot, like soup or tea, right before the person checks your temperature. Hold the food or drink in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing. You can wait until they arrive to swallow quickly.
- You can even hold warm water under your tongue and place the thermometer tip there during the reading.
- Avoid drinking water that’s too hot to prevent burning your mouth. Ensure the temperature is comfortable and doesn’t cause discomfort.
- If your parents trust you, you can read them the 'displayed' temperature, as long as they don’t see the thermometer and the reading isn’t far from your actual body temperature.
Make your body feel hot, turn your face red, and start sweating
Warm your forehead with a hot water bottle or heating pad. Press a warm water bottle against your forehead for a few minutes until it feels warm to the touch. Alternatively, use a heating pad on a low setting, but place a towel between the pad and your skin to avoid burns.
- When someone checks on you and touches your forehead, they’ll feel the warmth and believe you have a fever.
- Using a hot water bottle on your forehead is a classic trick for faking a fever that has been effective for years.
Eat spicy foods to naturally raise your body temperature. Spices like chili or pepper can help increase your body heat. If you have spicy food at home, eat a little to naturally boost your temperature. But don’t overdo it! You wouldn’t want to actually get sick or suffer from the spiciness!
- If you accidentally eat something too spicy, drink some milk. Milk helps soothe the burning sensation.
- Another great option is eating curry. You can choose curry for lunch before faking your symptoms.
Exercise or wrap yourself in a blanket to make your face flush. The simplest way to do this is to cover your head with a blanket for a few minutes. The trapped heat will make your face turn red and raise the temperature on your forehead.
- Another method is to do some exercises like jumping jacks or running in place to make your face flush. The reddish hue will make your fake fever appear more convincing.
Use a damp cloth or spray water on your face to mimic sweat. Run warm water over a face towel for a few minutes. Apply the towel to your face once it’s warm, leave it for a few minutes, and then remove it. If you don’t have a towel, you can also use a spray bottle to mist a thin layer of water on your face.
- Make sure your face isn’t dripping wet—your goal is to make it look like you’re lightly sweating.
Add other symptoms
Complain about feeling cold, not hot. People with a fever often feel cold even though their skin is warm. If someone checks on you, wrap yourself in a blanket or wear warm clothes. Tell them you feel very cold and think you might be running a fever.
- Shiver slightly to make your act more convincing. You don’t need to shake your whole body; just a slight tremble in your jaw will work better.
Act exhausted. If you’re faking a fever, you can’t run around energetically like you’re perfectly healthy. Drag your feet when walking and act like you’re completely drained of energy. For example:
- When sitting, rest your head on your arm as if you can’t hold it up straight.
- If standing, let your shoulders slump and lean forward slightly. You can even tilt to one side and pretend to stumble a little.
- Try looking down and half-closing your eyes as if they’re too heavy to keep fully open.
Pretend to lose your appetite. Another symptom of a fever is a lack of interest in food. If someone asks if you want to eat, don’t ask for a burger and fries! Say you only want water, tea, or juice. Save your snacks for when you’re alone, and in front of others, stick to simple foods like toast or soup.
- To make it more convincing, refuse even your favorite foods. This will make people believe you’re truly 'sick.'
Sniffle, sneeze, or cough to mimic a cold. Colds often come with additional symptoms alongside a fever, so you can add some sniffles, light coughs, or sneezes to your act. Scatter a few tissues around your bed or room to make it look realistic.
- Eating spicy food can also make your nose run, adding to the effect!
Pretend to have a headache or stomachache instead of a cold. If you’re not confident acting out cold symptoms, you can fake a headache or stomachache instead. Hold the area where you claim to feel unwell and complain about the pain. If pretending to have a stomachache, you can stay in the bathroom longer than usual before coming out.
- For example, you could say, 'My stomach hurts so much' or 'I feel like my head is spinning.'
Don’t overdo it. You need to act convincingly without exaggerating or making it seem fake. Add only one or two symptoms to your 'fever' and avoid acting like you’re on the brink of collapse from some mysterious illness. If you go too far, people might catch on to your act, or worse, they might take you to the doctor.
- For instance, don’t cough, complain of nausea, and roll around on the floor moaning all at once. That’s a bit much.
Be honest if you get caught
Admit that you’re faking when confronted. If your parents catch you heating up a thermometer or holding a hot water bottle to your forehead, confess that you’re pretending to have a fever. You might feel tempted to deny it, but if you’ve been caught red-handed, trying to lie your way out will only make things worse.
- You can simply say, 'You’re right. I was just pretending to be sick.'
Explain why you faked being sick. Your parents might be upset that you went to such extremes to skip school or avoid responsibilities. Honestly explain why you didn’t want to do something instead of making up another story. Share your feelings and avoid making excuses.
- For example, you could say, 'There’s a history test today, and I didn’t study. I faked being sick to avoid failing.'
Apologize for lying. After explaining, sincerely apologize for trying to deceive your parents. Clearly state that you know what you did was wrong and promise to be more honest in the future. Understand that your parents might find it hard to trust you now that they’ve caught you lying.
- For instance, you could say, 'I’m sorry for what I did. I know it was wrong, and I won’t do it again.'
Accept the consequences. Your parents might ground you, take away privileges, or impose other punishments for lying. Instead of arguing or talking back, accept the consequences of your actions and avoid repeating the behavior.
- Don’t stress too much about the punishment. It’s not the end of the world. You can rebuild your parents’ trust by being honest, responsible, and helpful moving forward.
Advice
- If you can't convince your parents that you're sick without confessing, consider 'vomiting' at school. As long as you can fake vomit or no one sees you (like in the restroom), the school will likely send you home. Keep up the act if necessary.
- Use a deep, hoarse voice to mimic symptoms like coughing or a sore throat.
- If you know how, try to fake a burp, but don't actually burp. Repeat this a few times to make your stomach feel queasy. Though uncomfortable, this is a safe method if you're not good at acting.
- Wear multiple layers of clothing to bed. Wake up 10 minutes earlier than usual to remove some layers and tell your parents you feel hot and have a stomachache.
- Pretend to be in a deep sleep to look convincing, and remember to use a blanket and wear warm clothes.
- Don't claim you've vomited unless you've prepared fake vomit. There are many recipes online, and your parents might want to inspect it, as vomit can indicate your illness. Ensure the fake vomit matches the food you've eaten.
- If using hot water, use the bathroom sink and flush the toilet to avoid suspicion.
- Faking a fever can lead to trouble, and those deceived may lose trust in you. Often, people prefer doing tasks they dislike over faking illness.
- Place a shirt on a heater, then apply it to the area where your temperature will be taken. For example, if under the arm, tuck the shirt there, ensuring the thermometer touches it directly.
- Warm a damp towel on the heater, then place it on your forehead. Afterward, rub the towel on your face to mimic sweat. You might need to wake up earlier, as this takes time. When wetting the towel, use the bathroom and flush the toilet to keep the act discreet.
- If your parents take your temperature under the arm, hide a hot water bottle under the blanket and place the thermometer on it.
Warnings
- Don't tuck an onion under your arm to raise your body temperature! It won't work and will make you smell like onions.
- Never take medication for an illness you don't have—you could actually get sick from the medication!
- Don't put a thermometer in the microwave. This won't raise your temperature and could damage the thermometer or the microwave.
- Think carefully about whether faking a fever is worth it. If you keep skipping school by pretending to be sick, your grades will suffer.
- If you fake illness to skip school, you absolutely must not leave the house for other activities. Going to the movies, theater, or a friend's house increases the risk of getting caught.
