What is a common sign of epiglottitis?

Fever is a common sign of epiglottitis, which is an inflammation of the epiglottis caused by infection. The body often responds to infections with an elevated temperature as part of the immune response, signaling that there is an illness present. Individuals with epiglottitis typically experience a high fever along with other symptoms such as difficulty swallowing and a hoarse voice.

While the other options can occur with various illnesses, they are not specifically associated with epiglottitis in the same way that fever is. A dry cough can occur with many respiratory conditions but is not a hallmark symptom of this particular inflammation. Skin rash could indicate a range of allergic or viral conditions but is not typically observed with epiglottitis. A headache could be present in many illnesses but does not specifically indicate epiglottitis. Fever, however, is a more direct indicator of the body's response to the underlying infection causing the epiglottitis.