It’s not unusual for parents to be gripped with anxiety and fear when their child gets fever. Experts are advising, though, that instead of immediately resorting to fever medication to bring down their child’s temperature, parents should stay calm since fevers are also the body’s way of fighting infection.
Fevers: Why they happen and why parents shouldn’t be afraid of them
Fevers occur as the body’s natural reaction to a disease. Dr. Janice Sullivan, professor of pediatric critical care medicine at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, says that it is more important for parents to ensure their kids’ optimum comfort, to check that they are not dehydrated, and to be on the lookout for signs of serious disease.
Physicians want to make parents learn and be aware that fever shouldn’t be something they’re afraid of, and that it is not a form of illness but rather a “physiologic mechanism that has beneficial effects, such as retarding the growth and reproduction of bacteria and viruses.” It also helps the immune system by boosting the amount of neutrophils (type of white blood cells containing enzymes that fights bacteria and other microorganisms) and T-lymphocytes (another type of white blood cell that regulates the immune system).
Medical experts also want to clarify the myth that mild fevers can cause brain damage in children. In truth, a fever is only considered life-threatening when the child’s temperature is extremely high, like when it hits (degrees?).
Click here to learn at what age it is safe to start giving fever-reducing medication to your child, and a temperature guide on the different degrees of fever.
The C.A.L.M. Procedure:
The Association for the Care of Children’s Health suggests to follow these four steps before you give your child fever medications:
C – “Check the temperature.” For babies less than three months old, use a rectal thermometer. For older babies, use an ear thermometer. Make sure to jot down the temperature and the time you took it. If your baby has a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 F), call your doctor or go to the hospital.
Click here to read more about the C.A.L.M. procedure and to learn how much fever medication to give your child.
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Read more about the C.A.L.M. procedure and to learn how much fever medication to give your child.
A – “Assess the other symptoms.” Look for other symptoms, such as odd behavior when your child’s fever has already gone down. Normally they will already want to play or drink fluids.
Check for symptoms of dehydration. Signs include severe vomiting and diarrhea. Other signs to watch out for are no tears, a dry mouth, or no pee or poop during the last ten hours. Give your child small sips of fluids every ten minutes while they are awake. If he or she refuses to drink, call your doctor.
Other questions to ask yourself (according to Findarticles.com:
• “Is my child fussy and hard to comfort?”
• “Is my child refusing to walk or limping?”
• “Is he complaining of severe abdominal pain?”
• “Is he having a problem with urination?”
L – “Lower the temperature.” Make sure your child is dressed in light and breathable clothing and give him the right dosage of fever-reducing medicine. Take note that acetaminophen drops and acetaminophen suspensions are not of the same strength. This also holds true for chewable tablets, junior strength pills, and adult strength pills.
M – “Monitor the child’s behavior and temperature.” Watch for signs of improvement once your child’s fever goes down. Keep giving plenty of fluids and make sure he gets plenty of rest.
Fever medication: What medicines and how much should parents give?
Guidelines on fever have been recently published in the journal Pediatrics, stating that more than 50 percent of parents give their kids the wrong dosage of fever-reducing medication.
Experts warn that overmedicating children can actually lengthen a child’s illness.
Click here to learn more about the right dosage of fever-reucing medicines.
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Read on to learn more about the right dosage of fever-reucing medicines.
Parents must make sure to give just the right dosage of ever-reducing medicines like acetaminophen or ibuprofen (known as antipyretics) to children, depending on their age and weight. Side effects, despite rare, do occur. Ibuprofen has the potential to cause nephrotoxicity (the poisonous effect of some substances and chemicals) such as dehydration, medical illnesses, while an overdose of acetaminophen can cause liver toxicity.
As told to WebMD by Dr. Henry Bernstein, chief of general pediatrics at the Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York, "Parents need to know that fever is not something to fear, but more of a friend that shows the body is fighting the infection. Fever makes many parents do whatever they can to bring their child’s fever down into a normal range, (but) fever is not a danger in itself; it usually is a benefit.”
You may also want to read:
“What kind of thermometer gives the most accurate reading?”
SOURCES:
• February 28, 2011. Denise Reynolds RD. “Parents Should Not Fear Fever in Children, says AAP” EmaxHealth.com
• February 28, 2011. “Fever Phobia: Parents Encouraged to Treat Fevers Differently” TheEpochTimes.com
• March 5, 2011. Shari Roan. “’Fever phobia’ may be worse than the fever” WGNRadio.com
• Sydney Tanner. “Fever: no need to fear” Findarticles.com
• February 28, 2011. “Doctors: Parents shouldn’t fret over kids’ fevers” Beta.Ph.News.Yahoo.com
Photo from sxc.hu
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