A Fever Is A Good Thing, Don't Supress It
Marco Torres
A low fever can actually benefit a sick child, and researchers have attributed parental tendencies to over-treat by "fever phobia"--a fear that fever is harmful--which they say originated after the introduction of anti-fever drugs like Tylenol. In addressing this important concern of parents, it's vital to understand that a fever serves to protect your body against infection and trauma in three major ways.
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A fever stimulates your immune system into producing more white blood cells, antibodies, and a protein called interferon, all of which work to protect your body against harmful microorganisms.
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By raising your body's temperature a few degrees, a fever makes it harder for invading bacteria and viruses to survive and flourish. The higher your core body temperature is, the harder it is for harmful microorganisms to survive in your body.
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A fever helps to shuttle iron to your liver so that it is not readily available to fuel the growth of invading bacteria.
"Fever is often a good sign of a robust immune system," said Dr. Kathi Kemper, professor of pediatrics at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. "A fever in and of itself is not dangerous."
Instead, many experts said comforting a child through a fever is an effective way to help a child get over a fever faster.
According to Garcia, many parents fear their child's high fever could trigger a febrile seizure. Febrile seizures are short convulsions brought on by fevers usually higher than 103 degrees. While it can seem scary for parents, the seizures are rare and considered harmless to the child if handled properly, according to the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a part of the National Institutes of Health. Only about 4 percent of children experience febrile seizures with high fevers.
A group of Israeli researchers obtained their results from a questionnaire sent to more than 2,000 parents, doctors and nurses regarding fevers in children older than 3 months. The researchers defined fever as 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit above normal body temperature, which is around 98.6 degrees.
A fever can actually help sick children, explained Dr. Donna D'Alessandro from the department of pediatrics at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. "The body, basically, is trying to do the right thing," she said. "Bugs like to live at body temperature. So if you raise the temperature, you kill them off." And contrary to what parents may believe, she pointed out, the body can function very efficiently at temperatures as high as 100.5 degrees.
- Difficulty breathing
- Vomiting
- A stiff neck
- A persistent cough that lasts more than a week
- Unexplained heaviness or weakness in your legs or arms
- Unexplained irritability, confusion, listlessness, and any other behaviour that is out of character for you or your child
If none of the above symptoms are present, a fever is best treated by getting plenty of rest, drinking healthy liquids, eating lightly, and making sure that you are not increasing your core temperature by wearing too much clothing or using too many blankets. Please be aware that though the risk is very slight, there are potential negative effects to taking anti-fever medications, especially in little ones, so heed all warnings on labels and stay vigilant with symptoms.