(This is not medical advice. See a medical professional when it makes sense to do so.)
Just this week I’ve had 2 friends dealing with sick children, and both were concerned about their fevers. Even though they know using an antipyretic/ fever-reducer like Tylenol or Motrin to suppress the fever isn’t the best idea, they reluctantly administered it anyway. And one beat herself up about it for days. Why?
It usually comes down to one reason: FEAR. Either the mom or dad is fearful of the scenario they are witnessing, so they give the Tylenol hoping to end the trying situation as fast as possible.
But you know what? The best way to overcome fear is educate yourself on the matter. So, today, I want to gather the facts about fever so none of us have to fear it again!
Most branches of medicine, including homeopathic, naturopathic, and allopathic/conventional are all in agreement on this one… FEVER IS NOT THE ENEMY!
I could point you to homeopath after homeopath shouting from the rooftops that the fever is there to help, but that won’t convince most fearful parents. They want to hear it from the pediatricians, the medical doctors, and the mainstream medical organizations. So, for the purposes of guiding the skeptics and helping the mothers who feel torn, we will focus on advice from conventional medical professionals in this article.
So, let’s dig in and discuss why fever is truly our friend.
Grab my printable quick guide!
Hang it on the fridge when a kiddo is sick so that BOTH mom and dad remember the facts about fever, and no one panics!
Fever is Helping Your Child Fight
If your house is on fire, and the firemen rushed over, would you send them away? Of course not! You want them there to fight the fire!
The same is true of fever. Fever is there to fight BOTH viruses and bacteria that your child has encountered. According to the Academy of Pediatrics, “Fever retards the growth and reproduction of bacteria and viruses.”
Seattle Children’s Hospital explains, that it is a myth that fevers are bad for children. Instead, they explain that fevers turn on the body’s immune system, help the body fight off infection, and are overall a good thing for sick children (source).
Forcing a Temperature Down May Delay Healing
Many moms let out a sigh of relief if their child’s temperature comes down after giving a fever-reducer. However, they may be surprised to find out that they might have just delayed their child’s healing.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says, “data have revealed that fever actually helps the body recover more quickly from viral infections.” (source). Dr. Cammy Benton, MD and Integrative Pediatrician says fever “should not be suppressed as that slows healing by stopping the action of fever which is the body’s natural responses to sending the little healing factors.” (source)
Higher Temperature Does Not Equal Worse Illness
The American Academy of Pediatrics points out that, “The degree of fever does not always correlate with the severity of illness.” (source) So, a child who has a temperature of 104 isn’t necessarily sicker than a child with a temperature of 99.
Fevers Aren’t Dangerous
Children’s Hospital at Vanderbuilt says, “Fevers are not dangerous. A fever, no matter how high, is not going to harm your child.” (source)
UC Davis Children’s Hospital says, “Only temperatures above 108 degrees F (42 degrees C) can cause brain damage and it’s very rare for the body temperature to climb this high from illness alone.” (source) In other words, typical illnesses like flu, strep throat, and ear infections rarely bring a temperature high enough to cause harm. Instead, harmful temperatures are associated with tragic events like leaving a baby in a hot car or suffering heatstroke on a summer day.
Dr. Julie Kardos, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia tells parents, “There is no need to give a fever reducing agent just for the sake of lowering the fever.” (source) Dr. Naline Lai adds that “Your child’s body will never let a fever get high enough to harm itself or cause brain damage.” (source)
The American Academy of Pediatrics reminds us that most fevers don’t last long, are harmless, and actually provide protection to the sick child (source). The AAP goes on to say that, “There is no evidence that children with fever […] are at increased risk of adverse outcomes such as brain damage.” They say that while parents are often concerned that if they don’t treat a fever, it could lead to seizures or brain damage, there is not “clearly established relationship” between the two (source).
On the contrary, the AAP points out that, even when given in typical antipyretic dosages, there have been reports of bleeding, gastritis, and ulcers associated with ibuprofen and other NSAIDS like Advil. Likewise, I’ve written about the many concerns of acetaminophen products like Tylenol here. Pediatrician Dr. Cammy Benton puts it bluntly, “Don’t even put Tylenol in your house.” (source)
Dr. Kardos adds that “…no study has shown that giving preventative fever reducer medicine decreases the risk of having a febrile seizure.” (source)
Is There Ever a Time to Treat Fever?
For the purposes of this article, we are not talking about treating fever due to things like heatstroke. But when it comes to fever associated with childhood illnesses, Dr. Naline Lai from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia says, “I don’t recommend treating fever unless your child can’t do things she needs to do to get better.” (source). So, if your child can’t eat, drink, or sleep, it might be time to think about treating. And you can always start with natural options first! More on that later.
Fever Do’s and Don’ts
- DON’T WAKE A SLEEPING CHILD: The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that 80% of pediatricians agree that you should not wake a sleeping sick child to give antipyretics (source).
- DO SEEK MEDICAL HELP IF YOUR CHILD MEETS ONE OF THE CONDITIONS LISTED: (source)
- DON’T FORGET THAT THERE ARE NATURAL OPTIONS FOR TREATING A FEVER– Remember, as stated above, it’s not wise to treat a fever for the purpose of seeing a lower number on the thermometer. But, if the child is so uncomfortable that he can’t eat, drink, or sleep, it might be time to treat. Since fever-reducers don’t come with out their own concerns, I prefer to use natural remedies to treat fevers. Below are some ideas.
Grab my printable quick guide!
Hang it on the fridge when a kiddo is sick so that BOTH mom and dad remember the facts about fever, and no one panics!
