Fever Phobia

On Monday we were at my pediatrician, whom I love.  In her office was  a posting about fevers.  As a firm believer in letting  a fever "do its job" it was refreshing to read what she had posted.  I am uncertain of the origins of this article, but believe it may have been written by the Dr because it wasn't notated anywhere, just posted on her wall.

Fever Phobia

 

Misconceptions about the dangers of fever are very common.  Many parents lose sleep and experience unnecessary stress due to unwarranted concerns about the harmful side effects from fever.

 

Fevers are part of the body’s effort to activate the immune system, so they are one of our innate protective mechanisms.  Most fevers are good for children because fevers help them to fight infection.

 

The body’s temperature fluctuates throughout the day and peaks in the later afternoon and evening.  For instance, an oral or axially (under the arm) temperature can be 97.6° F in the morning and go to a high of 99.5° in the evening.  Similarly, a rectal temperature can be as low as 98.4° F in the morning and become as high as 100.3° F in the late afternoon.

 

If your child has a fever, remember to stay calm and use the following definitions to put your child’s fever into perspective.

 

100-102°F            Low-grade fevers are beneficial.  Try to keep the fever in this range.

102-104°F            Moderate grade fevers are beneficial.

>104°F            High fevers cause discomfort, but are harmless.

>105°F            Higher risk of bacterial (not viral) infections with very high fever.  This is

when you should call your pediatrician.           

 

Many people mistakenly believe that fevers cause brain damage and that temperatures about 104°F are dangerous.  However, fevers with infections don’t cause brain damage.  Only body temperatures over 108° can cause brain damage, and body temperature only climbs to this level with every high environmental temperatures (like in a closed car).

 

Fevers only need to be treated if they cause discomfort, and these are usually fevers over 102 or 103°F.  The exact number of the temperature or fever is not as important as how your child looks.  Is he/she alert, interactive, curious despite the fever?  Is he/she drinking and urinating?  Most children with temperatures below 105°F are alert and interactive despite their fever.  These are the questions that should be asked to determine if you should seek out a doctor’s care (unless your child is less than four months of age). 

 

If you treat a fever, temperatures don’t always normalize.  With treatment, temperatures often drop 2 or 3 degrees Fahrenheit, usually enough to allow your child to feel a little better.  And if the fever doesn’t “break” this isn’t cause for alarm.  There is no greater risk that a fever doesn’t come down is caused by a serious infection.  Fevers that don’t respond to fever medicine (usually ibuprofen or acetaminophen) can be caused by viruses or bacteria. 

 

Fevers will not continue to climb higher and higher if not treated.  Fevers from infection usually stop rising at about 105-106°F or lower, because the brain’s thermostat keeps the body temperatures lower than this.

 

Not every child with a fever is at risk for a febrile seizure.  Only about 4% of all children will ever have a febrile seizure.  If your child has a febrile seizure, though it is scary to watch, they cause no permanent harm and usually last less than 5 minutes.  Children who experience febrile seizures have no increased risk of developmental delay, learning disability, or epilepsy.

Some great info for everyone to consider!