Fevers in Children
Your child wakes up in the middle of the night crying. You rush into her room and pick her up to soothe her. You start to panic because she literally appears to be on fire with fever. How serious is this and what should you do?
Many parents needlessly worry about their children’s fevers. What few realize is that a fever is the body’s natural response to an infection. A fever in and of itself is not a disease; it’s the body’s defense mechanism in response to an illness. A fever lets the immune system know to produce antibodies to fight the infection. Interfering with this process may prevent the immune system from doing its job.
Many parents, fearful that a fever can cause seizures, brain damage or worse, over-medicate their children with ibuprofen and acetaminophen products. Seizures are rare in fevers less than 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius).
What can a parent do for a child with a fever?
- Give your child plenty of fluids to keep him/her from becoming dehydrated. Dehydration can raise the fever even higher. Check to make sure your baby has at least 8-10 wet diapers per day or that your older child goes to the bathroom at least every four hours.
- If the child is also nauseous, make sure you give the child sips through a dropper.
- Don’t force-feed the child, or make him/her eat when they are not hungry.
- Dress, or undress, your child to keep them comfortable.
Keep in mind that the body is self-regulating. Fevers really do serve a purpose – to keep those “bugs” at bay!
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