Do you treat a fever?

[Addie]

I'm not looking for medical advice here, just wondering how different people deal with fevers in their babes.

DS has his first fever, at eight months. It was 101.9 before his nap. I called the ped and was advised to give tylenol (or rather, the generic due to the recall) and monitor him.

Do you always treat a fever to bring it down, or would you rather let it run its course? Does it depend on how the baby's feeling, or other symptoms - "Treat the baby, not the fever"?

[rhiOrion]

I don't have much experience, but my plan is the treat the baby not the fever.

After DD had her first vaccines she had a fever of around 102. I was trying really hard not to give tylenol, because I've read bad things about tylenol after vaccines. But I couldn't stand the pathetic cry anymore. Literally every time she woke up her mouth turned into a pout and she let out the most horrible squeaks. It was obvious that she felt TERRIBLE. But had she been her normal self with that same fever I wouldn't have bothered.

[Alisse]

A fever is pretty uncomfortable and not good for the body. I wouldn't hesitate to give tylenol for it and feel comfortable doing so because it is never for long and fevers are, in general, pretty infrequent.

[mom2happy]

I dont treat fevers unless they go over 104 in my kids during the day.
At night if its a high fever I usually put them in their underwear and lie them next to me at night so I can monitor the temp and listen for fast breathing.

I do treat headaches and pain though. If they are complaining of pain I do give tylenol or ibuprofen.

Sometimes, I think a fever is good to help kill the bug, but it depends on what type of illness and how the child is acting.

As far as infants go, they will let you know by crying if they are pain.
Mine were only sick maybe once or twice as infants and I think I gave each one ibuprofen once or twice to see if I could bring the fever down.
Its good to know that you can bring it down, that usally means its just a regular virus that you dont have to be too worried about.
Fluids are the most important - even if you have to use an medicine dropper over and over.
If the infant is breastfed they are also getting live cells and tons of other immune boosting, bad boy fighting stuff!

[Anastasiya]

I treat the child, not the fever. If kiddo is acting mostly fine with no complaints other than being tired, then I won't medicate them at all during the day. I usually do give some ibuprofen (not tylenol) before bedtime, just because they are usually feeling pretty badly by then.

I've had one child with a very mild fever and a lot of achiness that I treated, and another child with a very high fever and not much else going on that I did not treat....all depends on the kid.

[ann_of_loxley]

Let it run its course. (keeping a close eye on things). Fevers are there usually for a good reason - its the bodys way of fighting infection. If I know the known cause - then we tend to stick with homeopathic remedies.

[texaspeach]

my take on it is if it's not really bothering him we watch and wait and keep an eye on it. if he's really miserable we give fever reducer. ds is actually sick right now and has had a fever of about 102, we were taking a watchful waiting approach but he was really miserable, crying a lot, refusing to nurse, vomiting, so we gave him fever reducer and he is much more comfortable (we've been to the doc, ears and throat are fine it's just a virus)

[marinak1977]

Originally Posted by ann_of_loxley

Fevers are there usually for a good reason - its the bodys way of fighting infection.

Fever is often used by the body to increase metabolism and activate the immune system to speed the removal of the pathogen so unless it reaches into dangerous territory I leave it alone. I usually don't treat my own fevers either, unless I am just completely miserable and in pain. I get under the blanket, drink lots of hot tea or broth to stay hydrated and wait for it to break. Oh how I wish it would go away now.

[akind1]

you have gotten some good advice so far! for me, it depends on how high it is; 101 and under I wouldn't treat at all, unless babe seems uncomfortable, and in that case if anything, I might do teething tablets as they have herbs in them that calm and cool. If it went higher than that, I might do ibuprofen (it is what I'd give myself).

FWIW, DS has thus far only been a bit warm with teething mostly, I think, and the teething tablets did the trick, to cool him down and help him rest.

[journeywooz]

I'm surprised nobody recommended this yet..

Google both "warming socks" and "constitutional hydrotherapy."

Works wonders for us. DD won't stay still enough for the constitutional hydrotherapy but warming socks works great.. Tried it myself and its actually comfortable. Helps the blood move and work through a fever. Would recommend it to anyone, adults, children, babies.

[Jaxinator]

I treat it with kid tylenol. My son had a fever induced siezure and that was the worst thing I've even seen in my whole life. I don't care to repeat it.

[cristeen]

I treat the baby, not the fever. I don't hesitate to give him (generic) Motrin if he's crying inconsolably. But if he's playing and just lethargic/feverish, I keep an eye on him and offer him extra fluids.

[tessie]

Originally Posted by Jaxinator

I treat it with kid tylenol. My son had a fever induced siezure and that was the worst thing I've even seen in my whole life. I don't care to repeat it.

That must have been extremely distressing. However I don't think there is any evidence that giving fever reducing medication reduces the risk of febrile seizures.

I don't treat a mild fever which doesn't seem to bother her. I do treat fevers which make her miserable, regardless of temp.

[Anastasiya]

Originally Posted by tessie

However I don't think there is any evidence that giving fever reducing medication

True. http://www.kidsdr.com/daily-dose/the...brile-seizures

[limette]

We don't treat. From what I've read;

1. Fevers are fighting the illness, they are good, don't need treating.
2. As scary as they are, seizures from fevers are not damaging and are normal for some kids.
3. Virus's do not cause a temperature high enough to cause brain damage.


* I'm not giving medical advice that's just what I've read.

[the2amigos]

I treat the baby/kid not the fever. DS2 actually has had a 101 and higher fever since midnight last night. At first I was going to wait it out, but he could not settle at all, crying and miserable. Gave him motrin and he slept for a few hours. Miserable again off and on today and have given him motrin two more times and each time within a half an hour he is much happier and/or sleeping.

[Plummeting]

Originally Posted by Alisse

A fever is pretty uncomfortable and not good for the body.

That bolded part is not true. Uncomfortable, yes. Bad for you, absolutely not. Fever serves a very useful purpose in the body, although they are uncomfortable. Whether or not to treat definitely depends on the situation, but it is false that fever is bad for the body. Fever is caused by the body. Fever is one of the ways the body purposely responds to an infection, as it aids in ridding the body of the infection.

[CookAMH]

I don't treat fevers. Fevers are extremely beneficial and useful for the body. It is very incorrect to say they are bad for the body.

Using fever reducing meds can actually INCREASE the risk for a seizure because the rapid increase or decrease of temp can induce one. NEVER give a COOL or lukewarm bath for a fever. It should be normal bath temp, and that ends up being cool to a feverish body.

That said, I treat for comfort with no thought in mind to bring the fever down to a certain level or make it go away. They do not make me nervous, I know the body is working. This is the same for myself too, and DH not just our DS. Poisining and sun stroke are the main two reasons a body would not be self-limiting in the level of a fever, so other than that, I let it run unless kids are miserable.

ETA: this is a very good article http://vran.org/alternatives/alterna...-our-children/

[Jaxinator]

That's really interesting that fever-reducers don't matter for febrile seizures.
I just read that it could be due to a chemical released during fevers, but that it's not a known definite.

[ewe+lamb]

We don't treat fevers either, we use homeopathics and aromatherapy; I read here on the forums once a whole discussion about fevers, it was about 'feed a cold not a fever' and it made so much sense - but it was quite a while ago and I can't find the information now - maybe someone will post it again!! it was so interesting...