tell me about fevers and acetaminophin (tylenol)

[JenChaffee]

A few days ago, my 20 month old had a fever.  It lingered for a couple of days.  Then on Monday afternoon, it began spiking.  It would go up and she would be lethargic and sad for a half hour or so.  Then it would come back down and she would be cheerful.  An hour after she went to bed, she was crying.  Her fever was up to 104.  DH is very uncomfortable with fevers over 104.  He ran out to CVS and got some infant tylenol and gave it to her twice that night.  A few days later, she seems fine, though very thirsty.

I am curious for feedback from different people.  My questions:

I know different people have different levels of fever that they are comfortable with. Some are not okay with any fevers.  Some are okay with any temperature as long as you make hydration a priority. What temperature would you let a fever get to before getting nervous?  Why?

And what are some of your thoughts on acetaminophin?  Generally, the medical system and the advertisers rave about the benefits of acetaminophin reducing pain and fever.  I know that there is another side to the story that I have not investigated.  So, I am starting my investigation.  Can anyone help me out?

Thanks for the feedback!

[heatherdeg]

I'm by no means going to be the expert here.  My main reason for not using fever reducers (OTC/chemical or natural) is because I don't want to inhibit the fever because it's indicative of and critical to the healing process.  It's a sign that my body is fighting it off.  I'm sure there are other reasons, I just don't know them.  I cringe at what could be in Tylenol/Motrin not for their effects, but from a "healthy body"/you are what you ingest standpoint.

That being said, I also have a nervous stomach for very high fever.  So when they get to 103-104, I am likely to start with the natural cooling stuff.  I think if it hit 105, I'd be screwed.  I'd want them somewhere that if they had a febrile seizure, they had access to what they needed medically but I know that taking them to a hospital will equate to "drug 'em".  Thankfully I've only been in this position once and it was before I learned enough to be concerned this way--so I was dumb and ignorant and had no clue what I was doing.

[katelove]

My primary concern with paracetamol is it's effect on the liver. There have been a couple of young children in Australia with liver damage from therapeutic dosing regimes. 

In terms of treating fever, I'm not too worried from a purely fever point-of-view until 40C+ *but* I will treat for comfort at any point if my LO is unhappy. We use ibuprofen not paracetamol though.

[etsdtm99]

for my kids when they are little if a fever is up around 103-104 and they are miserable (which is almost always the case), we strip off their clothes and hold them, skin to skin, sometimes with a sheet over if its chilly, give them a drink of something (breastmilk if they are nursing, pretty much whatever cold they'll drink if not)  and wait a half hour or so - since i started doing this 3ish years ago it has always brought he fever down to 101 or lower (well within my comfort zone to not need meds)  -  started doing this based on the concept that a new baby would use your body temp to regulate their own.. and it has always worked for my babies.. if the fever stayed at 103-104 for over an hour and my normal methods aren't working and the kid is miserable i would give meds..