depends on how high the fever is but sometimes it helps to put a cold cloth on the back of the legs, calfs.
do you medicate for fevers?
Just wondering--- do you mamas medicate (tylenol, motrin, or other?) for fevers? How high does the fever need to be for you to give them some fever reducer? Are tylenol and motrin the only types of fever reducers out there or are there other more natural options?
I know that the fever is there for a reason, that it's fighting something, but man is it hard to see my baby so miserable. I just want to make his discomfort go away. I did give him motrin, but wondering what others do. I'm rarely faced with this, so I haven't ever really thought about it until now!
I know that the fever is there for a reason, that it's fighting something, but man is it hard to see my baby so miserable. I just want to make his discomfort go away. I did give him motrin, but wondering what others do. I'm rarely faced with this, so I haven't ever really thought about it until now!
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I, personally, try not to medicate my kids for fevers. After talking with our chiropractor I felt much more comfortable doing this. You are right the fever is there for a reason and it has a job. Logically speaking medicating almost seems counterproductive. I never ignore a fever but I have found through experience that w/o medication they get over whatever it is quicker. A cool bath often helps them to feel a little better as well as a cool cloth on their foreheads.
With that said I still do medicate the fever sometimes. If they are absolutely miserable I will give them Motrin.
With that said I still do medicate the fever sometimes. If they are absolutely miserable I will give them Motrin.
For me it isn't an issue of how high the temperature is, matter of fact I don't have a working thermometer in the house. I judge based on how he is acting, just as I don't take a pain reliever whenever something hurts me a little.
eta: I recently started using homeopathics so I would try that before trying a fever reducer. I also use fever all suppositories instead of tylenol/motrin. My kids tend to vomit when they have a fever and the suppositoires are also free of artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners.
eta: I recently started using homeopathics so I would try that before trying a fever reducer. I also use fever all suppositories instead of tylenol/motrin. My kids tend to vomit when they have a fever and the suppositoires are also free of artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners.
I'm with trishshack...But if she seems really uncomfortable, I check the temp. Then decide whether to medicate or not. I have been known to give fever reducer stuff at night if I can tell she's going to have a rough night otherwise.
If my kids are feeling icky and have a fever then yes I give Tylenol (had a bad experience with Motrin once with my oldest so I don't go there anymore). It helps them feel better and works great so I don't have a problem with it. I also take Tylenol if I have a fever.
like others have pointed out i dont really look at the fever but how my dd is acting. i usually first try a tepid bath. but if the fever is over 103 i give her tylenol first. she has had fevers of 104.6 - her highest. but then again she has a tendency towards high fever just like me. so i dont worry about how high it gets. there is an identical story in our family over 3 generations where my uncle, myself and my dd all at 2 were riding their tricycles with a fever over 104. the only way the moms knew is when they accidentally touched their child they felt hot. most times thats how i have discovered my dd has fever.
teh one and only time she has been miserable was when she had the stomach flu just before turning 2 and the constant diahrhea and vomitting scared her.
i dont like taking medicines unless i have to and i dont like giving my dd any either. i can literally count on my fingers how many times i have had to give her medicine.
teh one and only time she has been miserable was when she had the stomach flu just before turning 2 and the constant diahrhea and vomitting scared her.
i dont like taking medicines unless i have to and i dont like giving my dd any either. i can literally count on my fingers how many times i have had to give her medicine.
fever is the body's way of fighting the illness (the immune system kicking in). I medicate DS if he can't relax or having trouble resting.
I also medicate depending on how they're acting. If they're lethargic when awake or restless when trying to sleep, whining etc, then most definately.
I usually medicate at night because all of my kids get really hysterical in the middle of the night if the fever gets really high, and then they're nearly impossible to medicate after-the-fact. In daytime, only when they seem to be in pain.
I give a fever-reducer if his fever hits 104. That's happened once, so far. I also give tylenol if he's in really bad pain, like when he had an ear infection in December (I didn't give antibiotics, just ear drops and tylenol). Most of the time I'll get him naked, give him a cool bath, and lots of liquids, incl. but not limited to breastmilk. Nursing seems to calm him better than tylenol.
When ds's temp is over 103 we will give him medicine.
I don't give tylenol any more for fevers. If an illness lingers or is really making her uncomfortable, I will use a homeopathic remedy.
Bringing down the fever is only interfering with their body's work on getting them well. I see it as counterproductive. And of course there are risks to using any medicines.
When she had roseola last year she just nursed all the time. My older (vaxed) child doesn't get fevers as high as my unvaxed 2 year old, and I don't really think that's a good thing.
Bringing down the fever is only interfering with their body's work on getting them well. I see it as counterproductive. And of course there are risks to using any medicines.
When she had roseola last year she just nursed all the time. My older (vaxed) child doesn't get fevers as high as my unvaxed 2 year old, and I don't really think that's a good thing.
I do not give Tylenol to reduce fevers. A fever is actually a good thing as it is the body's way of kick-starting the immune system and I honestly believe, that my child gets over thing faster without fever reducers. I try to use things like a warm bath, or wet socks(as my naturopath recommends) as more natural ways to reduce a fever. What I watch out for more, is not so much the actual temp(unless is was really high!) but I do monitor to take make sure her temp doesn't go up too quickly, as a quickly rising temp is what is usually associated with febril seizures, moreso than the number itself.
Not to mention, Tylenol is hard on the liver.
Not to mention, Tylenol is hard on the liver.
All of the above is great advice, keep the child cool,keep up fluid intake (you can try giving an ice block to suck on), strip off clothes and covers, cool cloth or cool bath (not cold) and if it gets really really high or if the child is unusually lethargic or altered give some kind of pain/fever reduction...you can also try Belladonna which is for fever, there are other homeopathic things that will help depending on what is causing the fever in the first place....
check out www.abchomeopathy.com
There is a list of sympoms and remedies
B
check out www.abchomeopathy.com
There is a list of sympoms and remedies
B
I think fevers differ for each child.
My ds1 gets 104 fevers....no big deal for him....his always run high.
The other two 102 is high for them
I give tylenal when they are uncomfortable, but am looking into other options such as homeo and herbal stuff.
My ds1 gets 104 fevers....no big deal for him....his always run high.
The other two 102 is high for them
I give tylenal when they are uncomfortable, but am looking into other options such as homeo and herbal stuff.
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Ditto, I've read some stuff advocating for holding out but I just can't stand to see my kids miserable when I know that there is something I could do to bring them relief. I certainly don't hesitate to take tylenol when I feel feverish so it feels kinda wrong to hold off the meds when I know my kiddos feel that way.
Originally Posted by trishshack For me it isn't an issue of how high the temperature is... I judge based on how he is acting, just as I don't take a pain reliever whenever something hurts me a little. |
Maybe this is just me, but I don't try to keep my child cool if she has a fever. Because if you try to lower the temperature of the body (in whatever way--whether by medicating or by a cool washcloth), you are still just fighting the fever.
Last time I was sick, I had chills so bad I would have cried if anyone had taken off my covers! My dh usually has a fever then sweats like mad while sleeping and then wakes up feeling much better.
Last time I was sick, I had chills so bad I would have cried if anyone had taken off my covers! My dh usually has a fever then sweats like mad while sleeping and then wakes up feeling much better.
Quote:
Same here and have had great results with using homeopathy for fevers and not yet had to medicate.
Originally Posted by annalily I don't give tylenol any more for fevers. If an illness lingers or is really making her uncomfortable, I will use a homeopathic remedy. /Bringing down the fever is only interfering with their body's work on getting them well. I see it as counterproductive. |
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