Fevers... Do You Medicate or Let Them Burn?

I Havnt read the other responses yet but im probably in the minority, but I always fi e fever reducer. It feels awful to have a fever and I don't want my kids in pain. I usually hold off on the doc visit unless there is fever but I always take them if they have a fever. Absolutely!

I only do it if they're miserable. If it's low and their fine, I don't. I go by symptoms not what the thermometer says.

Over 100.5, my guys get meds. Anything under, eh, I let it go. But I always give tylenol before shots... It's more for muscle pain than fever.

My daughter had her first febrile seizure in my arms when she was 14 months old. Advanced Life Support had to meet us on the road to give her valium because she seized for so long. It was awful. She had 3 more until she was 5. They are horrible and scary to watch as a parent. All because of fevers.

My kids get Tylenol and Motrin with anything over 100. This is what the neurologists at Children's National Medical Center told us to do since the seizures are in the genes. I will never NOT medicate for a fever. Scares the heck out of me.

I think your approach to fevers is spot on. I am exactly the same way. We had a doctor that said it's not necessary to medicate below 102, but if my kids are uncomfortable in any way, I definitely give children's tylenol or ibuprofen.

This week my daughter had a nasty upper respiratory virus. I ended up giving her Tylenol at 99 degrees just because she was miserable. Poor thing! Going on a case by case basis is the way I do it too.

I think that the way you are doing it is fine. However, the shots thing is, I believe, more about the pain. That little leg gets sore from some of those shots! The Tylenol helps that.

A low grade fever that doesn't make a child feel awful works to fight the "bug". It's just when your child feels really bad that I would give the medicine.

For adults, fevers can knock you out. I had fever and felt terrible, but thought that I'd let the fever work on my virus. When I got back from vacation, I finally got to the doctor and we talked about my feelings on the subject. He asked me if I slept during the night. I didn't. He told me that all that work I did letting the fever fight the virus did little in the long run because I couldn't rest because the fever made me feel so bad. He was right. I won't make that mistake again.

So... if your child can still sleep in the night, I think you are doing good.

Dawn

100 and under, no meds usually. Both of my kids get really pathetic when it's over 100 degrees and they are miserable. I feel crappy when I get just a 99 degree fever, so I usually just go by how they are acting. In my opinion, I believe pain medicines were created for a reason. Theres no need to suffer and be a martyr.

Since the fever is only a symptom of the serious aches and pains the child is suffering with....I usually medicate to alleviate the pain, which also reduces the fever.

Have you ever had a fever? How did you feel just lying there? Usually pretty awful. My eyes hurt, my joints hurt, my muscles ache....a soothing cold cloth help only the forehead feel better. And is a very nice added touch, but doesn't help the rest of the body actually rest.

I once read this and I think it's pretty apt: They say in poor countries children die because they are so malnourished they cannot work up a fever to fight off virusus. In rich countries children die because people are constantly trying to supress fevers.
I think you are a wise woman. I take a very similar approach myself.

When my son gets shots, then yes, I automatically give him Tylenol. Shots are painful! Especially to little ones, and because too, of the fever.

When my son has a fever, I dont always medicate right away, I watch it, and use the cold cloths and etc but if it doesnt go away in a few hours then I give him some. It helps, and why suffer if he doesnt have to? Just my opinion and preference.

Seattle Mama Doc actually did a blog on prophylactic tylenol for shots. Research shows that dosing with Tylenol before shots reduces the body's response. The shot/immunization is more effective (i.e., builds a stronger immune response) if you let the fever go. The fever is the body's indicator that it's fighting the intruder and building its immune system. This is true even for regular (not shot-induced) fevers. So her recommendation, don't automatically medicate a fever. If the little one is really uncomfortable however, I'd go ahead and give them something for it.

Here's the link to her posts (two of them!) on this topic.

http://seattlemamadoc.seattlechildrens.org/if-it-were-my-...

http://seattlemamadoc.seattlechildrens.org/what-to-do-abo...

My pediatrician told me that you need to treat a fever when it reaches 100.7.

Personally I do not go around taking my kid's temperatures very often. When they are sick I will but if they are acting normal I usually treat the symptoms accordingly.

I monitor a lowgrade fever until sundown, then I medicate. Kids fevers spike at night. I want to be ahead of that.
The reason not to medicate a low grade fever is so the body has a chance to build an immunity. This makes no sense when the fever is caused by teething.
Immunizations could go either way, but I am confident the shot will take even if I give my kid Tylenol, so rather than having them be in pain, I give Tylenol.

If it's under 102 and she's not uncomfortable, I figure the fever's doing its job of fighting the illness.

A fever does not cause pain. A virus does not cause pain, however, a
fever can make a child pretty miserable. I would never let a child suffer
like that. No reason for it. Now I do not medicate at the drop of a hat but
even 100.5 can sometimes make a child uncomfortable. How would you
feel if someone did not give you any Tylenol or Motrin when you had a fever.

Fevers serve an important purpose ans suppressing a fever is not always a good idea. I do pretty much what you do, and only medicate over 101 and when my daughter is feeling lousy - otherwise I let it do it's job. As far as Tylenol and shot - new research suggests that this practice may account for the dramatic increased rates of asthma in kids. I believe that we tend to medicate too often.

If he's resting comfortably I leave him alone! Too often if I give him medicine he feels better and ends up running around like a wild man instead of resting and getting better!

I wouldn't notice if my kid had a fever unless it affected their behavior. So, regardless of how high the temp reading is, if my child is acting sick, they get medicine. Rarely do they need more than 2 doses per day, so I don't have to worry about over-medicating. As long as they seem comfortable, in my book they don't need medicine. Sometimes I'll hold off a little bit on a fever so they actually lay still and rest :) As soon as that fever comes down, they'll be bouncing off the walls again!

I only medicate if my kids are visably miserable and suffering and nothing else is working. If they are loosing serious sleep or totally inactive. Even then I will often only give a half dose or the minimum dose possible, using more the next time if warranted. I don't automatically give it just because it's been long enough since the last dose, I see how they are when it wears off and decide from there. I'm not letting them suffer through a fever. If its not bothering them then leave it alone. I truly believe too many people overmedicate. It has it's uses but it is overused. My kids get better faster than their peers a lot and their symptoms are far less severe and I believe that has to do with not suppressing their body from doing it's job.

My rules are very similar to yours. Under 101, I just let it run its course. Above that, I'll use a very low dose of tylenol or motrin to decrease the fever to the 100' range. I'll increase the dose only if the low dose does not make a difference or if the fever rises.

I also allow the medication to completely wear off every 10 hours or so so I can see if the fever has broken.

Fever is the body's way of fighting illness. It doesn't hurt to allow the body to do what it ought to do naturally.

ETA: For shots, I dose my boys with some Tylenol 30 minutes before the appointment. There's no need to be in pain!

I've read somewhere that a fever is the body working on the infection and giving medication can prolong the healing the body is trying to do. That said I do something similar as you. If my child is acting sick/in pain from the fever I give medication if he/she is fine the fever is not medicated. I believe the case by case is the best way to treat any sick child. Some 'sick' is the body building an immune system and others could be life/health threatening.

I tend not to give meds until bedtime if there is a fever. I'm concerned that the fever might spike while I'm asleep and not monitoring it. During the day, I let then go unmedicated because if I don't, they don't act sick and want to go play outside our do other activities other than resting and stay sick longer.

I wait and see with fevers, but I do give medication when they seem to be sustained at 101* and higher. There's a history of febrile seizures and brain damage on my husband's side of the family and my middle daughter does get absence seizures, so we have to be very careful about controlling fevers. When she was less than two weeks old she had an uncontrolled fever of 104* and we never discovered the cause of it. There's more family history I can't really go into but fevers are not something we take lightly.

We do make sure to hydrate and try to naturally reduce body temperature as well (cool showers or baths, less clothing, etc) before trying medication and in conjunction with medication.

I do the same then you do.
If she is: under 101 fever, she doesn't seem to be in pain and she is playing and drinking, I let it be.
I do try the cold patches and keep an eye on her.
Now, I don't know if my daughter is very paint tolerant, but she had has 3 times fever of 100 and she still playing and drinking, only one time she was sleepy and didn't want to play and I did give her medicine and cold towels on her front and take off her clothes.
Now, in the old times my mother use to give us cold showers, grrrr, is being so long but I still remember them like if it was yesterday.

I follow your method exactly!! But I give Advil.

I'm always surprised when people consider 99-100 a fever!! Up to 100.4 is within range for a normal body temperature, by definition there is no fever unless the child registers 100.5 or over.
Since it's really not the number that matters, but how the child is reacting, I base it on the reaction. I have one child that burns high (normally in the 105 range), I know that 103 is no biggie for him. He typically isn't even phased by that. I have another who gets so miserable that she starts puking anytime she gets too far past 101. For her we watch more closely with the lower numbers.
Fever are such an individual thing....too many people overmedicate their kids to make themselves feel better!

I medicate if my kids are in pain/very uncomfortable, but certainly not for every fever. If they are feverish but happy, no meds.
And according to my pediatrician, giving Tylenol after immunizations may inhibit immune response and make the vaccine less effective, so she recommends giving it only if the child is miserable, and only after shots, never before-they might not need it.

New studies show that it is a bad idea to medicate to lower a "safe" fever after vaccinations. The fever is part of the reaction that is creating immunity, and if you stop the fever, you will decrease or cancel out the positive immunity being build up. A low fever, under 101 degrees F, does not need fever reduction medicine.

Also, studies are coming out linking the use of pediatric Tylenol to the rise in asthma in children. So, basically the less medicine you give, unless the doctor says its necessary, the better.

My son's normal body temperature is pretty low (96 to 97). The only way I'd know he has a fever is if he's acting somewhat lethargic and unwell. When that happens, his temp is usually around 99 to 100, which to me is enough to medicate. He's obviously sick at that point, so I give Tylenol. However, he generally only needs 1 or 2 doses at most.

I let the fever run its course.
I rarely gave my kids things for Fever.
BUT... I vigilantly watch them/the fever/and take their temperature, very often. And even using my hand feeling them, I am pretty accurate.
But, if my kids also have a headache or pain in addition to being sick or having fever, or the fever gets too high... (like over 102), I do give them Motrin. But most times, my kids hate even that.

Or I used, cool towels or cool liquids etc.

So usually, I let the fever burn itself out.
And it has, always done so. And then the fever does not return.

If using Tylenol/Motrin, a fever WILL return as long as the child is still sick. Tylenol/Motrin is just for temporary reduction of discomfort. Not "curing" the illness.

if it is over 101 (constantly for a while) we give a little tylenol and a lukewarm bath. Under that, we just try to keep them hydrated, rested, and comfortable. My daughter (3) has only has infant tylenol 5-6 times total. I think that the less you use it, the more effective it is when you need to use it!

-M.

PS- we do give them natural remedies like teas, herbal supplements. and holistic medicines to help them feel better (designed for kids)- do they don't have to feel so miserable... but I save the serious meds for when they REALLY need it!

A fever is the body's natural response to fight off an infection. It is what the body is SUPPOSED to do when it is being attacked. Letting the fever be is the best thing for the body. I don't medicate until it starts getting really high---around 103 to 104. (Granted, my kids rarely get a fever). I usually give them calcium to bring the fever down, or put them in a lukewarm bath. Treating a fever when it is low actually prolongs the illness because the body has a harder time fighting it off.
J.

My rule of thumb is a low grade (100 or less) fever I let go. It helps keep them down and resting - I found Tylenol or Motrin makes them feel good enough that they are up running around which is exactly the opposite of what they need. Anything 101 or over I figure they feel pretty poopy, so I medicate.

I do exactly the same thing you do!
I figure a fever is the body's way of fighting something, so if I can, I let their little bodies work it out. I only medicate when they seem to be in pain or can't sleep during the night.

Same here.
I wait until they are uncomfortable.
My SIL is the same way. Constantly medicating-and her kids are sick all the time. Seriously. They are always sick!
My ped. actually told me not to medicate after vaccines...Something to do w/ the body needing to react to it (don't remember exactly).

depends on the fever, normally over 101.5 i give advil, and keep an eye and check every couple hrs

I am the same. A fever is not a bad thing it is the body’s first defense to fight off infection. I don't usually notice my daughter feeling badly unless her fever gets high like 102. She never complains and is always acting normal. Now if she were not herself or lethargic then I would call the doctor or go to the ER.
She has never had a fever last more than 36 hours and she fights off her colds in about three to four days. She is 5 and has been this way since birth.