Parent Tip: Don't Have A Fever Freak Out

I remember when I was a new mom and Ethan was maybe 5 months old and woke to feed at 2 am. As I rocked him, I could feel that he was feverish, so, being a panicky mom, I flip on the lights and take his temperature rectally. "Thanks mom, what a way to wake up!!" I think the thermometer read like 100 degrees and I, of course, immediately freaked out and gave him Tylenol and called the doctor's office and page the triage nurse. Then, I nurse Ethan back to sleep and just as he's dozing, the phone rings. I shout on the phone over the crying, "He has a ONE HUNDRED DEGREE fever, what do I do???" I have got to say to all the triage nurses out there, you are true heroes because, to be at a job where you have to work the graveyard shift, you've just spoken to a mom with an unconscious child and sent an ambulance , and then you get a call from a dumb mom about a 100 degree fever and you act very calm and reassuring and talk her through her crisis... well, that's just more than I could ever do. LOL. Of course, I've become wiser about fevers since then.

It seems that older generations will advise Tylenol (acetaminophen) at the drop of a hat for any fever. I guess that's what they were probably told when their kids were young. Nowadays, we know that fevers can be a good thing, and, unless they are dangerously high, or the child is in pain, it is not necessary to medicate the fever. Just keep the child as comfortable as possible.

I know it says "fever reducer" right on the box, but there are a few problems with giving Tylenol for every little fever that comes along. One problem is that the fever is fighting the virus or infection and, by artificially lowering that fever, you are delaying that process. So, your little intervention is giving the virus or infection a better chance at survival!

Another problem is that it is extremely easy to overdose Tylenol. Let's say your child has a cold and you give him/her cold medicine, and then you notice your child has a fever so you give Tylenol too. But, if you don't read carefully, the cold medicine could also contain acetaminophen, so you can easily double dose without knowing. A double dose might not be enough for liver damage, but suppose you give the next double dose a little bit too soon - that's basically a quadruple dose. Overdose from acetaminophen is the leading cause for calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers(over 100,000 per year(1)). The marketing of Tylenol makes us think that it is pretty darn safe, and when taken as directed, it is! But, it is a medicine not to be thought of as "harmless" it can potentially be deadly if not used exactly as directed.

NOTE: If your infant is 6 weeks or younger, and has a fever of 101 or higher, this is considered a medical emergency. Call your doctor immediately. But, if you have an older baby, a toddler or preschooler, and the fever is below 103.6, you don't necessarily need to medicate. If your child is miserable from the fever or in any pain, of course, medication will help. Just try not to panic at the mere sight of numbers.

So, what can you do for your child with a fever if you decide not to give medication? Well, a warm bath works wonders to make a child comfortable. Snuggling together can have the same effect as the child's body tries to regulate to your body's temperature. If you are still breastfeeding, that will help tremendously as it is not only as warm and comforting as chicken soup, but it is full of antibodies. If you have an older child, lots of fluids are good - encourage drinking.

Adam (age 2 1/2) has a fever today. He's a bit more irritable than normal. It was just 100 in the morning, but went up to 102.6 in the afternoon. But, he was still playing cars and running around the house, so I didn't medicate. But, when/if I decide to medicate, perhaps to help him sleep more comfortably if he seems irritable, I feel that ibuprofen works far better and lasts longer than acetaminophen. It is also much harder to overdose. But, after being a mom for five years, I definitely no longer freak out over fevers. If only adults could handle fevers as well as kids do...

(1)Acetaminophen and the U.S. Acute Liver Failure Study: Lowering the Risks of Hepatic Failure. Hepatology, Issue 1, July 2004, p. 6- 9