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Fever is one of the most common symptoms of illness in children. Simple elevation of body temperature inhibits the growth of and even kills some disease causing organisms. Fever increases interferon, a chemical that inhibits the reproduction of viruses. In short, fever is an immune system stimulant. It is defined as an oral temperature greater than 37.8 degrees C. In adults, the height of the fever generally indicates the severity of the disease. In children under 8 years old, there may be very little fever even with serious infection, or conversely they may have a high fever with a simple cold. Therefore it is important to evaluate their appetite, mood, their level of activity, responsiveness and ability to be consoled in order to determine how sick they are. You should work to lower the fever if any of the following apply: The temperature is 40 degrees C or higher for more than one hour The fever climbs above 40.5 degrees C at any point The patient is a child who has febrile seizures The patient is really exhausted or uncomfortable Febrile seizures occur in up to 4% of children. They are most likely to occur in boys 6 to 24 months old and seldom occur in any child after the age of five. The rate at which the temperature rises may be more important than the height of the temperature in the occurrences of seizures. While a child who has had a febrile seizure has a 50% chance of having a second one , they generally do not cause any long term damage. Treatments: A mild fever may require no treatment. However the child may be uncomfortable, unable to rest and unwilling or unable to eat. Here you may want to use natural therapies to moderate the fever rather than suppress it. Always make sure the child is kept well hydrated, especially if the fever is accompanied by diarrhea or vomiting. Herbal Treatments Catnip, peppermint and yarrow – any of these herbs can be made into a tea and given to the child every four hours. Homeopathy Consider a combination remedy for fever, which are available at most health food stores. The following single remedies are also helpful – Aconite, Belladonna, Colubrina, Pulsatilla and Chamomila. Cold Sock Treatment Run a pair of cotton socks under the cold water tap and wring them out. Place the wet socks on the child’s feet and immediately cover the wet sock with a dry wool sock. The cold wet feeling is only temporary, soon the body will warm the socks up and in a couple of hours make the socks toasty and dry. You can leave the socks on overnight or remove them in a few hours. This form of hydrotherapy (water therapy) can be used to reduce a fever, increase white blood cell count (immune system) and remove congestion from the head. Consult a professional if the temperature is above 39.5 degrees C and does not respond to your fever lowering treatments. Also, if the child acts confused or loses consciousness, a febrile seizure occurs, the child is under six months of age, there is persistent fever accompanied by headache and stiff neck or the child looks and feels really sick. Always remember never to give ASA to a child with a because of the association with Reye’s syndrome.
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