Fevers : Exercise for the Immune System

Let's all stop being afraid of fevers, ok? Fevers have gotten a very bad name for themselves in this country. I don't exactly know how this got started, though I have a pretty good guess. I believe we have a very bad habit in our medical culture of developing wonderful life saving measures and then grossly over-prescribing them. Often this causes more problems then we began with, and I believe this is the case for the widespread use of over-the-counter fever reducers.

The truth is, for most of us fevers are a wonderful service to our health and immune function. We need to begin recognizing this and really using it to our benefit. In my opinion a nice size portion of chronic illness in this culture could be prevented just by allowing ourselves to fever when necessary.

A fever comes from the innate wisdom of our amazing bodies. When the temperature of your body rises it is working to kill bacteria and viruses. A fever is your body's way of giving unwanted guests the boot. So when we falsely take a fever down with over-the-counter drugs- in one big swoop- we are greatly lessening our own ability to fight infection.

In addition to the benefits of getting a fever, there are also harmful effects to using over-the-counter fever reducers. The use of Tylenol has now been linked to pediatric asthma. It also reduces a very important liver enzyme used for detoxification in our bodies. For immature baby's livers, this is significant, and a cause for serious concern. Motrin has been connected to chronic digestive disorders.

This is an important piece of information when we think about the chronicity of illness for so many of us. I feel as a society we have kind of given up and given in to living with disease. So often in our culture I see this kind of acceptance that diabetes, asthma, thyroid disease, anemia, constipation, allergies, food intolerance, acid reflux, low immune function, back pain, are all just a part of living, and thus we go on our merry way. I don't see it this way & I refuse to just let it be. I know there are simple, accessible, effective, and safe things to do to help keep us healthier, we just need more access to them. Fevers are just one more answer that may be able to help get us back in our bodies and feeling good.

Here are some guidelines to help you or your child fever safely:

1. Know the facts about fevers. People are under a lot of misconceptions about fevers. Here are some important pieces of information:

a. Babies under 3-4 months with a fever should go to their pediatrician. Don't try to treat it at home.

b. Children fever higher than adults. Kids are warmer by nature- thus a child with a 102 fever and an adult with a 102 fever can look very different, and shouldn't be worrisome.

c. Brain damage from a fever doesn't occur until 108 degrees. The body has good internal mechanisms to keep a fever below 106 degrees, so a child with a 104 fever will typically not go much higher. Just because a fever is rising doesn't mean it won't stop where it should.

d. A child can safely fever until 105 degrees without need to call your doctor or health care provider. At that point, I suggest contacting your trusted health care provider. This doesn't mean you will be necessarily taking the fever down, but at this point I think its always just good to check in.

e. Fevers can sometimes lead to convulsions in some kids - AND that's ok. As scary as this sounds- and as some parents know- can be very scary to look at, it's ok & is not harmful to the child. The usually last less than 5 minuntes and don't increase your child's risks of epilepsy or developments delays.

2. Know where the fever is coming from. Any fever of unknown origin is one to check in about. This just means that if you have a fever from the flu or a cold- you know where it's coming from and this is most common - and it's totally appropriate to care for at home. If it seems random or you are unclear about the the reason- call your trusted health care provider. This doesn't mean that you will want to bring the fever down necessarily- but rather it's good to know why you're fevering.

3. How a child looks and acts is much more important than the number on the thermometer. Please keep this in mind. This is one of the most important things I ask a parent when they call me. How does your child look? Most children are alert and awake through a 104 fever. I am much more concerned about a glassy-eyed lethargic child at 99 degrees than one with 104 who is alert and running around.

4. At about 103 degrees, the patient with a fever is bound to feel uncomfortable. It's the middle of the night, everyone is exhausted and you have a screaming child on your hands. This is the time when people typically grab the tylenol or motrin. This is the time I recommend naturally reducing the fever enough to help the patient feel more comfortable, and leads us to the next topic.

How to Naturally Reduce a Fever:

1. Lots of fluids. For a breastfed baby- keep feeding- as often as the baby will take it. Staying hydrated is key. Natural electrolytes can help the body stay hydrated. I highly recommend Electro-mix by the brand that makes Emergen-C. It comes in a box of single serve packets- and is all natural with no added sugar. I do not recommend sports drinks as they are filled with harmful ingredients.

2. A lukewarm sponge bath. Not a cold bath. A cold bath will make someone shiver. Shivering raises the body temperature, which is what we don't want. A lukewarm bath is comfortable and can help bring the fever down just enough to help with the discomfort. You can place your child in the bathtub in a couple inches of water or just use a washcloth. Either way be sure the water is warm.

3. Familiarize yourself with Homeopathic remedies that are appropriate for home care and fevers. There are a handful of them that are easy to have on hand, are inexpensive, and work wonders. There are tons of websites and great easy to read books that give you information on the appropriate use of homeopathic remedies at home. Homeopathy works to NOT reduce the fever, but rather it helps the body process through it more quickly and efficiently. It allows the body's natural responses to take hold and fight like heck. And it works very very well.

In my private practice - all the parents are asked to purchase a home care kit with about 30 different homeopathic remedies in it- so when illness strikes- they have their arsenal of natural and safe medicine to help. I won't recommend specific remedies here, without knowing that my readers have a professional person to call or what their own level of personal expertise is. However, this of course leads us to my next recommendation...

4. Get a holistic practitioner that works with children and families and takes phone calls in the middle of the night. In my opinion, until you are comfortable addressing a fever on your own, this is the number one answer to avoiding using fever reducing medicines. I answer kid related health questions 24 hours a day- and there are others like me. This way when parents are anxious about their baby's first fever - they have a professional who will give them advice other than a panic induced tylenol/motrin solution.

Well there you have it. I hope this helps ease some of the fear around fevers and helps you find a bit more willingness to experiment in going through one. This is just one piece that can allow us to get back into our bodies and explore the amazing innate wisdom we have to conquer illness and to keep us healthy. Good luck!