Fever: Friend or Foe?

Parenting is full of scary moments. It’s a learn as you go type experience. We can be well educated and have read all the books but the mommy side of your brain is not logical and seems to panic quickly in times of uncertainty. Fever is often one of these times. When is too long too long? How hot is too hot? What does it mean? Our parenting brain always seems to jump to the worst conclusion. Let’s face it. No one likes to see their child sick. It’s always easier when it’s someone else’s. Childhood illness and sickness are crucial for the development of the immune system and help build healthy and resistant adults. Even though its purpose is well served, it’s still scary when it’s happening.

Fever is the body’s natural response to killing off the invader of the body, the cause of the sickness. A normal body temperature for a healthy baby is between 97 and 100.3 degrees Fahrenheit. If your baby's rectal temperature is 100.4 degrees or higher, he has a fever. The belief that fever is dangerous and must be suppressed disregards the scientific evidence demonstrating its beneficial role in inflammatory diseases. The immune system depends on the fever to fight infections. We have all heard of horror stories of children or adults who had a high fever and ended up with some sort of injury…brain damage, sterility, hearing loss, etc. These problems are rarely caused by the fever itself, but more likely the serious illness that gave them the fever. The fever was only the body’s attempt to fight the infection.

Dr. Robert Mendelsohn, pediatrician and author of How to Raise a Healthy Child In Spite of Your Doctor, says “Fevers produced by viral or bacterial infections will not cause brain damage or permanent physical harm. Fevers are a common symptom in children and are not an indication of serious illness unless associated with major changes in appearance and behavior or other additional symptoms such as respiratory difficulty, extreme listlessness, or loss of consciousness. The height of fever is not a measure of the severity of the illness.”

Fevers do need to be taken seriously and parents need to keep a close eye on the progression of the fever especially in the newborn population. “Newborn babies may suffer infections related to obstetrical interventions during delivery, ...aspiration pneumonia from amniotic fluid forced into the lungs because of over-medication of the mother during delivery...and exposure to the legion of germs that abound in the hospital itself,” writes Dr. Mendelsohn. The first 2 months after birth are the most critical for fever.

Fevers should be allowed to take place within safe perimeters. Most doctors agree that fevers under 104 degrees Fahrenheit are not of high risk for harm to the child. There are several things that you can do to help assist your child’s immune response and make the most of the fever that the body is producing. Broth, liquid electrolytes, and water are great choices because they replace electrolytes that are used up in the fever process. Rest during times of fever will allow the body to use its energy to fight off infection. The activity level of the child will also be an obvious clue in as to how the child is feeling. If the child is playing and is taking in plenty of fluids and having regular kidney and bowl functions, then the risk of harm is very low. Of course, if you need peace of mind and want to consult your doctor, there is no harm in that. Sometimes a parent just needs to hear from another source that things will be ok.