Fever is the body’s natural defence mechanism

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/03/2011 (5503 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Fever-related illness can account for up to 50% of emergency room visits and can sometimes be as high as 70% during the winter months when children as more susceptible to colds and flu.

Even the most seasoned parent starts to worry when fevers strike. The good news is that most health care practitioners agree that a fever is rarely an emergency situation. In fact, most fevers are actually beneficial as they are the body’s natural defense against infection.

According to Dr. Henry Farrar, co-author of a recent study on fevers and an emergency room pediatrician at Arkansas Children’s Hospital: “Most often, kids’ fevers are caused by viruses and they will go away without medicine and without causing any damage.”

Parents need to realize that 98.6 degrees F is not “normal” body temperature, it is average. In fact, a child’s normal body temperature can vary between 97 and 100 degrees depending on such factors as age, room temperature and the time of day. Also, the method used to take the temperature should also be factored in: Rectal methods tend to read higher than oral or armpit methods.

A common misconception about fevers is that they can cause brain damage or even death. According to Dr. Farrar’s report: “There is no hard proof that untreated fevers lead to seizures or brain damage; there’s also no evidence that lowering fevers reduces illness.”

So how do you know if your child’s fever is serious?

The best way to handle a fever is to monitor your child’s behaviour, as well as his or her temperature. If the fever is accompanied by severe pain, extreme anxiety or lethargy, if the child cannot retain fluids, has an unexplained rash, has difficulty breathing, urinating or swallowing, you should seek the advice of your health care provider.

In most cases, the best solution is simply to remain calm and allow the fever to run its course. If the fever disappears on its own, then the child’s body is controlling the infection on its own — which is exactly what it was designed to do!

Dr. Christian Chatzoglou, D.C. operates Chiropractic Life Centre at 1431 Corydon Ave.

For more information on this and other children’s health topics, visit our website at www.chiropracticlifecentre.com.