Guest post brought to you by Vive Health.
childhood illness symptoms. Watch your child’s fever like a hawk, they say,
because high fevers kill brain cells. And if their temperature spikes above
101, you might think you need to give them as many fever-reducing chemicals as
they can possibly tolerate.
have no basis.
is no reason to check a fever constantly. Furthermore, do not wake these
children to check their temperatures. Whatever illness they have, sleep is a
lot more important than a few tenths of a degree on the thermometer.
one money can buy and have the accuracy of an atomic clock. Read
more here
to see a list of some of the best available thermometers including oral, ear,
and temporal variations. If it is reliable, is relatively new, and has a large
display that’s easy to read even in low light conditions, use it to measure a
child’s temperature about once or twice a day.
of a fever is too high?” Unless your child is a newborn, there is no answer,
because there is no
magic number
that indicates serious illness. Instead, only take feverish children to the
doctor if they have other symptoms as well, such as nonresponsiveness or
dehydration.
Academy of Pediatrics, the danger may lie in reducing a fever in an otherwise healthy
child, because such measures may prolong the illness. A slightly elevated body
temperature is the body’s way of fighting an infection, and removing that
weapon is a bad idea. Furthermore, there may not be a connection between the
temperature and the severity of the illness. In other words, a high fever isn’t
necessarily bad. This condition may even help the child recover more quickly,
according to the report, even if “the fever may result in discomfort in
children.”
Such seizures are real, they are dangerous, and they are commonly associated
with sudden changes in body temperature, mostly if the child’s temperature is
above 100.4. These seizures are incredibly frightening, as the child usually
goes into an unresponsive catatonic state and begins shaking violently. Many
children also soil themselves and foam at the mouth.
drugs actually cause
febrile seizures. The logic is actually fairly simple. Fever is a natural response
to an infection. When drugs artificially lower body temperature, the body works
even harder to elevate it, a phenomenon commonly known as rebound fever.
fevers; most of these children are between six months and six years old.
both children and their parents. Fortunately, there is no reason to reach into
the medicine cabinet to make everyone feel better.
- Calcium: As a tool to fight infection, the
body draws calcium from the bones. That’s what causes both the elevated
temperature (at least in part) and the achy feeling that often accompanies
fevers. Food calcium helps restore this balance. Supplements may work as well.
Just be sure and include a Vitamin D supplement to increase absorption. - Chilled
Food: Popsicles,
yogurt, and other chilled foods cool children down from the inside out,
and they are also classic sick treats. - Lukewarm
Bath: As the water
evaporates, it cools the skin. Don’t use cold water because it often
causes chills, and don’t use any rubbing alcohol because it absorbs into
the skin and might cause a temperature spike.
particularly serious. In fact, if properly managed, it could even be your
child’s best friend in terms of a quick recovery.