Fever Symptoms No Reason for Motrin, Pediatricians
Not all fevers need care and treatment.
I’ve got three kids so you’d think I’ve spent hours and hours at the pediatrician’s office over the years. For well-kid check-ups, that may be true. But I can only remember one or two trips to the doctor’s for anything other than weigh-ins and shots.
Which is not to say my kids are never sick. They’ve suffered all the colds and sometimes flus every October to March season brings. There was even a two-week stretch where we battled the nastiest kid sickness I’ve ever witnessed, hand-foot-mouth disease (I think the name makes it worse).
When my kids start showing signs of fever, I pull out a thermometer for confirmation and start squirting Advil into whomever’s mouth is open. Then I pat myself on the back for not wasting time and a co-pay at the doctors. Turns out, I’m probably doing it wrong.
The Los Angeles Times Booster Shots blog posted about a new report in the online journal Pediatrics. Parents, it turns out, are too fever phobic. At the first sign of triple digits — or even 99.something — we either break down and go to the doctor or, like me, start medicating. Both moves are often unnecessary.
Fevers are not just a symptom of sickness, they’re part of the fight against infection. Lead author of the report, Dr. Janice E. Sullivan, wrote in the report that medication should be administered for fevers only if the child is acting sick, such as being lethargic, achy or experiencing the chills. If the thermometer reads 99 but your kid is still bouncing around and eating? Just let it run its course.
Babies 3 months and younger who have fevers should be checked by a doctor, the report says, as should kids 4 months to 6 years who have a fever higher than 101. Children 6 years and older should go to the doctor if their fevers are 103 or higher.
From Booster Shots:
“Parents are always concerned when their child has a fever because it’s a sign they are ill,” Sullivan said. “There is a misconception that fever is bad and that you need to aim for a normal temperature. But you should not try to lower the fever unless it’s causing them discomfort.”
Do you think you over-medicate or are too quick to head out to the urgent care center?
Photo: Cheryl from River City (Richmond), VA, USA via flickr
I have always been a fan of letting the fever burn out the germs, but my partner disagrees, so I usually end up using Tylenol.
Ok, if I took my kid to the dr every time she had a fever of 101 or higher…..we would be there about 20 times a year! That is just stupid. Dr’s cannot do anything about fevers either! And, most of the time…..it is just a regular old virus.
So, if my kid has a little fever….100 or below, we let it ride. If it is 101 or higher, we medicate. If it has any bizarre symptoms….or the kid acts really sick, she sees a dr.
So far, she has seen the Dr ONCE and that was to confirm strep. The rest of the time, she got better all on her own, with a little tylenol/ibuprofen and some time.
I only give medication for a fever if it’s 101 or higher. And I totally agree about hand-foot-mouth disease, that was by far the worst kid illness my daughter has ever had (number 2 is croup, which she’s had twice).
A friend’s toddler had a temp of 104 but no other symptoms, and her doc told her to just give some Tylenol or Ibuprofen. I agree with Cheri: If I were to go to the doctor whenever any of my 3 boys had a temp of 101, I’d be in there way too much! That standard seems almost paranoid to me.
Huh. Our pediatrician won´t let me medicate unless is at least 101.3 and will only see them after at least 3 days with a fever (lacking other symptoms of course)
I’ve always avoided fever reducers, both for myself and my kids. I figured they were there to burn the germs out. This weekend, my three year old had a febrile seizure. I have to say, that turned me around fast! After all, what is the reported harm here in treating the fever? I can tell you the consequence of not doing so was the most terrifying day of my life.