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Fevers in Children

Your child wakes up in the middle of the night crying. You rush into her room and pick her up to soothe her. You start to panic because she literally appears to be on fire with fever. How serious is this and what should you do?

Mother taking her child's body temperature.

Many parents needlessly worry about their children’s fevers. What few realize is that a fever is the body’s natural response to an infection. A fever in and of itself is not a disease; it’s the body’s defense mechanism in response to an illness. A fever lets the immune system know to produce antibodies to fight the infection. Interfering with this process may prevent the immune system from doing its job.

Many parents, fearful that a fever can cause seizures, brain damage or worse, over-medicate their children with ibuprofen and acetaminophen products. Seizures are rare in fevers less than 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius).

What can a parent do for a child with a fever?

  • Give your child plenty of fluids to keep him/her from becoming dehydrated. Dehydration can raise the fever even higher. Check to make sure your baby has at least 8-10 wet diapers per day or that your older child goes to the bathroom at least every four hours.

  • If the child is also nauseous, make sure you give the child sips through a dropper.

  • Don’t force-feed the child, or make him/her eat when they are not hungry.

  • Dress, or undress, your child to keep them comfortable.

Keep in mind that the body is self-regulating. Fevers really do serve a purpose – to keep those “bugs” at bay!

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Dr. Opp Asks some important questions of interest to St. Francis residents - Chiropractor St. Francis Dr. Opp Asks...

Can someone who has had back surgery receive chiropractic care?
Yes. Rest assured that we will avoid the surgically modified areas of your spine. However, what we find is that surgical interventions will often produce spinal instability above or below the involved level. This is will be the focus of your chiropractic care.
Would you rather feel good or be healthy?
Ask most people in St. Francis and they want to feel good. Careful! Would you take medicine that makes you feel good, rather than vomit to expel improperly prepared food? Every chiropractic patient knows that you can't measure your health by how you feel. True health is when your body works as it should.