Fever Phobia….let’s get to the facts!

Fever phobia! This is a real thing. Fever has a way of terrifying and provoking anxiety in parents. Fever can cause our kids to lay around, refuse to eat and drink, or sleep more than normal. Fact: Fever is our bodies natural response when fighting an infection, either viral or bacterial. 

Why do we get a fever when we are fighting an infection? Fever can support the immune system’s attempt to gain an advantage over viruses and bacteria and make the body a less favorable environment for their reproduction. Bacteria and viruses tend to be temperature sensitive. 

These bacteria or viruses can release certain substances called pyrogens which can act on the brain’s thermostat, the hypothalamus, to raise the body temperature set point. Just like you would adjust the thermostat in your house! These pyrogens also get released when our immune system comes into contact with these same infectious agents. 

The hypothalamus gets to work triggering a cascade of events telling the body to retain and generate heat. Our small blood vessels constrict slowing the release of heat through our skin. This also makes us feel cold. Feeling cold also leads to muscle contractions which make us shiver. The shivering effectively raises our internal body temperature too! 

Again this higher temperature slows the production of the bacteria or virus and speeds up production of white blood cells which help fight them. 

Pretty cool process! All of that said....Fever is a good thing! 

What number is too high? There isn’t one. Natural fever in an immune response can never get to a point that will cause your child harm. Fever does not cause brain damage! I repeat! Fever does not cause brain damage! We treat fever to make patients more comfortable. Children are more likely to eat, drink and act normally when the fever is controlled. 

Fever or hyperthermia caused by our environment, like being locked in a car on a hot day, can lead to temperatures that are too high and lead to severe damage and even death.

If your child is still drinking well or acting relatively normal with their fever, let it ride. Fever is ok! Allow the body to do its work and ramp up the immune system to fight the infection! Children often get high fevers because their immune system is young and is constantly being exposed to new things. Seeing a medical professional when your child has a fever can help find the source of the fever and determine if other treatment in necessary.

What about seizures? Seizures that occur during fevers are called febrile seizures. Febrile seizures are brought on by how quickly the temperature raises. These seizures are harmless and do not cause any permanent damage. They are certainly very distressing to watch. Characteristics of a simple febrile seizure are whole body shaking in the presence of a fever. They typically are brief and last seconds to a couple minutes. 

I hope this helps you better understand fevers, what they are and why we get them! If you have any questions submit them in the comments or send us an email. Should your child have a fever and you would like to have your child seen, schedule an appointment with House Calls for Kids today!

Next time your little one gets a fever,

take a

deep breath

and

remember its ok!