Do you give your children medication (e.g. Tylenol) when they have a fever?

[jaxson]

I've seen more and more research on the benefits of not giving kids (or us adults) medication when they spike a fever and, instead, allow the fever to play its part and get them healthy again. I'm curious how many others take this "let it ride" approach.

 

[livinit4christ]

@jaxson If my two year old has a 103 fever, hell yeah I’m giving him Tylenol. If he’s at 101, No, unless he’s uncomfortable or has trouble sleeping. If he can’t sleep how’s his body going to have the energy to fight whatever it is he has? It really depends on the situation. I do the same for myself.

 

[karinjeanne]

@livinit4christ This is the way

 

[step777]

@jaxson It depends how she is feeling. If she has a low fever but still drinking and not miserable - I don’t automatically medicate just for the fever itself.

Usually when the fever goes above 102 or so she starts feeling pretty bad. Kids that are feeling that bad will stop eating and drinking and dehydration becomes your concern (on top of not allowing your kid to be needlessly miserable when you could help with a dose of Tylenol).

Give medicine based on how the child is looking and acting, not what the thermometer says is the recommendation of our pediatrician.

 

[josh20]

@step777 I agree with this but I wanted to add that I'll give them something for a fever if they had one at night because I can't keep an eye on them all night and they need sleep too.

 

[step777]

@josh20 Oh, yep I’m quick to medicate before bed because I want them (and the rest of us) to get a good night sleep.

 

[brightflame]

@jaxson Doc here.

of course i give meds! If only for comfort, a high fever and associated symptoms are really uncomfortable. i also believe the earth is not flat, fwiw.

 

[jan1996]

@brightflame Another doc here. Giving meds if the person with a fever is in discomfort and/or when the fever is very high (39C is my personal threshold). Usually they complain of something (headache, sore throat, fatigue) before the fever climbs to the extremes.

Not opening the medicine cabinet for a mild fever when the child feels okay but I’d never let them suffer unnecessarily.

Also obvs doing everything else recommended by western medicine when a child is sick (rest, fluids, etc.)

 

[justkevin85]

@jan1996 Not a doc, but mom of 3. I used to give meds for fever then on my third kid our pediatrician explained the age the body’s way of making the host a less suitable environment for the virus while the immune system does it thang. Now I only give it when they need it to be comfortable not just bc the thermometer is reading a certain number.

 

[jaxson]

@brightflame I thought this was interesting, breaking down the research behind the fever and meds: https://www.mindbodydad.com/dad/break-a-fever

 

[brightflame]

@jaxson i get my sources (and education) from unbiased sources, and current enlightened thought is that a child with a fever who is in discomfort and/or cannot sleep would benefit from meds which alleviate the fever..

That fever is a natural response to infection, making the body less habitable for the infection is well understood. But, that isn't a reason for a child to endure discomfort. and, at high temps, there's risk of things like seizure. Fever is a response to infection, but so is the larger immune response which attacks the invaders, no high fever or significant discomfort required.

 

[intelligentthinking]

@jaxson I’m honestly pretty liberal with the use of Tylenol/Motrin, when needed. I don’t give it based on temp alone, but if my kids seem uncomfortable, I don’t hesitate.

 

[jreneew8]

@jaxson I treat the symptoms of the fever. If they're feeling terrible (mine get bad headaches with fever) then I'll give them some meds. But I try to let the fever do its job as much as possible as long as they're not miserable.

 

[angelamarie10]

@jaxson Only if they can't sleep because of the fever. If they are tired, they can sleep whenever they want. They usually don't get a fever, never got a high one, and they are always really tired with only a little fever. So they sleep and get better. If they can't sleep, they get the age appropriate medication (we have different ones here compared to US).

Edit: I learned this from our pediatrician and read a few articles which referred to studies in the subject.

 

[robsgotmail]

@jaxson I do it to give her a chance to sleep at night, but not during the day if I can avoid it. We were advised by our doctor that a good night's sleep was more important.

 

[jaxson]

I wish there was more quantitative data on the pros and cons of giving meds for a fever at varying degrees, ages, etc. and the short-term (were the sick for a short period of time) and long-term effects. This article does a good job breaking down what the science says though: https://www.mindbodydad.com/dad/break-a-fever.

 

[1517today]

@jaxson Holy buckets, I've never heard of this! I feel very uninformed suddenly. lol Okay, so if my kid complains of feeling bad, I give them something. I wouldn't check them for a fever if they weren't acting sick I don't think, so I've not encountered a kid that feels fine but is feverish. So I guess I don't know what I'd do. Maybe it would depend on the temp--there is a big difference between 100 and 102. But I guess I just decide based on how they feel. I wouldn't let them hurt unnecessarily.

 

[marke2]

@jaxson I treat behavior, not temperature.

Though if there's a temp spike (like normal to 101 in an hour), then I medicate as to avoid febrile seizures.

 

[cyndinicole]

@jaxson Fevers are a natural response for a reason. In general, they are there to serve a purpose and if you don't get in your body's way, you will help yourself get better faster by letting the fever do its thing.

That said, not all bodily responses are beneficial in all cases. Especially in children, whose regulation might not be what it should be. For high/runaway fevers, these can legitimately be dangerous, and bringing them down medically is likely indicated. It's a balancing act between letting the body do its thing, and intervening to keep the response appropriate and within safe levels.

I do think treating a low-grade fever is counterproductive, and I'm not a doctor but definitely ask your doctor at which point a fever would be concerning (I'd say above 103f or thereabouts), and if you're going to intervene make sure it's beneficial.