The Effects of Fever on Your Children:

Fever is one of the prime reasons that parents call their children's doctors, and it is true that any fever in an infant younger than three months is cause for concern since there is a risk of serious bacterial infections. Also, a child who has a seizure with fever should be checked by a physician at least the first time. However, fever is actually a signal that an immune system is working well, and in older children who do not appear to be particularly distressed, fever is a positive sign. It is evidence that the child has an active immune system. Fever does not harm your brain or your body, although it does increase your need for fluids.

The Benefits of Fever:
When an organism invades your body, it triggers the release of pyrogen, a substance that signals your brain's hypothalamus to raise your body's temperature. This is done through a number of different mechanisms, including:
· Shivering
· Release of the hormone TRH
· Increasing your metabolic rate
· Restricting blood flow to the skin to minimize heat loss
· Piloerection (raising the small hairs), which suppresses sweating (sweating is a cooling mechanism).

The fever, in turn, launches a number of beneficial body processes that either directly or indirectly help to ward off the invading bacteria or virus. Some of these benefits include:
· Increased antibodies -- cells trained to specifically attack the exact type of invader that your body is suffering from.
· Production of more white blood cells to help fight off the invading bugs.
· Production of more interferon, a natural antiviral and anticancer substance, which helps block the spread of viruses to healthy cells.
· Increased temperature, which directly kills microbes (most bacteria and viruses actually grow better at temperatures lower than the human body).
· Improved ability of certain white blood cells to destroy bacteria and infected cells.
· Impairment of the replication of many bacteria and viruses.

Fever is not considered medically significant until the body temperature is above 100.4 F. Anything above normal but below 100.4 F is considered a low-grade fever. Fever serves as one of the body's natural defenses against bacteria and viruses which cannot live at a higher temperature. For that reason, low fevers should normally go untreated unless accompanied by troubling symptoms.

Also, the body's defense mechanisms seem to work more efficiently at a higher temperature. Fever is just one part of an illness, many times no more important than the presence of other symptoms such as cough, sore throat, fatigue, joint pains or aches, chills, nausea, etc.

Fevers of 104 F or higher demand immediate home treatment and subsequent medical attention since they can result in delirium and convulsions, particularly in infants and children.
If you are concerned about fever in your children, or would like to discuss their health in general, please feel free to give us a call at any time!