Pediatricians Say Don't Treat Child's Fever With Meds

Concerned parents frequently provide fever reducers like Tylenol to their children when fighting an illness, but the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends avoiding medications for fever in most cases. Two specific exceptions noted are when your child is very uncomfortable or has a history of febrile convulsions.

Why NOT Treat a Fever with Medication

The AAP notes “fever may be important in helping fight the infection.” The immune system has a number of tools to combat pathogenic invaders and fever is one of them. It basically tries to burn the infection out. Forcing the body to reduce it’s temperature may be counterproductive to ending the infection resulting in a longer illness.

​But isn’t a fever dangerous?

​The AAP explains, “Even higher temperatures are not in themselves dangerous or significant unless your child has a history of seizures or a chronic disease…If he is eating and sleeping well and has periods of playfulness, he probably doesn’t need any treatment…Remember, a fever less than 105 degrees Fahrenheit is in itself not harmful.”

What can be done for a fever instead of medicine?

The AAP offers a few suggestions:

• Keep the room cool or use a fan and dress the child lightly
• Encourage the child to drink extra water
• Avoid overexertion
• Place the child in a bath of slightly warm water 1-2 inches deep and use a sponge or washcloth to spread the water over his body, causing a cooling effect with evaporation.

It's important to note the more common risk with an infection is dehydration, so keep your child drinking frequently even if it is just sips. Allow your child to rest as much as they can. Mild fevers may actually benefit from a warm bath or steam to help the body fight infection. Keep your child eating nutritious foods like bone broth soup and they should take their vitamins to support their health. Some experts believe a fever is a sign of calcium depletion, which the body uses for more of a first-line response to fighting infections. Working on the body with adjustments and massage has also been found to increase immune cell activity.

Most important is to monitor your child and watch for sign of more serious problems.

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