At what temperature do you medicate a fever?

Do you medicated your child at the first sign of a fever, or do you wait until it exceeds a certain temperature?
What do you consider a _high_ fever?

Jenn H ~Proud Mom of 2<32011-03-15T07:50:53Z

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a high fever is 102+

I give him motrin or tylenol at the first 'fever' reading. I do not want him to feel miserable.


Ready for the TD

EDIT--i know i feel miserable with a 99-100 temp and if my son is acting miserable i absolutely will give him tylenol or motrin to ease the discomfort ----so you all know where you can stick your TD's :D

Anonymous2011-03-15T14:52:14Z

I have never actually done this.

Admittedly I have a very robust kid who has barely known any illness -- still nursing -- but I have not medicated for the couple of brief light fevers we have dealt with.

This has been all over the news lately...

"'Fever phobia' may be worse than the fever
Parents shouldn't overreact to fevers in children, pediatricians advise in a new report.

...Evidence of fever phobia is everywhere. One study found that the temperature that parents and caregivers considered to be a fever ranged from 97 to 105 degrees. Another study found that 25% of adults would give a child a fever-reducing medication for a temperature below 100...

But parents just don't appreciate that fever is the body's way of fighting an infection, said Dr. Janice E. Sullivan, the lead author of the Pediatrics report and a professor of pediatric critical care and clinical pharmacology at the University of Louisville.

The fever is a sign that the immune system is doing its job to fight invading viruses, bacteria and other bugs. Studies in animals show that those whose fevers were not lowered with medications recovered from illness faster than animals whose fevers were treated.

"Fever decreases the ability of viruses and bacteria to reproduce," Sullivan said. "It causes white blood cells to increase and fight infection. It may shorten the duration of the illness.""

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/05/health/la-he-fever-kids-20110306

Star is a chick2011-03-15T14:59:06Z

You ignore fevers until 101, and then you try to keep them to 101 or under. First you should try cool cloths and lukewarm baths, freezy pops and such. If that won't keep it down, then you start alternating tylenol and motrin every 3 hours.

103 is where you get a bit nervous if you can't bring it under 103- if you can't get it under 104 you go to the hospital

Incognito2011-03-15T18:36:51Z

I give Motrin at 103.5 of higher. But I will give Tylenol at 100 if they have a sore throat, ear infection, anything that hurts. At night time I usually don't give medicine and just put them in bed with me.

Canadian Snowgirl2011-03-15T15:06:10Z

I don't give my kids meds unless their fever is over 101.5 to 102.

A fever has a purpose - to kill whatever is causing it.

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