Our initial reaction when we feel a fever coming on, is panic, especially if the recipient of the fever is a child. We immediately think we must bring it down and break it as quickly as possible. I've been on the receiving end of enough fevers to know that they are highly unpleasant and make you feel utterly awful and miserable while they are there. It's no wonder people think it's a terrible thing that must be fixed. What makes us even more convinced that it's a bad thing is that a doctor will straight away prescribe a strong medication to break the fever and then antibiotics to ward off the illness that usually follows a fever. We all believe what the doctor tells us, don't we? Well... not me.
What people don't realise is that a fever is crucial to a child's well-being. It is especially crucial to their longterm health and vitality because a fever teaches the child's immune system how to cope with illness. Having fevers as a child strengthens their immune system for adulthood so that they are likely to be very healthy adults.
The problem with blocking a fever, and preventing it from working, is that you tend to prolong the illness, make the symptoms far worse AND the next time you get sick, and you WILL get sick very soon, you will be even MORE sick
Here's something scary: If you repeatedly force a child's fever down, you create a possible risk of childhood cancer. Studies have linked the two. Also, if you keep breaking the fever artificially every time, you will invariably cause a secondary infection and that will lead to antibiotic use because your body will not be equipped to fight the infection on its own. In other words, if you want to avoid antibiotics, (and believe me, you do!) don’t bring down the fever. It suppresses the immune system. The body is trying to heal itself with the fever and when you bring it down you are opening it up to a secondary bacterial infection that will give the virus or bacteria more room for growth.
I'm sure you've noticed how, when you go to the doctor and get antibiotics, you often end up having to go back a week later for a new prescription because you are STILL not well. The illness can linger for WEEKS. The reason is because you didn't give your body a chance to do what is was meant to do. You didn't allow the fever to fight the virus and heal you.
Fevers slow down pathogens. When you catch a bug, the bacteria or virus causing all the problems replicates every few minutes and that's why it all happens very fast. A fever actually slows that process down. So, the fever you are working so hard to suppress, could be helping you by preventing the spread and severity of the illness and a secondary infection (Usually, once you break the fever, you'll notice that it tends to spread to your chest and sinuses. You've all been there so I'm sure you know what I'm talking about) Breaking the fever is your way of saying, "Ok virus, do your worst! I give you full permission!" That's usually around the time that you make another trip to the doctor for a course of antibiotics.
A high fever of 39° or 40° is not actually reason to panic. It's an ideal range for a fever. Think about why we cook chicken at high temperatures. It kills the bugs. The same applies to so many other things. Most organisms can't survive in high temperatures. That is why a fever is good. It creates an atmosphere that bugs can't thrive in.
If you, or your child get a fever, and you wait it out, chances are VERY good that, when the fever is gone, the illness will be over. Colds and flu generally start with a fever. After that, we all EXPECT to get the coughs, runny noses, bad chests and infected sinuses. That's usually how it goes. But it ONLY goes that way IF you allow the virus room to grow. If you don't allow it any room, your illness will consist of a fever and then it will be gone.
So how do you manage a fever with no meds? Well, it's not an easy thing to live through. I've done it the last few times that I got sick and I felt like death warmed over the WHOLE time. The trick is to GET through the fever. If the fever is accompanied by a headache, I find a cool facecloth applied regularly can really help ease the pain. If you are lucky enough to have someone around to care for you, so much the better. When you feel sick you are emotional and needy. All you want is to be held and cared for and this especially applies to a child. I'd say, if your child has a fever, curl up with them in bed and just hold them, even if it's all through the night. Make the illness has easy for them as possible. You're not spoiling your child by doing that. You're answering a very basic need and if it makes them feel better, what do you have to lose except a little sleep? Chances are good that, because you are allowing the body to heal, the fever will break on its own sometime during the night and you will also rest better knowing the worst is over.
Sometimes a fever can go on for several days. Again, don't panic. It'd probably be strange if you only had one fever and then felt better! All it means is that the body is fighting a battle. Viruses and bacteria are strong. It can take a while to beat them. For some reason, fevers seem to die off in the morning, and you feel better, but then they peak again between 4pm and 6pm in the afternoon. It may have something to do with overdoing it during the day because you FELT better. It is also probably related to your cortisol levels. The point is, even if you think you are better, still go easy on your body and allow it to heal slowly. If the fever comes back, ride with it again. If you reach 6pm and the fever stays away, chances are good you've beaten it.
Ever heard the old wives tale, "Feed a cold, starve a fever"? It's not entirely true actually. If you eat while you have a fever it lowers your fever for a couple of hours. This is really beneficial if the fever has gone over 40° and you are really concerned. It's good to know that you can lower it without actually breaking it and halting the healing process. However, most people don't want to eat while they have a fever and it's also best not to force feed. Have a mug of bone broth on hand just in case. Just a few sips or a few bites of some scrambled egg will already help. A fever is NOT the time to persuade a child to eat by feeding them ice cream and jelly. Sugar will only feed the virus and make the illness worse. This is a time for nutritious food that will help the body heal.
It is important to keep the body hydrated as well. High fevers speed up metabolism quite drastically and that can increase your risk of dehydration. Blood sugar can drop and that can lead to convulsions. To avoid that, squeeze some fresh fruit juice and mix it with 50% filtered water and sip on it. If you are dealing with a child and they are too lethargic to move let alone drink anything, you can actually administer the fruit juice mixture rectally using a bulb syringe (I know, it sounds odd! But think about how fast suppositories work and then it makes sense?) The body will absorb it very quickly and rehydrate them without disturbing them.
There you have it! It takes a brave person to try it, but, if you want to be healthier, and you want your child to be healthier, I'd highly recommend it. Since I allowed a fever free reign over my body, I've been sick for a much shorter amount of time and it hasn't been debilitating. I've still been able to function. My body is getting stronger and I am benefiting from it. It's a bit harder for me because I have IBS and that means a lowered immune system straight away. That's why I get sick often. But when I DO get sick now, I fight it off naturally and I recover so much faster.
Before you run to the doctor, spend a fortune, and break your body down with antibiotics, try the natural route first. Your body WILL thank you.
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