Homeopathy for Fevers

Fever is a very common concern for parents. It is frequently misunderstood and is a source of anxiety for most of us. Fever is a symptom (like a cough or a stomach ache) and not a disease in itself.  It is important to look at your child's temperature along with all their other symptoms instead of just focusing on a single number.

A fever is part of the body's normal response to illness and the elevation of temperature helps activate our body's immune system to better fight off infection. It also slows down the growth of certain bacteria and viruses.  A fever can actually be a cleanser of the body, and not a bad thing to have. A fever is likely to start at the onset of an illness, or tying it up in the end.

Fevers aren't usually serious, but occasionally they can be a sign of a serious—and possibly dangerous—illness. Keep an eye out for these five symptoms, which could indicate a more serious problem when coupled with a fever:

  • Lethargy. Your child has lost his appetite, has little energy, or is noticeably pale or flushed, or you notice other changes in his behavior and appearance.

  • Rash. Your child has small, purple-red spots on his skin that don't turn white when you press on them, or large purple blotches.

  • Difficulty swallowing. Your child is unable to swallow and is drooling excessively.

  • Difficulty breathing. Your child has difficulty breathing even after you clear his nose with a bulb syringe.

  • Mood. Your child seems delirious, glassy-eyed, or extremely cranky or irritable.

NUMBERS

Many parents ask, "What number should I worry about?" The following are some important points to remember about fever:

  • Fever is designed in the body to be a protection and not something that will cause harm or brain damage in itself (this is in contrast to hyperthermia - heat stroke, for example from being left in a car in hot weather - where the body can overheat to a degree that can cause brain damage)

  • Fever can increase fluid loss and lead to dehydration. But it does this only if someone is not drinking well or having excessive vomiting or diarrhea.

  • A high fever doesn't mean your child is sicker. Many 'simple' viral illnesses can run a high fever. Some people tend to run higher fevers even with simple illnesses. It is more important to note how your child is acting and how well they are drinking. If your child is playful it is unlikely that he is seriously ill.

  • It is important to keep in mind that children normally have higher temperatures than adults, so a rectal temperature under 100.4 is often considered to be normal in a child under age 3 years. People tend to run higher temperatures in late afternoon and evening, so fevers will tend to be higher at these times as well.

In young children, fever is broken down by age:

  • Under 3 months: any rectal temperature over 100.2 degrees.

  • 3 to 6 months: any rectal temp over 101.

  • 6 to 12 months: any rectal temp over 103.

In children over 12 months and adults, there are other things to consider.

  • A child under age 2 who has a fever for over 24 to 48 hours

  • A fever that lasts longer than 48 to 72 hours in older children and adults

  • A fever over 105 degrees, which could indicate a more serious illness

  • Fever can increase the risk of febrile seizures in young children. Not every child will have a seizure with a fever, but about 6% of children are predisposed to get one. They are very distressing, but these brief convulsions (usually less than 3 - 5 minutes) are generally harmless.

  • 102-103F in adults, at 38C (102) will keep the person from going to work, which is a good thing, but if it goes over 39C it gets uncomfortable

*****To be truly accurate, a temperature for a child under 5-years-old should be checked RECTALLY and for a cooperative child 5-years-old and older should be checked ORALLY.  Armpit, ear and feeling the forehead are not accurate ways to check for a fever, you can estimate, but will not be exact.******

There are also other things you can do to help a person/child cope with a fever:

  • Keep the person dressed lightly

  • Encourage her to stay well hydrated –- drinking plenty of fluids can naturally cool the body and help prevent dehydration

  • Do not bundle someone who has the chills and do not use cold baths or alcohol rubs. These can all raise the core temperature of the body, making the person feel worse, not better.

When to seek out medical attention:

If your child seems to be getting sicker and has any one of the following symptoms, seek out medical advice:

  • if your child has had a fever for more than three full days or your child cries when he goes to the bathroom (or his urine smells bad).

  • seems confused or delirious.

  • does not use an arm or a leg normally, or refuses to stand or put weight on his legs.

  • develops small purple spots on his skin (that may look like bruises).

  • has problems breathing.

  • cries constantly and you cannot settle him.

  • Presence of other concerning symptoms such as a stiff neck, confusion, difficulty breathing, or a first-time seizure

  • Presence of other symptoms that make you think an illness may need to be treated, such as a sore throat, earache or cough

  • your child has a weak immune system (such as those with cancer or sickle cell disease)

  • if you have difficulty waking your child (fever may make children want to sleep more, but they should awaken easily and be able to interact with you) or his skin colour does not look right or becomes grey, pale, or blue.

DOSING AND POTENCY

  • for fevers use 200C – 10M potency, although 200 is adequate in most cases

  • if the selected remedy is not working in two doses, re-think the remedy

***FEVER REMEDIES***

BELLADONNA

  • sudden and intense

  • dilated pupils

  • mostly thirst-less

  • flushed face

  • hot-dry heat – its not a sweaty fever

  • restlessness – high energy quality – leads to stupor

  • very few chills – its not a chilly fever

  • head is hot, extremities can be cold

  • can be hallucinations

  • convulsions, febrile seizures

  • Worse 3pm

ACONITE

  • Sudden

  • can come on from an exposure to a cold dry wind

  • can be a fright or fear associated with the fever

  • chills, when the person is exposed to cold

  • dry heat

  • burning thirst (unlike Bell.)

  • oversensitive to pain

  • pupils are constricted

  • onset is first part of sleep

  • Worse midnight

ARSENICUM

  • periodicity (daily, weekly or bimonthly cycles)

  • slow onset

  • chills (hunger after), followed by dry heat, perspiration cycle, then cold sweat

  • Worse 12am-2am

  • Head symptoms better cold (which is rare for Ars. to be ameliorated by any cold)

  • Body better warm

  • thirst for warm drinks

  • heat is mostly in the head and face

  • body can be chilled at the same time

  • may be restless

BRYONIA

  • chills predominate

  • rigors (shivers) with chills

  • head pain worse motion (even moving the eyes)

  • dry mouth

  • Unquenchable thirst

  • Worse 9pm, 9am

  • Worse motion

GELSEMIUM

  • weakness and some degree of trembling (fine trembling or grosser trembling)

  • chills begin extremities and run up and down the back like “icy fingers”

  • no thirst

  • extreme shivering

  • always think of a neurological quality with this remedy – as if your nerves are being affected by it

  • classic eyelid droop

  • sleepy, droopy, dizzy, weakness, blurred vision fever

  • like a fever and jet lag all mixed together

  • Worse afternoon

CHAMOMILLA

  • long, extreme heat it doesn’t want to do a lot of morphing –it’s just there – almost a Belladonna quality

  • Characteristic:  an anterior or posterior half (like the front half or the back half of your body is feeling it)

  • don’t have to have a chill, but if you do, it begins on face or thigh

  • face is hot, sweaty

  • in children one cheek may be red

  • Aggravates at 9am

  • Worse anger

  • Worse coffee

  • Better carried (for children)