Ibuprofen or acetaminophen: Which is better for treating a kid’s fever?

The Pediatric Insider

© 2017 Roy Benaroch, MD

Ask babies with fever how they feel, and they’ll say… well, they probably won’t say anything, because they’re babies. But ask older kids, and they’ll look at you funny, and maybe say “Why are you asking me?” Kids these days, am I right?

Fevers make kids feel bad. Achy and miserable and bleh. So for comfort, I think it’s a good idea to treat fever in a child who’s uncomfortable. What’s important isn’t the number – how high the fever is – but how the child feels. Feeling bad? Let’s help you feel better.

(By the way, even though they make your child feel miserable, fevers will not harm your child in any way. Don’t be afraid of fevers.)

To treat a fever: first, offer extra fluids. Fevers are dehydrating, and a popsicle tastes good. Then reach for a fever reducing medicine, typically a brand of acetaminophen (like Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin.) But which one’s better? A November, 2016 study in Clinical Pediatrics gives ibuprofen the edge, though not by much. Ibuprofen worked a little faster (peak effect in 90 minutes, versus 2 hours for acetaminophen), and lasted somewhat longer (by about an hour, though there was a lot of variability.) My usual advice is to use whichever one you’ve got at home and what’s seemed to work best in the past.Although serious side effects are rare, either medication can cause serious problems. Acetaminophen, especially in overdoses, is toxic to the liver (so be careful using this in a child who already has liver disease.) Ibuprofen, especially with prolonged use, can cause gastric irritation and bleeding, and rarely kidney problems. It’s important to use what you’re using correctly, at the correct dose and at the correct interval (both can safely be given every 6 hours.)

Which brings us to another idea: if either is good, can a combination of them be better? In an alternating strategy, one drug is alternated with the other, so something is given every three hours, and the same drug comes around for a dose every six. Several studies (summarized here) have shown that this can reduce fever somewhat better than either drug alone, but with a much greater chance of medication errors and overdoses. If you want to try this, write down what you’re giving and when, and make sure you (and your spouse) understand the schedule.

There are a lot of myths about fever. 98.6 F is not and has never been the “normal” temperature. Fevers, themselves, cause no harm. They also don’t help very much. In the modern world, fever is not a necessary or particularly useful part of your immune response. If a fever is making your child feel bad, treat it. With acetaminophen or ibuprofen, your choice.

“How high was the fever?” isn’t a very useful question

The Pediatric Insider

© 2015 Roy Benaroch, MD

A September, 2015 study published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal looked at whether fever itself – the height of a fever – is a good predictor of whether a child is likely to have a serious illness. And, once again, a common fever myth is shattered.

Researchers reviewed data from visits from children, aged 0-5 years, who presented to a pediatric hospital for fever in 2004-2006. (Yes, that was an oddly long time ago. I guess they write slowly in Australia. But in terms of the science, there haven’t been any big changes in vaccines or childhood illness since then, so I think the results are still valid.) Of the almost 16,000 fever episodes reviewed, about 1,000 children had what the authors considered a “serious infection”. That includes bacteremia (bacteria in the blood) in 64 children, pneumonia in 533, and urinary tract infection in 543. In total, only about 7% of the children had a potentially serious bacterial infection that needed to be treated. That percentage should be no surprise—we know that in the modern world, among vaccinated and healthy children, the vast majority of fevers are caused by viral infections that will get better on their own.

The authors then looked at whether the height of the children’s fever correlated well with whether or not they ended up having a serious diagnosis. They examined both the measured highest fever in the emergency department, and the parents’ self-reported “highest fever” in the last 24 hours, prior to their visit. Whichever way it was recorded, the height of the fever itself did a very poor job at discriminating between children who had and did not have a serious infection.

The statistics are complicated, and involve receiver operating curves that you may not be  familiar with—but, in the author’s words, “Measured temperature at presentation to hospital is not an accurate marker of serious bacterial infection in febrile children.”

Relying on the height of a fever resulted in both false positive and negative results. For instance, evaluating only those with a temperature of 100.4 or higher would still miss 1 in three serious infections. You can’t rely on high fevers as a positive predictor, either—only 1 in 6 children with a temperature of 104 actually had a serious infection.

The authors found that a few other observations could be at least somewhat predictive. Younger babies, overall, were a little more likely to have serious infections; and children who had had fevers for more than 4 days were also somewhat more likely to be diagnosed with something more serious (though I imagine those children also had more tests done, like chest x-rays. Perhaps they just found more illness when they looked for more illness.) But even when adding in considerations of age and length of illness, the height of the fever remained a poor predictor of the seriousness of the illness.

 

So what’s a parent to do?

First: prevent serious illness by making sure your children are up to date on their vaccines. We can prevent most causes of meningitis, pneumonia, blood poisoning, and other serious bacterial and viral infections with vaccines. Prevention is always better than having to evaluate and treat children in an emergency department or office visit.

Then: offer comfort care to children with fever. Extra fluids are a good idea, and if fever is causing a child to be uncomfortable, treat it. If Junior perks up and acts well after fever-reducing medication, and isn’t especially at-risk for serious infection**, treat fevers at home for a few days. If the child is getting worse, acting persistently sick, or isn’t getting better, go see your doctor. Remember: the number itself is less important than how your child feels and acts.

** This advice does not include any child less than 2-3 months old, or with an immune deficiency, or who isn’t up to date on vaccines for any reason. These kids are at much higher risk of serious or deadly infections, and shouldn’t rely on advice from the internet. Call your doctor for specific fever instructions.

 

More about fever:

What is a fever?

Why do kids get fevers?

Dispelling fever phobia

The fever action plan

 

Top ten things you didn’t know about mono. And kittens. (You won’t believe what happens next!)

The Pediatric Insider

© 2015 Roy Benaroch, MD

So I noticed that blog posts cast as questions and answers, or “top ten lists”, seem to get a lot of hits. It also seems to help to include gratuitous references to high school, and pictures of kittens. And pleas to share with friends, and vague connections to charity. So let’s give it a try! If you love kittens and sunshine, be sure to share this with every human on the planet! For every share, some kind of charity will get loads of money. Probably.

Thanks to Kristi for the mono questions.

 

1. What’s mono?

“Mono” is short for “infectious mononucleosis”, a common viral infection of childhood. The “monocytosis” refers to what the blood smear looks like under a microscope– there are often a lot of white cells called “monocytes.”

Kids with mono have a wide range of illness. Some, especially younger children, are barely sick– maybe with a bit of sore throat and fever. Teenagers often fare worse, sometimes with a severe sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, fevers, and very low energy that can linger for weeks. And some people have active mono, spreading virus, with no symptoms at all.

2. What causes mono?

Classic mono is usually caused by a virus called “Epstein Barr” (often abbreviated EBV). A very similar illness can be caused by other viruses (CMV, or acute HIV), or other infections (toxoplasmosis.)

3. Is it true that you can only get it from kissing?

Well, maybe not only. During mono illness the saliva is loaded with mono virus, so sharing spit is the best way to give it to a friend or loved one. Mono can also spread by sharing utensils or cups, but the most efficient way to share saliva is kissing. Especially when standing upright in a high school hallway. So watch out!

Mono does not spread through casual or household contact.

4. How long is mono contagious?

It’s likely that people are most contagious when they feel the sickest with fever– but at least some people will continue to shed EBV in their saliva for many months, maybe even a year or two. And yes, they’re contagious that whole time. Did I mention kissing in the hallway wasn’t a great idea?

5. How long is the incubation period? I mean, how long does it take to get sick?

The incubation period varies. It’s probably in the range of 30-90 days. So when a teenager comes down with mono, it’s just about impossible to figure out who they caught it from.

6. What’s up with the spleen thing? I don’t even know what a spleen is!

IKR! I thought a spleen was a word Shakespeare used to confuse people:

“Saint George / Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons!”

“Haply my presence / May well abate the over-merry spleen”

But it turns out the spleen is an organ at the top left of your abdomen, usually tucked up under your ribs there. In about 40-50% of teenagers with mono, the spleen will get enlarged.

The problem, though, isn’t just that the spleen is large– it’s that rarely the spleen can rupture. And that’s really bad. A spleen rupture can occur even without mono, usually from trauma (like a car accident.) It’s thought that the enlarged spleen that can occur during mono might increase the risk of rupture, especially during tackle or rough sports (though that’s not entirely proven.) It’s also not clear if children with non-enlarged spleens are at risk for rupture during mono, or how long the risk lasts. Some people restrict everyone with mono from rough or tackle sports, regardless of spleen size; others use an ultrasound to measure spleen size (though that’s never been shown to help prevent rupture.) Should kids sit out for a fixed number of weeks, or until the spleen size returns to normal? There is no consensus on this issue. Spleen rupture itself is really quite rare, so it’s hard to do a study of the best way to prevent it.

7. Is it true that you can only get mono once?

Yes, or at least usually. Mono caused by EBV will only happen once in most people, even though the virus itself lurks in your body afterwards. Mono-like symptoms can rarely recur at times of immune compromise. The EBV virus can resurface to cause other health problems if the immune system is really knocked out (during chemotherapy, say, or with advanced HIV infection.)

It’s also possible that other infections trigger mono-like symptoms in some people after EBV infection.

8. Wait a minute. I’ve been tested for mono a bunch of times, and I’ve been told I had it more than once. What’s the deal?

It turns out that there are bunch of different tests for mono. Some show “past infections” that may have occurred years ago. Because you “test positive” for mono, that doesn’t mean you have acute mono right now. It might just mean you got over mono years and years ago. It depends on the test.

9. How is mono treated?

Rest, rest, rest. Fever reducing medicine can help if fevers are making you feel bad (though the fever itself won’t hurt you.) Extra fluids, pain medicine for the sore throat, and sleep.

Rarely, steroids are used. This can help especially if the swollen glands in the throat are making it hard to drink or talk or breathe.

Fully resting at the worst part of the illness seems to help prevent mono from turning into weeks or months of malaise and low energy. However, you don’t want to rest and miss school too long– once you’re starting to feel better, try to make it back to school at least part days, and work up from there. Though rest is important, too much rest for too long leads to deconditioning and social isolation, which can make it hard to return to full activities. Teens with more-severe mono sometimes need an individualized treatment plan with a roadmap to get them recovered and back to school.

10. Did you pad this out to ten questions?

Yes.

98.6 is average, not normal: Dispelling fever fears

The Pediatric Insider

© 2014 Roy Benaroch, MD

What if I said 5’10” is the normal adult height for a male? Or a “B cup” is a normal bra size for a normal woman? Or that normal people have a skin tone the color of cappuccino, or that normal people should wear size 8 shoes? None of this makes sense. People come in all sorts of normal sizes and shapes, and almost all measurements of a person’s foot size or height or skin tone or whatever are going to be in a range of normal—from size 6 to size 13, or whatever.

It’s also wrong to say that a certain heart rate or blood pressure is normal. Your vital signs—pulse, respiratory rate, and blood pressure—vary throughout the day. There’s a range, not a single normal value. Likewise, your body temperature varies, usually falling into a range of normal values.

Normal temperatures vary from person to person, and by the time of day. Women tend to have slightly higher “normal temperatures” than men, and their measured temperatures can also change depending on their menstrual cycle. Bottom line: there isn’t a single, normal temperature for the human body.

The average human body temperature, overall, is probably something close to 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. That means about half the time, your child will be a bit above that; at other times, below. A measured temperature above 98.6 does not mean your child is sick.

Since normal body temperatures follow a range of values, one accepted definition of fever is a temperature at or above 100.4 (some clinicians prefer 100.8). More important than the number, honestly, is how ill the child is acting and what other symptoms there are, but in any case a measured temperature less than 100.4 is not really a fever—it’s just a normal value in a normal range.

If your child has a measured temperature of 99.0 or 99.8, it’s not a low-grade fever. It’s not any kind of fever. It’s just a temperature in the range of normal, or maybe a temperature a little higher than average for that child. But it’s still not a fever. The child might still might be sick (depending on other symptoms), and might need comfort and reassurance–but don’t worry yourself or confuse the picture. A temperature in the normal range is not a fever.

More about fever in children:

What is fever?

Why do kids get fevers?

Don’t be afraid of fever

What to do when your child has a fever: The action plan

Keep your child safe from antibiotics

The Pediatric Insider

© 2014 Roy Benaroch, MD

Here are some facts:

Antibiotic use is the direct cause of the rise of untreatable superbugs that are killing people.

Antibiotic use is also the cause of most cases of C diff colitis in kids, a potentially life-threatening, difficult-to-treat gut disorder. Antibiotics have also been linked with recurrent wheezing  in infants and inflammatory bowel disease. They can also trigger allergic reactions that can be severe or life-threatening. (I was going to link to photos of Stevens Johnson Syndrome, but decided not to be cruel. Go ahead and Google at your risk. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.)

Here’s some more facts:

Most infections in children are caused by viral infections. This includes all common colds, most coughs, most sore throats, most nasal congestion, and most fevers. It includes most bronchitis, most pneumonia, and most wheezing. Croup, laryngitis, tonsillitis, upper respiratory infections—they’re all viral. They are caused by viruses.

There is no circumstance where any antibiotic medication helps anyone with a viral infection get better. They don’t make viral infections go away faster, and they don’t prevent the development of later bacterial infections. They just don’t work.

Even “bacterial” infections often don’t need antibiotics to get better. Most ear infections will resolve without antibiotics, and good studies have shown that antibiotics, overall, are not effective in treating sinus infections.

So: the potential for great harm. And no upside. If you’ve got an accurate diagnosis of a viral infection, you know that the antibiotics aren’t going to help. Zero benefit. Some real risk. You’d think this would be a no-brainer kind of decision.

And yet, every single day I feel this struggle with some parents who just want antibiotics. It’s really strange, in a way— I listen to the story, I do a careful exam, and if possible I get a confident diagnosis. I talk about what will help the child feel better, and red flags to look out for to contact us if things get worse. And I get back a stare. “Can’t I just get an antibiotic?” or “He needs an antibiotic for his sinus” or “My doctor just gave me an antibiotic. He has the same thing.”

It’s our own fault, I know. Doctors have been way too quick to write antibiotic prescriptions. It’s much faster to whip out the prescription pad than talk about viruses and bacteria. And, more nefariously, writing antibiotic prescriptions creates a culture of dependency that guarantees future business. Patients, at least some of them, seem more satisfied if they just get a magic antibiotic prescription. Why anger people, why fight it, why not just give out the pills and move on to the next patient? Happy parents, happy cash register.

Besides: I know there’s a good chance they’ll go right to the QuickieClinic in the drug store across the street and get their peniwondercillin prescription anyway. (And then I’ll be the one called with the weird allergic reaction or when Junior didn’t get better because he needs a “stronger” antibiotic. QuickieClinic doesn’t offer 24/7 access to their doctor. They don’t offer any access to any doctor. But I’m getting off topic here.)

Why fight it? Because I’m your kids’ doctor. I’m not here to make you happy, or give you what you think you need. I’m here to try to get an accurate diagnosis and to do the best thing for my patient. I’m here to give solid advice about how to help your kiddo feel better, and to tell you when to worry, and when not to worry. I will not always get it right, but I’m going to try my best every time, even when that means I’m not giving you the prescription you want. And I’ll be here to help when things take an unexpected turn, because symptoms and diagnoses change. I can’t guarantee when your child will get better, but I’ll do my best to do the things that can genuinely help.

You want a burger your way? Go to Burger King. You want a quick antibiotic prescription? Go to the retail clinic in the drug store, or one of those docs or practitioners who see 60 kids a day. You want someone to use their professional skills and judgment to help your child? Find yourself physicians who’re stingy with the prescription pad.

FDA warns of acetaminophen causing severe skin reactions

The Pediatric Insider

© 2013 Roy Benaroch, MD

I’ve said in many times here, but it’s worth saying again: any medicine (any real medicine, let’s leave placebos out of this) can cause adverse reactions, and sometimes serious adverse reactions. Even good old Tylenol (acetaminophen), said the FDA in a warning this week.

It’s not time to panic. Serious skin reactions to acetaminophen are really, really rare—the FDA’s warning mentioned 107 serious skin reactions, including 12 deaths, from 1969 to 2012. Considering that millions of doses of acetaminophen are given to children yearly, your child’s risk of this kind of reaction is miniscule.

Still, acetaminophen, like any other drug, really should only be used if needed. It’s great for reducing fever—but that’s really only necessary if the child isn’t feeling well. Fever itself is harmless. But I do recommend using acetaminophen (or ibuprofen after age 6 months) is a child with a fever feels sick and uncomfortable. Acetaminophen is also effective for treating pain, and can safely and effectively be given even before painful experiences, or regularly for a few days when you know there is going to be pain.

About those skin reactions: almost any drug can rarely cause serious skin reactions that can lead to significant skin loss, almost like a large burn. These reactions are probably more common with anti-epilepsy medications and some antibiotics (like Bactrim), though even then they’re quite rare. Still, the most important steps are to 1) avoid medication unless it’s needed; and 2) if there is a worrisome rash, stop taking the medication. The medicine-rashes that are most serious include blistering or painful skin, or reactions that include the lips or eyes, or any widespread rash that’s worsening. If your child has a rash on a medication, contact the prescribing doctor’s office to discuss what you’re seeing and whether stopping the medication is needed. When in doubt, it’s usually best to stop the medicine—though of course that depends on what the medication is for. Call or see your own doctor for advice.

Even though it’s overall a very safe and useful medications, there are other rare problems with acetaminophen. Even relatively small overdoses can cause severe liver toxicity, especially in those with pre-existing liver disease. And there are some links to the use of acetaminophen and asthma (though this is still unclear.)

The FDA is going to require a warning about these skin reactions on all prescription medicines containing acetaminophen, and will “request” that manufacturers include this warning on over-the-counter preparations. That label is going to get crowded!

Can acetaminophen cause asthma?

The Pediatric Insider

© 2013 Roy Benaroch, MD

Tylenol (acetaminophen) replaced aspirin as everyone’s favorite pain reliever-fever reducer in the 1980’s, when aspirin was linked to a rare fatal liver disorder called Reye’s Syndrome. Acetaminophen is very widely used now, even in newborns, and is considered safe as, well, something very safe. Except maybe it isn’t.

Some evidence is adding up that acetaminophen could be linked to the rising rates of asthma in the developed world. There’s a certain biologic plausibility to it—acetaminophen depletes the body of glutathione, which may prevent that molecule from stopping inflammation in the lungs. And several epidemiologic studies, and at least one randomized trial from 2002, have seemed to confirm the link. The positive evidence for the association was summed up in this New York Times article from 2011.

However, a more recent NYT article, this one from last week, refutes the claim. The article quotes the author of an as-yet-unpublished study who says that it’s not the medications like acetaminophen that increase asthma risk, but common upper respiratory infections—which are often treated with Tylenol. If this author is correct, the acetaminophen is going along for the ride, but isn’t itself causing the asthma.

That’s science for you. A whole lot of studies, and we’re still not sure.

What I am sure of is this: all medicines, if they’re biologically active at all, have side effects. There is just no way around that. If someone is trying to sell you a perfectly-safe “medicine”, it isn’t a medicine. It’s a placebo.

No medicine ought to be taken unless it’s needed, and when doctors and patients think about the risks and benefits of any medication, we ought to figure in at least a little fudge factor for possible risks we don’t even know about yet.

Related posts:

Tylenol versus Motrin

Acetaminophen safety alert (2009)

The best thermometer for measuring fever in a child is….

The Pediatric Insider

© 2013 Roy Benaroch, MD

There are lots of choices, so which one is best? Which kind of thermometer should parents buy and use?

Keep in mind that body temperature is one measurement—but it’s certainly not the only measurement, and it’s far from the most important way of knowing if your child is ill. Kids can be seriously sick without a fever; and almost all ordinary children with fever do not have a serious illness. There’s far too much “fever phobia” out there, and there’s already far too much preoccupation with whether Junior has a fever and how high the temperature is. Fever itself doesn’t hurt anyone. It doesn’t cause any damage, and won’t hurt your child. But fever can make your child feel sick, so it’s worthwhile to treat it. Safe medicines for fever can help your child feel more comfortable.

Also, any discussion of fever needs a caveat: all of this information is only for healthy, otherwise-well children with no immune-compromising condition. That means children who have NOT gotten all of their vaccines are NOT healthy and otherwise-well, and have a much greater risk of serious, even overwhelming infection. If your child isn’t up to date on vaccines, I offer no advice on how to measure or handle temperatures. Call your doctor. Better yet, unless there is a medical contraindication, get your child caught up on vaccines, pronto. You wouldn’t drive without your child in a safety seat, would you?

Another fun fever fact, before we get to the meaty stuff: if anyone has told you that 98.6 F is the “normal” temperature, they’re wrong. It’s not normal, it’s average. 98.6 is no more the normal than saying 5’10” is the normal male height. As with every other measurement in nature, temperatures vary among individuals, and temperatures vary throughout the day. 98.6 is the average, meaning that normal ranges from below this to above this. In most circumstances, most pediatricians consider anything measured at 100.4 or above to be a fever. Values measured below that threshold are not “low grade fevers”—they’re normal temperatures. And don’t start adding degrees, depending on how you measured the temp. That just confuses everyone.

So what are the choices for thermometers, and which should you choose? I’m going to include links here to Amazon products, just so you know what I’m talking about. (I have no financial relationship, and I don’t care if you buy through these links, etc.)

Mom or dad’s hands: These actually make a reasonably good thermometer, at least for “ruling out” fever. If you touch your children, and they do NOT feel warm, they almost certainly do not have a fever. The inverse of this, by the way, is not true: often your child will feel warm, and won’t actually have a fever—so touch can rule out fever, but cannot confirm or measure a fever. But it’s a start, and for busy people with older, healthy kids, using your hands alone is not an unreasonable way to check.

Rectal thermometer: These work, though they’re slow. They’re also the only method used in most studies of small babies less than 2-3 months of age, so typically that’s what pediatricians want you to use at that age. But please, no rectal temps in older kids, OK? It’s just creepy and unnecessary.

Axillary thermometer, AKA “The Chicken Wing”: These work, though they’re also kind of slow. Not bad for an estimate. Kids feel silly sitting there holding their arms still, but that’s the price they have to pay.

Oral thermometer: Those old, mercury-filled ones you have to shake back down have gone the way of the dinosaurs. They’re all digital now, and they read faster. And if you shake one down after reading it people will edge away from you and give you odd looks. These work about as well as the others in this list.

So far, rectal/axillary/oral, it’s all good, at least when they’re appropriate for the age. But they’re all old school. Isn’t there something newer that’s better?

Binky-temps (AKA: a digital thermometer built into a pacifier): Please. This measures, maybe, the temperature of the top of the tongue, wherever that’s been lately. Don’t waste your money.

Forehead tape thermometers: These have vague glowing numbers that indicate, well, where the vague glowing numbers are. Might as well make up a temperature rather than rely on these things.

Infrared thermometers: The ones marketed to parents are sometimes called “non-contact” thermometers, because these don’t actually touch your child. They’re also sold at hardware stores to measure the surface temps of things from quite a long way away, like industrial transformers or crème brulee. They are not suitable for people-use, because they only measure surface temperature. We want core temperature, or the temperature of the blood as it exits the chest. The temperature of the skin is NOT an acceptable or accurate way to measure core temps.

Forehead thermometers:  One company sells a digital version of what’s essentially your hand, touching your child’s forehead. Use your own appendages instead, they’ll be just as accurate, and they’re much more handy! (Get it? Handy?! Hahahahaha. Hem. Sorry.)

Ear thermometers: Supposedly these measure the temperature in the middle ear, where the monkeys live (or so I’ve been told.) Several years ago, a company that will remain nameless (hint: the name rhymes with mermo-flan) gave my practice a dozen or so of these, so we could try them out. I guess they figured we’d love them, and patients would see us using them, and they’d rush out and buy them too. Trouble is, the darn things were terrible—they missed high temps, they inflated no-temps, they gave children random fevers. So we threw them all away. If you’ve already bought one, maybe you can repurpose it as a chicken cutlet pounder or decorative paperweight.

Temporal artery thermometer: I’ve save the best for last! It’s quick, it’s easy, and a recent study showed that it’s pretty much as good as a rectal temp.

So: if your child feels warm, and you’d like to measure the temp, a temporal artery thermometer may be the best way to go. They’re more expensive than an ordinary digital thermometer for oral or axillary use, but they’re faster and I think they’re easier to use.

We have a winner!

More about fevers:

The fever action plan

Why do people get fevers?

Medicines for treating fever

Preventing and treating influenza

The Pediatric Insider

© 2012 Roy Benaroch, MD

We’re now at what’s probably the height of influenza season. My office saw about 30 cases this week—that’s plenty of fever and misery. What’s the best way to cope?

First: an ounce of prevention. Please, if you or your children are ill, stay home. Do not go to school. Do not go to the mall. Do not go sit in Santa’s lap and cough in his beard. We need to do the right thing as individuals to help keep our communities safe.

And wash your hands, people!

Vaccines are a good idea for everyone aged 6 months and over. Don’t believe the nay-sayers. I know the fad is to look down on vaccines, belittle them, and be the cool family who doesn’t get their shots. Influenza is not cool, and you will not be happy when your kids get sick. By then it’s too late. (It’s not too late now—but it’s getting close.)

Still, even with good hygiene and vaccines and common sense, the influenza virus is fabulously contagious. Even in the best years, about 10% of vaccinated individuals are still susceptible. What do you do when you or your kids get the flu?

It’s all about comfort. Drink plenty of fluids: water, juice, Gatorade, popsicles, whatever. If it’s wet, it’s good. Yes, milk is OK—even the highest fevers of influenza aren’t nearly high enough to curdle milk.

Get rest. Stay in bed. Don’t go to work or school.

Though the fever of influenza makes you feel bad, it won’t hurt you. Still, misery is miserable, so try to treat fevers with the correct, safe doses of either acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Watch the labels, and use them correctly. It’s best to write down what you gave, and when you gave it, so no one gets confused in the middle of the night.

One strategy to help keep fevers down is to “alternate” ibuprofen and acetaminophen, giving one and then the other alternating every three hours, so neither one is given more often than every six hours. A few studies have shown that this is perhaps a little more effective than relying on one medication. But it can be confusing, and there’s concern that this regimen makes it more likely that a dangerous mistake will occur. If you do alternate, make sure you’re using careful measurements of the correct dose, and definitely write down what you’ve giving and when. Remember, though fever doesn’t feel good, it cannot hurt you. Don’t do anything unsafe because of fever fears.

Although a tepid bath can reduce fevers, never use a cold bath, and absolutely never rub down a child with alcohol to reduce fevers.

Influenza is often accompanied by some congestion and cough. Honey can be an effective cough reliever, and a steamy shower or humidified air can also help. Prescription and non-prescription cold and cough medicines just don’t work very well, and are unsafe in young children.

What about the prescription medication, Tamiflu? This is drug that specifically suppresses the spread of flu virus in your body. It can help shorten the duration and severity of flu—but really, only modestly, and only if it’s started within the first 24 hours of fever. After that, it’s pretty much useless. Tamiflu often causes nausea, so sometimes people can’t take it. If your doctor has prescribed Tamiflu, you can take it in addition to the symptomatic therapies and medicines listed above.

An ordinary case of flu includes fever, aches and misery for about 4-5 days (the disease is milder and shorter if you’ve been vaccinated, even if you’re unlucky enough to catch it anyway.) The treatment is mostly fluids, rest, and fever reducing medicine. Have some soup. Stay home, and don’t spread it around. Come to think of it: just do what your Grandma would have done, and you’re probably doing the best you can.

And make sure Grandma gets her vaccine, too!

Should temperatures rise during sleep?

The Pediatric Insider

© 2012 Roy Benaroch, MD

“My son is 5 and he has no signs of being sick. But I have been noticing that his body is hot to the touch and his temperature is high (101 – 102) while he is sleeping. In the daytime he is usually around 98.6 or 99, but it worries me when he sleeps because it always goes high. Is this normal?”

Normal body temperature varies throughout the day. The lowest point is usually from 2-6 am, rising about 1 degree F through the day until a peak in the late afternoon. Measured temperature also varies with activity and ambient temperature, and can be influenced even by hunger and sleepiness.

It is a myth that 98.6 is “The Normal Temperature,” just like it would be a myth that 5’10” is “The Normal Height” for adult men. 98.6 is considered the middle of the range of normal, but even that isn’t very accurate, as different people will vary around their own “normals”. The 98.6 is more of historical interest than a medically exact measurement. It was figured out in the 19th century using thermometers that were incorrectly calibrated, and it’s actually wrong– but we’re kind of stuck with it now.

Since your son isn’t acting sick at all, why are you taking his temperature? An elevated measured body temperature can be a sign of illness, but really that’s only when a child is acting sick with symptoms. A measured temperature that’s higher than expected in a child who’s acting well and feeling well is probably just normal variation rather than a sign of disease.

If you’re worried, take him in for a good exam with his doctor, and bring your temperature logs. Write down the actual numbers from the thermometer, and write down how you measured them (what kind of thermometer). Don’t rely on ear temps or those skin-sensor devices, they don’t work to accurately measure temperatures.

More about fever:

What is it?

Why do kids run fevers

Dispelling fever phobia

The Fever Action Plan