Re: My son has a fever

[Guest guest]

Men do naturally want to " fix " things and tend to be less willing to wait

stuff out. Plus, it is difficult to see your child in discomfort, as it is

for you as well no doubt. TLC like soup and reading to him, cool cloths,

and other comfort stuff are " doing something about it " and may ease the

pressure to Tylenol. This is assuming YOU are not sick, too, and are up to

it.

Maeghan

From: Vaccinations [mailto:Vaccinations ] On

Behalf Of Boriquita!

Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 7:41 PM

Vaccinations

Subject: My son has a fever

I decided not to send him to school, the dad insist that I should give

him something to feel better! I'm like let him ride out the fever. He

is still feeling lousy. The pressure to give him some medicine is

coming soon. He really doesn't need any poison, that's just how I feel

right now.

[Guest guest]

> Men do naturally want to " fix " things and tend to be less willing to

wait

> stuff out.

> Maeghan

Very well put. My DH panicked when spiked a fever (maybe a 102)

when he was alone with him - I think was 2? - and had me take him

to the ER !!! No kidding.... sooo wasn't worth it.

Next time I let ride out the fever - he only had it for 24 hours,

and was over the entire cold within a few days. Let his immune system

work. Make sure he's drinking lots - broth and coconut water are both

fantastic. Chamomile tea will relax.

Hope he feels better soon!

Magda

[Guest guest]

IS FEAR OF FEVER HURTING OUR CHILDREN?

By Edda West - VRAN Newsletter January-March, 2003

References

Sources of Complimentary and Alternative Healing Modalities:

EXTRACTS FROM MEDICAL LITERATURE: TYLENOL, PARACETAMOL, IBUPROFEN etc

Compiled by

As paradigms go in the world of disease management, there is none

more deeply ingrained than the fear driven belief that without

vaccinations we are doomed to attack from legions of killer diseases.

It's shadow partner, " fear of fever " compels us to suppress fever

whenever it arises and insures our captivity to monopoly, sickness

oriented medicine. The medical/pharmaceutical empire flogs us with

these tactics, imprinting fear in the collective psyche, the

favourite tool with which they dominate the masses and usher us down

the slippery slope of health breakdown and drug dependency.

Vaccinations and fever suppressants, along with the overuse of

antibiotics and exposure to multiple chemical contaminants in the

environment, are at the root of the decline in children's health and

vitality, manifesting at large in the disablement of immune

function, neurological function, and upsurge of chronic diseases in

large segments of society today. Children in particular have been hit

hard as they are the most vulnerable members of society. New

evidence is now emerging that fever suppressant drugs may be another

contributing factor to the explosive epidemic of neurodevelopmental

disorders like autism.

As loving and caring parents, we naturally want to help our children

feel better when the inevitable fevers, flus, colds and various

illnesses arise in childhood. Many will reach for popular over-the-

counter remedies to suppress fever and alleviate symptoms in the

belief that these products are reliable, effective, and safe. But how

safe are they really? And what are the risks when fever is

suppressed and symptoms masked? Does fever have a critical function

in fighting sickness that we have lost sight of?

There is plenty of scientific evidence validating the benefits of

fever in fighting viral/bacterial inflammations and it's important

role in the healing process. Fever increases survival rate during

infectious diseases - basic information that has yet to reach the

majority of people who remain misinformed and misled by

pharmaceutical and medical propaganda which still shamelessly

advocates the use of antipyretic drugs at the first sign of fever.

The myth that untreated fevers will lead to seizures and brain damage

is perpetuated ad nauseam. Fever is maligned, misunderstood and seen

as an enemy to be feared rather than an ally that signals the immune

system gearing up for action.

Aspirin was once commonly used to suppress fever until it was linked

to Reye's syndrome when given to children with viral infections like

influenza and chickenpox. Reye's syndrome is an often fatal disease

affecting the brain and liver, a primary reason doctors switched to

acetaminophen, which we now know to be the major cause of liver

failure. One disaster after another!

Acetaminophen is such a common ingredient used in both over-the-

counter and prescription medications, people may be unaware of its

presence in the many popular brands of fever, pain, colds and flu

medications. Health Canada recently issued an alert cautioning that

the overuse of these over-the-counter remedies can lead to serious

liver toxicity and death.

" Parents should be especially cautious when giving children any

products containing acetaminophen. For example, the parent of a child

with a flu-like illness may use one product to treat the child's

fever and another to treat a runny nose, without realizing that both

products contain the same ingredients. A recently published article

identified acetaminophen overdose as the number one cause of acute

liver failure in the US, and most of these overdoses were

unintentional. Often, several preparations of the same brand (e.g.

Tylenol Pain and Tylenol Sinus) or several medications for the same

symptoms (e.g. Tylenol Cold, Neo-Citran and Sinutab) are found in the

same household and, when used together, can result in an overdose. "

(1)

It is important to understand that fever is not a disease, but rather

a symptom of an illness. Controversies surrounding the management of

fever cause enormous anxiety in parents, often resulting in a knee-

jerk, fear based reaction to kill the fever with drugs. As long as we

remain captive to the medical myth that nature made a mistake in

causing fever to arise during illness, our children will be put at

risk. There is an urgency for us to re-examine our basic assumptions

about the nature of fever and its evolutionary role in the survival

of the species.

High fevers in some diseases like measles and roseola are needed in

order to discharge the virus. In a clinical study of 56 children

during a measles epidemic in Ghana, Africa in 1967, it was standard

practice to treat every case of measles with sedatives, antipyretics

like aspirin and tylenol, cough suppressants, and also as needed with

antibiotics. In the first half of the epidemic, 35% of the children

died. But the treating doctors also observed that the children who

survived were usually the ones who had higher fevers and more severe

rashes than the ones who died. Although the ones who died seemed less

sick than the survivors at the beginning of the illness, they then

later got pneumonia and died.

At a vaccine risk conference in 2000, Dr. Philip Incao cited this

study as an example of the vital role of fever. " The doctors began to

think that the higher fevers and rash helped clear the measles virus

from the body and enhanced survival. And so half way through this

measles epidemic, the doctors revised their treatment and gave no

sedatives, no aspirin or tylenol, nor cough suppressants, but still

gave antibiotics, antimalarials and blood transfusions if needed. In

this group, also of 56 children, only 7% died compared to 35% in the

first group. This is a dramatic demonstration, and there are many

others, of the vitally important basic principle that it is dangerous

to suppress an inflammatory discharge. "

" Hippocrates recognized this over two thousand years ago. In any

inflammatory infectious disease, what is discharged out of the body

can be frightening to look at, but that's not what kills us. What

can kill us comes from the toxic effects of what's left inside the

body and what's not being discharged. "

" What I read in this study twenty years ago confirmed what I

experienced in my own practice, that the children who produced

higher fevers and strong rashes, and good discharges of mucous and

pus, were healthier and more robust and had stronger immune systems

than the children who produced a low intensity of these symptoms.

These robust children in my practice, who vigorously externalized and

healed their infections spontaneously, often without antibiotics, had

had little or no antibiotics, or antipyretics, or vaccinations in

their lives. And the other children who had had all their

vaccinations, and lots of antipyretics, and antibiotics – who had had

a lot of suppressive, internalizing medical treatments, these

children never got high fevers. And these children were the ones who

were more likely to have allergies and autoimmune problems. " (2)

The pervasive belief that fever is dangerous and must be suppressed

disregards the scientific evidence demonstrating its beneficial role

in inflammatory diseases. The immune system depends on the essential

role of fever to accomplish myriad tasks when gearing up to fight

infections. New Zealand researcher has assembled an

impressive list of citations from medical literature to prove this

point. We are grateful for her work, and include these excerpts as an

addendum to this article.

" Doctors do a great disservice to you and your child when they

prescribe drugs to reduce fever " says Dr. Mendelsohn,

pediatrician and author of How To Raise A Healthy Child in Spite of

Your Doctor. " Fever phobia is a disease of pediatricians, not

parents, and to the extent that parents are victimized by it, doctors

are at fault. " Parents are left to fear that their child's

temperature will keep rising unless measures are taken to control

it . " They don't tell you that reducing his temperature will do

nothing to make the patient well or that our bodies have a built-in

mechanism, not fully explained, that will prevent an infection-

induced temperature from reaching 106 degrees F (41 degrees C) (3)

Mendelsohn emphasizes that, " Only in the case of heatstroke,

poisoning, or other externally caused fevers is this bodily mechanism

overwhelmed and inoperative. " This would also include drug reactions

and overdose.

Fever: Your Body's Defense Against Disease is the title of chapter 7

in Dr. Mendeloshn's book, and undoubtedly one of the best guidelines

ever written for parents seeking a balanced and accurate perspective

of the beneficial and defensive role of fevers in childhood. He

condemns the useless and dangerous practice of fever suppression

through drugs. " If your child contracts an infection, the fever that

accompanies it is a blessing, not a curse. The spontaneous release

of pyrogens cause the body temperature to rise, a natural defense

mechanism needed to fight disease. The presence of fever tells you

that the repair mechanisms of the body have gone into high gear. It

is something to rejoice over, not to fear. " (3)

He counters the myth that high fever causes seizures. " Many parents

are fearful of fevers because they have witnessed a convulsive

seizure and believe that their child may experience one if his

temperature is allowed to rise too high. High fevers do not cause

convulsions. They result when the temperature rises at an extremely

rapid rate and are relatively uncommon. It is estimated that only 4

percent of children with high fever experience fever related

convulsions. There is no evidence that those who do have them suffer

any serious aftereffects as a result. " (3)

" Fevers produced by viral or bacterial infections will not cause

brain damage or permanent physical harm. Fevers are a common symptom

in children and are not an indication of serious illness unless

associated with major changes in appearance and behavior or other

additional symptoms such as respiratory difficulty, extreme

listlessness or loss of consciousness. The height of a fever is not a

measure of the severity of an illness. " (3)

Numerous studies have shown that fever enhances the immune response

by increasing mobility and activity of white cells called leucocytes

which disable bacteria and viruses and remove damaged tissue from the

body. A complex sequence of immune activities is activated by fever.

Antiviral and antibacterial properties of interferon are also

increased with fever. With a rise in temperature, iron is removed

from the blood and stored in the liver, further disabling the rate at

which bacteria can multiply. Studies of artificially induced fevers

in laboratory animals infected with disease have shown that elevated

temperatures enhance survival, while lowered temperatures increase

the death rate. (4)

There is an exception however. When fever arises in a newborn baby in

the first few weeks of life, there is a heightened level of

caution. " Newborn babies may suffer from infections related to

obstetrical interventions during delivery, prenatal or hereditary

conditions, aspiration pneumonia from amniotic fluid forced into the

lungs because of overmedication of the mother during delivery…and

exposure to the legion of germs that abound in the hospital itself " ,

writes Dr. Mendelsohn who advises parents to seek medical help if a

baby runs a fever in the first two months of life. Breastfeeding

plays a critical role in preventing infections in infants. Breastfed

babies are superbly protected from a vast range of pathogens and have

a lesser risk of developing fevers in the newborn phase of life.

It is known that the blood-brain barrier is not intact until at least

6 weeks of life. This is why fever in very young infants, raises a

big caution flag because of the ease with which pathogens,

viruses/bacteria can gain access to the baby's brain/nervous system

creating a higher risk for meningitis. When medical help is sought

for a feverish infant under 6 weeks of age, it may lead to invasive

procedures like spinal taps, antibiotics, steroids and fever

suppressants, which are also not without risk. If a parent disagrees

with the course of treatment, they are likely to encounter hostility

from the medical staff, as recently happened to a Boise area mother

who lost custody of her 5 week old baby when she took her to the

local ER for a check up.

The baby had been fussy and feverish all day, and the mother wanted

to make sure everything was alright. She consented to blood tests,

urinalysis, x-ray and I.V., but declined the spinal tap and wanted to

wait for what the test results might show. She calculated that there

was about a 95% chance her baby did not have meningitis and likely

had the same cold the family had just gotten over. Her decision to

forgo the spinal tap and antibiotics prompted the hospital to call

Child Protective Services and the baby was taken from her. The

doctor felt the child's life was in danger because the mother

refused " life-saving treatment " , despite the fact that the baby had

improved significantly after some hours on I.V..

It would seem prudent to protect newborn infants during this early,

vulnerable time from exposure to any situation, or procedures that

would put them at risk of developing fevers. Yet, the majority of

newborns and young infants are vaccinated in the first 6-8 weeks of

life. Doctors know full well that the injection of vaccine

cocktails containing a brew of viral/bacterial particles, foreign

proteins, adjuvants and chemical preservatives will likely

precipitate a feverish reaction in a large number of babies. They

even anticipate this, and often advise parents to dose the child

with " baby tylenol " prior to going in for the shot(s). And in the

aftermath of vaccination, the standard reassurance given to worried

parents calling the doctor's office with a fussy, feverish newly

vaccinated baby, is " It's perfectly normal – nothing to worry about.

Just give the baby some tylenol. "

In their determination to initiate vaccine agendas as soon as

possible, there is a curious and willful blindness amongst doctors

in the vaccine establishment. Why is there no concern about the

impact of vaccine induced fevers in infants during this critical

early period of life? Why is it that if a spontaneous fever arises in

the newborn, it is viewed as a potential medical emergency, but if

the fever is vaccine induced, it is brushed off as " normal " and

parents are advised to suppress it with antipyretics?

The medical mindset that imposes vaccine schedules in early infancy

violates a fundamental precautionary principle which disregards the

fragility of the baby and the vulnerability of the immature

brain/nervous system/immune system. Just look at the double standard

operative here. On the one hand parents are cautioned to seek

immediate medical help if fever develops in the newborn, yet are

heavily pressured to submit their babies to multiple vaccines without

regard for the fact that these injections are the primary cause of

fever in young infants. Fever is knowingly induced during these early

weeks of life, when all common sense and instinct should prevail to

protect the infant from this outcome.

It is not only the vaccine induced fevers which raise a caution.

While the fever signals the infant's immune response to the

artificially implanted viral/bacterial and chemical agents he/she is

forced to cope with, the bigger question is - what deeper affect do

these toxic substances have, now that they have access to the blood

stream, vital organs and the immature brain/nervous system? And what

additional insult to injury occurs when the resulting fever is then

manipulated with antipyretic drugs preventing the normal mobilization

of the immune system?

A new theory regarding a potential cause of autism is currently being

explored by Dr. R. , M.D., Senior Scientist and

Director of the BioMedical Lab at Utah State University. His

hypothesis questions whether fever suppression is involved in the

etiology of autism and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Dr. is investigating evidence suggesting that the etiology of

autism involves infections of the pregnant mother or of a young

child. " Most infections result in fever that is routinely controlled

with antipyretics such as acetaminophen. The blocking of fever

inhibits processes that evolved over millions of years to protect

against microbial attack. Immune mechanisms in the central nervous

system are part of this protective process. " (4)

" Pathological infections, including vaccinations, commonly result in

fever. For example, 50-60% of young children develop fever after

receiving MMR vaccine " , and are routinely treated with fever

suppressants. Many parents report their children slipped into autism

following MMR shots. Dr. has also found that " 43% of mothers

with an autistic child experienced upper respiratory tract, influenza-

like, urinary or vaginal infections during pregnancy compared to only

26% of control mothers " , suggesting that in some cases autism may be

linked to the " sequella of pathogenic infections, especially those of

viral origin. " (4)

Suppressing fever during pregnancy and labour may effect the fetus as

research has shown that acetaminophen " significantly decreased

maternal and fetal serum IL-6 " , an immune factor the infant is

incapable of producing at birth and depends on from the mother.(4) A

press release (Oct./02) from the British Thoracic Society cautions

that a recent study links paracetamol, an acetaminophen based drug

similar to tylenol to childhood asthma when used by the mother in

late pregnancy.(5)

The central nervous system and scores of factors in the immune system

work synergistically to achieve optimum immune function. What affects

one affects the other. Dr. points to evidence that

acetaminophen is an immunosuppresive agent. In highly technical

language, he describes the complex activities launched by the immune

system and the many signals relayed to control centres in the brain

when the body is fighting pathogenic organisms. The activation of

pyrogens stimulates the rise of fever and " production of various

cytokines (immune cells) from organs in the viscera (gut) " – the gut

being the primary and largest immune organ of the body. Key signals

carried along the vagus nerve which connects the gut/brain immune

pathways, and which are normally mediated by prostaglandins, can be

blocked by antipyretics like acetaminophen, thereby derailing the

complex sequences of immune signals that flow between the gut and the

brain. (4)

Dr. postulates that the blockage of fever with antipyretics,

whether induced by infections or vaccinations, interferes with normal

immunological development in the brain, leading to neurodevelopmental

disorders in certain genetically and immunologically disposed

individuals. The effects may occur in utero or at a very young age

when the immune system is rapidly developing. (4)

, President of CHILDSCREEN www.childscreen.org, herself a

mother of autistic children, predicts that these findings will not be

popular with mainstream medicine and are " potentially a public

relations time bomb " . Searching for advice on fevers and vaccine

reactions on the internet, Blanco found that the majority advise, `If

your child has a fever during a reaction to a vaccine, give them

acetaminophen'.

" This all too common advice may actually cause autism. However, if

Dr. ' groundbreaking theory proves true, it could be the means

of saving thousands of children from becoming autistic. "

Currently, a tremendous amount of fear is being whipped up over the

outbreak of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in this country.

Health officials are in an uproar, even hinting that this may be

the " Big One " - the pandemic they've been anticipating for years,

even though it's not influenza. Draconian quarantine measures are

being implemented, and some sources are speculating whether this is a

training exercise to test the population's willingness to submit to

quarantine in preparation for biowarfare attack. To date there has

been no definitive identification of the pathogen, although there is

speculation that it is a form of corona virus, the family of viruses

found in the common cold. At one point it was thought it might be

related to the paramyxo virus which is related to measles and canine

distemper –there's even speculation that chlamydia could be involved.

The measles virus has been mutating and its footprint identified in

some nasty cases of encephalitis and respiratory infections in Asia

in recent years. Already plans are rolling to start vaccine

development which is surprising since the virus or viral combination

is yet to be identified.

Early reports described SARS as beginning with a dry cough that keeps

getting worse, and that some people get headache, body ache,

a " skyrocketing fever or blotchy rash on their bodies " , and as

illnesses go, this one seems fairly " vicious " . Treatment? People

are given a " battery of drugs – cocktails of antibiotics and

antiviral medications " .(6) They're probably getting strong doses of

fever suppressants as well……which has left me wondering whether

antipyretics diminished the immune capabilities of those who have

died from SARS. Is this one of those diseases that needs a high

fever to rally the immune system to optimal output? Are the

aggressive medical treatments actually creating a higher risk of

death?

Homeopathic and Naturopathic healing modalities have a long and

trusted history in the prevention and treatment of epidemic diseases.

One of the greatest antivirals known is vitamin C, which has been

used with stupendous success in both the prevention and treatment of

infectious diseases. Highly effective treatment protocols have been

developed by administering ascorbates of vitamin C intravenously in

critical situations and are documented in medical literature and

accessible through Dr. Cathcart's website with links to Dr.

Klenner, and Linus ing. (7) Intravenous vitamin C should be

available for every patient facing acute and critical illnesses, but

the current medical monopoly blocks access to this simple and highly

effective treatment.

Writes health activist Croft Woodruff, " In the spring of 2000 I

referred a young relative, who was suffering from an acute case of

mononucleosis, to a medical doctor who administered four separate

intravenous injections of vitamin C as sodium ascorbate over as many

days. The results were quite dramatic. The patient recovered

completely, albeit with a newly acquired respect for the power of

vitamin C as a healing agent. "

Our mistrust of natural processes, and reliance on drug oriented

medicine has obscured our understanding of the importance of

childhood illnesses and the necessity of fever as a vital aspect of

the maturation of the immune system enabling a strong & resilient

foundation of health to evolve. When we discard the old fears and

lift the veil of ignorance, we are then empowered to see with our

innate intelligence, the real picture unfolding in front of us - and

recognize that the artificial manipulation of children's immune

systems, via mass vaccination programs, indiscriminate use of

antipyretics and antibiotics, rather than protecting, is threatening

their health – their future.

The encouraging and wise words of Dr. Incao may help us shed old

fears and embrace a new relationship to Nature – " Every childhood

inflammation, every cold, sore throat, earache, fever and rash is a

healing crisis and a cleansing process, a strong effort by the human

spirit to remodel the body, to make it a more suitable dwelling.

Anthroposophic and homeopathic remedies aid and promote this

cleansing process and help the illness to work its way out of the

body so that healing can occur. " (8) In a personal conversation

recently, Dr. Incao reminded me that – " It takes a while to free our

mind from the imprisonment, and our need to adhere to political

correctness for fear of being judged radical. Illness is part of

life. It is not alien or abnormal and has to be accepted as a part

of life. Every breakdown is a spiritual growth opportunity. We need

to learn how to deal with and work through it – this is part of the

new paradigm. "

References:

1. Health Canada Advisory, Feb. 13/2003: http://www.hc-

sc.gc.ca/english/iyh/.

2. Philip Incao, M.D. – excerpt from a talk given at NVIC

conference 2000

3. Dr Mendelsohn MD. How To Raise a Healthy Child in Spite

of Your Docotor.

4. R. , M.D.-Is Fever Suppression Involved In The

Etiology Of Autism And Neurodevelopmental Disorders? "

http://autism.rollingdigital.com.

5. Press Release, British Thoracic Society (BTS), 28/10/2002

http://www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/admin/action.lasso?-database=btsnews & -

layout=cgi & -response=news_detail.html & -op=eq & id=209 & -search

6. The Globe & Mail, Mar.17/03 –Cause of Deadly Pneumonia Still

Eludes Scientists

7 Dr. Cathcart MD: at: http://www.orthomed.com/

8 Philip Incao, M.D. Chapter on How To Treat Childhood

Illnesses, pge. 61; The Vaccination Dilemma, and personal

communication, April, 2003.

Sources of Complimentary and Alternative Healing Modalities:

-Fever in children: A Blessing in Disguise, by B White, M.D.

and Sunny Mavor, Mothering Magazine, Issue 95, July/August, 1999,

available on line at: www.mothering.com

-Sheri Nakken website – great links to homeopathic sources of

information http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccine.htm

-Alternatives & Antidotes to Infectious Diseases – Year end VRAN

Newsletter, 2001, lists many alternative healing modalities –

available electronically at: info@...

EXTRACTS FROM MEDICAL LITERATURE: TYLENOL, PARACETAMOL, IBUPROFEN etc.

Compiled by

(Standard allopath treatment, May 2003: 7 Ways to Fight a Fever by

Trachtenberg, M.D. ---- " Standard medical treatment includes

fever reducers such as Tylenol or panadol every four hours, or

ibuprofen -- Motrin or Advil -- every six hours. The dosage depends

on the child's weight and not on his or her age. "

http://www.parentsoup.com/experts/ped/articles/0,8248,416591_417430,00

..html --Extracted by Whale)

Could the increase in all forms of meningitis and other infectious

disease complications and deaths be because for the last 40+ years,

the first thing parents do at the slightest sign of temperature is

push paracetamol? I believe so, because what you weren't told was

this:

" Not all fevers need to be treated but many physicians do so to

relieve parental concern. " (Eur J Ped 1994 Jun; 153 (6): 394-402)

" An elevation in temperature following bacterial infection results in

a significant increase in host survival " (Science 1975 Apr 11; 188

(4184): 166-8)

" Many components of the nonspecific host defence response to

infection such as leukocyte mobility, lymphocyte transformation, and

the effects of interferon, appear to be enhanced by elevations in

temperature that simulate moderate fevers. In addition, some evidence

indicates that a fever in conjunction with the changes in plasma iron

levels known to occur during infections is a synergistic host defence

response. " (Pediatrics 1980, No: 66 (5) : 720 - 723)

" Parental fever phobia and its correlates...surprising, higher

socioeconomic status was not associated with a lesser degree of fever

phobia...undue fear and overly aggressive treatment of fever are

epidemic among parents of infants and young children, even among the

highly educated and well-to-do. considerable effort will be required

on the part of pediatricians and other child health workers to

reeducate parents about the definition, consequences and appropriate

treatment of fever. " (Pediatrics 1985 June;75 (6) 1110-1113)

" There is no convincing evidence that naturally occuring fevers are

harmful. In contrast, animal studies have shown that fever helps

animals to survive and infection whereas antipyretic increases

mortality. Moreover there is considerable in vitro evidence that a

variety of human immunological defences function better at febrile

temperatures than at normal one. " (The Lancet, Volume 337, March 9,

1991)

" Many cytokines are endogenous mediators of fever including

interleukin (IL) -, 1 beta, IL-6 and others. Tumor necrosis factor-

alpha may be both an endogenous pyrogen and an endogenous antipyretic

or cryogen. " (Neuroimmunomodulation 1995 Jul-Aug; 2 (4):216-223)

" There is overwhelming evidence in favor of fever being an adaptive

host response to infection... as such, it is probable that the use of

antipyretic/anti-inflammatory/analgesic drugs, when they lead to

suppression of the fever, result in increased morbidity and mortality

during most infections; this morbidity and mortality may not be

apparent to most health care workers... " Infect Dis Clin North Am

1996 Mar;10(1) : 1-20.)

Acetaminophen can induce pneumonia...'These finding suggest that

allergic mechanism was involved in the pathogenesis of the

pneumonitis. Underlying immunological disorders may have enhanced the

occurrence. " Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Sasshi 1997 Sep; 35 (9) 974-

9) There are other reports of this as well...

" the results suggest that lung disease (rheumatoid lung) associated

with collagen vascular diseases may be exacerbated by drug-induced

(acetaminophen) pneumonitis. " Nihon Kyobu Shikkan Gakkai Sasshi 1997

Oct; 35 (10) 1113-1118)

" Despite our lack of knowledge about its therapeutic mechanism, it

has been claimed to be a safe drug, especially for children...

paracetamol syrup (presumably for children) is extensively prescribed

in large volumes...There is mounting evidence that paracetamol is not

the benign drug that it was formally thought to be... We would

question the whole rationale of prescribing the drug in near epidemic

proportions. If it is to be used as a placebo, then it is a very

dangerous placebo... The whole place of paracetamol prescribing for

children has been questioned. While there is little concern about its

use in the short term as an analgesic, there is considerable

controversy over its use as an antipyretic....there is little

evidence to support the use of paracetamol to treat fever in patients

without heart or lung disease. Paracetamol may decrease antibody

response to infection and increase morbidity and mortality in severe

infections...too many parents and health workers think that fever is

bad and needs to be suppressed by paracetamol when, indeed, moderate

fever may improve the immune response...the use of paracetamol in

children with acute infection did not result in an improvement in

mood, comfort, appetite or fluid intake. " (Family Practice, Volume

13, No 2, 1996 pgs 179 - 181)

" Fever is rarely harmful. Only extremely high fevers of 42.2C or 108

F or higher have been known to cause brain damage. Only fevers of

40.5C or 105F and higher need immediate attention, mainly because

they are a clue that a serious infection could be present " (such as

meningitis) (Sunday Star Times, May 3, 1998, C3) doctor's column.

" Paracetamol has no antipyretic benefits over mechanical antipyreses

alone in ..malaria. Moreover, paracetamol prolongs parasite clearance

time, possible by decreased production of TNF and oxygen radicals. "

(Lancet 1997;350:704-709)

" The data suggest that frequent administration of antipyretics to

children with infectious disease may lead to a worsening of their

illness. " (Acta Paed. Jpn 1994 Aug;36 (4) 375-378)

" Fever is an important indicator of disease and should not be

routinely suppressed by antipyretics...fever may actually benefit the

host defense mechanism...fever is short-lived and causes only minor

discomfort...routine antipyretic therapy should be avoided byt may be

necessary in individual patients with cardiovascular or neurologic

disorders. " (Infect Dis Clin North Am 1996 Mar;10 (1) 211-216)

" Studies of bacterial and viral-infected animals have shown that

moderate fevers decrease morbidity and increase survival rate " (Yale

J Biol Med 1986 Mar-April; 59 (2) : 89-95)

" Antipyretic drugs are effective in diminishing fever, but have

significant side effects and may suppress signs of ongoing

infections " (Arch Intern Med 1990, Aug; 150 (8): 1589-1597)

Meningococcal Disease: " use of analgesics were associated with

disease...analgesic use was defined as analgesics taken in the past 2

weeks, excluding, for cases, those taken for identified early

symptoms of meningococcal disease. These analgesics were

predominantly acetaminophen products......because analgesics showed a

stronger relationship with meningococcal disease, the use of

analgesics may be a better measure of more severe illness than

reported individual symptoms....we cannot exclude the possibility

that acetaminophen use itself is a risk factor for meningococcal

disease " (Ped Infec Dis, Oct 2000, Vol 19, No 10, 983-990)

" Antipyretics prolong illness in patients with Influenza A.... The

duration of illness was significantly prolonged from 5 days(without)

to 8 1/2 days (with). Pharmacotherapy 2000, 20: 417-422)

Take two aspirin, prolong the flu - 2 January 2001 Anne Burke,

HealthScout Reporter (also reported by Reuters medical

news...) " Taking aspirin or Tylenol for the flu actually prolongs the

illness by up to 3 1/2 days, say researchers at the University of

land. That is because fever may be the body's natural way of

fighting an infection and taking aspirin or acetaminophen - the

generic name for products such as Tylenol - may interefere with the

process. " You are messing with Mother Nature, " Says Dr Leland

Rickman, an associate clinical professor of medicine at the

University of California San Diego. " An elevated temperature may

actually help the body fight the infection quicker or better than if

you don't have a fever. "

" Whatever you do, don't give aspirin or Tylenol to children who have

the flu or any other viral illness " , Rickman said

" These results suggest that the systematic suppression of fever may

not be useful in patients without severe cranial trauma or

significant hypoxemia. Letting fever take its natural course does not

seem to harm patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome,

or influence the discomfort level AND MAY SAVE COSTS. " (wow!!!) (Arch

Intern Med 2001, Jan 8; 161 (1) 121-123)

Chickenpox treated with Tylenol/Ibuprofen provokes bacterial skin

infections into fulminant necrotising fasciitis (Pediatr I(Pediatrics

Vol 103, No 4, April 1999, 783-784 and 785-790) (Infect Med1999 16

(5):307) Just two of many references for antipyretic induced

complications of chickenpox.

(In MMWR - May 15, 1998, Vol 47 No 18. All cases of Varicella related

deaths were treated with antipyretics. No causal association was

investigated or ascribed. The " solution " to the problem was

considered to be mandatory vaccination.)

– " What you do as a parent, is your choice. Make sure

that it is an " informed " choice. Get the articles referenced, do a

med-line search - retrieve any others. READ the whole articles. Give

them to your doctor to read, and discuss them with him/her. Most

importantly, if you feel your child has an immunodeficiency, get your

child tested so that you know what you are dealing with. How a child

handles any infectious disease is dependant upon the immune system

inherited, nutritional status, life-style, environment and resultant

stresses and how the child reacts to them. The choice is yours. "

With appreciation to and The Immunization Awareness

Society, New Zealand for their permission to reprint this review,

published in WAVES – Vol. 14, No. 4, 2002

Acetaminophen (Panadol, Paracetamol, Calpol, Salzone, Tylenol)

Ibuprofen (Apsifen Brufen Cuprofen Fenbid Inoven Motrin Nurofen

Proflex)

[Guest guest]

Both mine are getting over horrible colds and had moderate (102)

fevers at onset. I have a sneaking suspicion it was RSV because of

the thick, copious, choking mucus. Neither could lay down to sleep or

they'd choke. I held my infant in my arms all night long for three

nights in a row, so he could sleep... my three-year-old slept next to

me in bed propped up on two big pillows. I treated them with vitamin

C therapy, Echinacea, extra probiotics, humidifiers all over the house

(feels like the gulf coast in here!) and homeopathics. I also used a

nebulizer with just plain water in it when they were really rattly. I

gave breastmilk, juice, water, elderberry tea and fresh fruits (apples

and pears mostly) as much as they wanted, no food other than the

fruit. My three-year-old craved oranges, so after his mucous cleared

up I let him add that to his diet. Both children are on the recovery

end now... no Tylenol, antibiotics, or anything of that nature... just

their perfect immune systems to get them well. This time around I

didn't even take them to the chiro because I didn't want to take them

out in single digit temps. I kept them home under the humidifiers. My

three-year-old is completely clear after a week, and my

seven-month-old is still a little hoarse but can finally lay flat to

sleep and isn't coughing or rattly anymore, after four days. This one

was a doozie, as they usually get over things in a few hours or a day

at the most, this is the first time something lasted a week! The

three-year-old boy up the street had the same thing - his mom took him

to the ER (dx'd with RSV). They started an IV on him, pumped him full

of antibiotics and gave fever reducers every few hours. He was in the

hospital a couple of days... nebulizer breathing treatments w/

Albuterol, etc. He's had it longer than my three-year-old and is

still not recovered. He's been done with his ten-day round of

antibiotics for a couple of days and as of this morning his mom was

taking him in to get another round of antibiotics because he's still

not well. She stated that she wishes she had my ability to remain

calm and know that her son's system would fight of the disease without

intervention, but she just doesn't have that kind of confidence. Even

after witnessing that my kids got over it in DAYS not WEEKS, she still

doesn't trust nature. Of course, she knows I don't vax, and she did

mention that she thinks that's why my kids get well so much quicker.

I have her questioning doing anymore vaxes with her kid, but her hubby

is instant that they go ahead and vax on schedule. They also run to

the Tylenol bottle and then the doc for antibiotics at the slightest

sign of a sniffle... I've tried coaching her on that till I'm blue in

the face!

I just wanted to give you some reassurance... I've witnessed

first-hand in the last week how intervening does more harm than good.

Try to reassure hubby as best as you can. I think fever in our kids

makes US more miserable than it actually makes our kids. Homeopathics

really helped both my kids work through it, if you have any experience

with them. Also, don't forget to up your own dosages of Vitamin C and

probiotics, to keep your system running top-notch, especially since,

if you're like me, you will tend not to get as much sleep when your

kids are sick. Dealing with sick kids when you're sick yourself is

the pits!

Sending your family well wishes!

On Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 6:41 PM, Boriquita! <womanlinice@...> wrote:

> I decided not to send him to school, the dad insist that I should give

> him something to feel better! I'm like let him ride out the fever. He

> is still feeling lousy. The pressure to give him some medicine is

> coming soon. He really doesn't need any poison, that's just how I feel

> right now.