"A new report released by The American Academy of Pediatricians states that not only is there no need to bring down a fever in an otherwise healthy child, but there is a downside to treating a fever - it can prolong the illness that originally sparked the high temperatures.
The only reason to treat a fever is to make a child more comfortable, a co-author of the report said. “In a normal child there’s no set temperature at which you’d need to treat a fever,” said Dr. Janice Sullivan, a professor of pediatrics and pediatric critical care at the University of Louisville. “Our recommendation is primarily to treat discomfort associated with an illness rather than the fever itself. So, when children are uncomfortable or crying, then you should treat them with medication.”
“Studies done in children with chicken pox, for example, found that children whose fevers weren’t treated had about a day less that they were considered contagious compared to those who were treated,” she said."
We think that parents should always consult a pediatrician if the fever is higher than 101F.
Source: Today
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