Fever – Let it Burn
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We have all been there – you start feeling feverish, chills and just plain under the weather and it STINKS! It’s even worse when it’s your child who is sick and you feel helpless. Well this was me this past week! I came home from work on Monday and my son’s fever was hovering at 102 degrees. He seemed tired and just wanted to relax, which is very unlike him and every ounce of my being just wanted to take the sickness and fever away to make him more comfortable. So, what did we (my husband and I) do? Well I will walk you through my step by step plan below, but what we didn’t do much other than make him as comfortable as possible and let his body work it out. Fevers are designed as a protective mechanism to kill whatever bacteria or virus has invaded our body and it kills them by warming your body up! So, while fevers can be scary and uncomfortable the best plan of action is to let them burn – to a certain extent. Now, don’t get me wrong you have to do what you are comfortable with, but most fevers under 104/105 degrees are harmless. And according to Seattle Children’s Hospital “Fevers turn on the body's immune system. They help the body fight infection. Normal fevers between 100° and 104° F (37.8° - 40° C) are good for sick children.” So here are some things that my family does when we get a fever:1. Get Adjusted · Chiropractic adjustments not only keep your nervous system functioning at 100% they have also been shown to boost the immune system (T helper cells specifically) to target whatever bug you may have picked up. Need a adjustment because you are sick? Call me!2. Let it burn and keep an eye on it. · If myself, my husband and especially our son end up with a fever we usually just keep an eye on the temperature and the symptoms. A child’s behavior is a better indication how sick they are versus the number on the thermometer. 3. REST · If you have a fever your body is working in overdrive and it needs rest. This is a perfect time to binge watch your favorite show and catch up on afternoon naps. 4. Load up on fluids. · I highly recommend staying hydrated especially if you are sweating or losing fluids by other means. · Hydrating drinks: water, coconut water, vitamin water zero, homemade popsicles without sugar (check out this BLOG on my go-to popsicle recipe) · Bone Broth – This is great for boosting the immune system and so easy to make! I’ll be posting a new blog on this topic, next! · Breast Milk – if you are still nursing breast milk is amazing because it is loaded with Mom’s antibodies and can help fight infection faster. We kept some from when I was nursing my son to have in case he got sick and gave it to him this past week. 5. Take a Luke-warm baths · This one is especially for feverish kids if they get uncomfortable. Fill the tub with luke-warm water (usually between 80-90 degrees) add epsom salts and lavender or peppermint oils to keep things calm. Kids love to splash around in the tub and mine likes to eat his popsicles in there. 6. Double up on your vitamins · Especially probiotics! Your immune system is mainly located in the gut so keeping the gut bacteria at a healthy level is very important when you are sick. My family takes probiotics daily and doubles or triples the dose when we are feeling ill. My husband and I take these and my son takes this powder that we add to his drinks. The most important thing is to remember that a fever has a purpose! If possible let it run its course and keep and eye on the symptoms. Extreme lethargy and excessive vomiting are reasons for concern and you should call your doctor. Stay tuned for my bone broth recipe and message me if you have any tips that you utilize when you have a fever.
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