Hilary Butler’s quotes on giving analgesics during illness -
 
PARACETAMOL.  (USA TYLENOL, IBUPROFEN etc)

Your child is scratchy, your child has a temperature, your child is irritable, and you ring the doctor's surgery, and the voice on the other end says what it always says"  "Just give Pamol, dear, and come back tomorrow if you are still worried."

Well, tomorrow just might be too late. Why might that be?  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 a temperature is push
paracetamol?  I believe so, because what you weren't told was this:

EXTRACTS FROM MEDICAL LITERATURE:

"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)  time to get a grip, parents.....

"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 defense 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 defense 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 that parents about the definition, consequences and appropriate treatment of fever."  (Pediatrics 1985 June;75 (6) 1110-1113)

"There is no convincing evidence that naturally occurring fevers are harmful. In contrast, animal studies have shown that fever helps animals to survive and infection whereas antipyresis increases mortality.  Moreover there is considerable in vitro evidence that a
variety of human immunological defenses 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 findings 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)

"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)

"Paracetamol has no antipyretic benefits over mechanical antipyresis 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 but 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."  Pharmacotherapy 2000, 20: 417-422)

"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)

And last, but not least, if you want to turn chickenpox into fulminant necrotising fasciitis - go ahead - and give Tylenol/paracetamol. (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.

So who, in their right mind, would want to play Russian Roulette with their child's health?  Not me, and I couldn't give a toss what the label says, or what the experts say, or even those dinky little ads on TV - because their own literature has given enough warning to totally change the face of care of children with fevers, yet  THEY  HAVE  DONE  NOTHING to try to change parents perceptions on fever, or the use of paracetamol/Tylenol.  And why is that?  Follow the money.  Over the counter antipyretics are the best money spinner there is. Wall Street rules.  Again.

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.