Why you don’t want to prevent your child’s (or anyone you love’s) fever:
“Not all fevers need to be trated 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 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 indiccates 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 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 occuring
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 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/alagesic
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 occurence.” 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 (rhematoid 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
decreast 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
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 predominatly
acetaminophen products......because analgesics showed a stronger relationship
with meningococcal disease, the use of analgestics 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 leve 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.
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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.