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Fever
Most parents become quite alarmed when their child or infant becomes "sick". In many cases they are off to the medical practitioner to be diagnosed and treated for fever. But what is a fever? Is it something that needs to be "cured?" Actually a fever is not a disease. Instead it is one of our body's most powerful defences against infection. Our body raises its temperature on purpose. When body temperature raises above 39 degrees, interferon, a powerful natural antibiotic and antiviral agent is produced. Parents should be assured that fever is a condition of NORMALITY and is the body's way of turning on the immune system in response to the many pathogens with which children come in contact.
When we lower a child's temperature, we actually are interfering with the body's disease fighting ability, causing the disease to linger longer or develop complications. Bernhardt Statman, M.D. states that "Fever in a child is not necessarily harmful and can be helpful in developing immunity to the infection that is causing the fever."
George Wootan, M.D. reports that a child's body will regulate his inner temperature as necessary. A child with fever should be dressed according to the weather or temperature inside the house, not according to his body temperature. Most fevers are from viral infections and last three to seven days.
There is a condition known in medicine called "fever phobia." Standard medical approach to children's illnesses of frequent temperature taking may be responsible for parent's misconceptions and fever phobia. Parents need to know that fever is one of the body's natural defence mechanisms and does not necessarily indicate that treatment is needed. Experience tells us that dangerously high fevers result mostly as a direct result of the child becoming dehydrated or is being kept too warm. One thing we should not do is scare the child and fill him with "fever phobia." Let your child understand that a fever is a natural, necessary part of healing and not a disease or a sickness in and of itself.
Robert Mendelson, M.D. stated "Unless there are additional symptoms such as extreme listlessness, abnormal behaviour, and other indicators of serious diseases such as diphtheria and meningitis, your medical doctor should tell you there is nothing to worry about and send you and your child home."
Antibiotics, other prescription drugs and vaccinations may cause elevated temperature as a side effect; hospitals, and medical clinics are a haven for infection caused by powerful, antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Aspirin use for fever may be very dangerous. When given to children recovering from viral infections, such as the flu, it may cause the often fatal Reyes Syndrome.
The Chiropractic approach is a simple one. It is not a treatment for fever, yet a spinal adjustment is one of the best things you can do if your child has an elevated temperature. The immune system of our body is under the control of our nervous system.
By removing spinal and nervous system stress our bodies will work with greater efficiency than it did before. After a spinal adjustment fevers may go down, remain unchanged or may even raise if that is what the body needs.
We said before that all of us, children and adult alike, produce an infinite number of chemicals daily. Chemicals are produced to raise and lower our body temperature as needed. Our body creates thousands of its own medications including its own antibiotics and antiviral agents to fight infection. "It is truly the world's greatest drugstore and we should work with it, not against it, in order to promote healing" states Dr. H.M. Wright in New perspectives in medicine: The role of the nervous system in disease.(1963)
If you or someone you know suffers from Fever  9232 3393 to schedule an appointment with Action Health Centre TODAY!
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