Help, my child has a fever!

Anna's forehead is glowing. The seven-year-old looks pale and sleepy. The clinical thermometer reads 39.6 degrees. Anna's mum is worried and quickly gives her daughter a fever syrup to bring her temperature down. Then she packs her up and takes her to the paediatrician.

This is how many parents react when their child has a fever. «In paediatric practices, but also in emergency departments, children's fever is one of the most common reasons for visiting the doctor,» says Dr Benedikt Huber, Head Physician at the Centre for Integrative Paediatrics at Fribourg Cantonal Hospital. This is very often due to the parents' fear that the fever could rise uncontrollably, harm the child and, in extreme cases, even lead to death. «This is a crazy myth that unfortunately persists,» says Huber.

Fever is a healthy protective reaction to actively support the body's healing process.

Normally, the body temperature of school-age children is between 36.5 and 37.4 degrees Celsius and changes only slightly throughout the day. Heat production is controlled by the brain, which uses various finely tuned mechanisms such as sweating and freezing to ensure that the body temperature remains largely constant. However, if an infection occurs, the body increases its temperature in order to cope better with the pathogens. «Above 37.5 degrees Celsius, the temperature is considered elevated,» says the paediatrician. «Above 38 degrees is called a fever.» The best way to measure this is with a digital clinical thermometer in the anus. However, modern ear and forehead thermometers also generally provide reliable results.

«Fever is a training camp for the immune system»

Fever is therefore not a disease, but a symptom. «Viruses and bacteria hate fever,» emphasises Huber. «Even a slight increase in temperature has a negative effect on the growth and development of harmful germs.» Fever is therefore a healthy protective reaction to actively support the body's healing process. «Fever is also an important training tool for a strong immune system,» adds the Fribourg paediatrician. «This is because children's immune systems are still comparatively inexperienced and still need a lot of practice to mature.»

This is another reason why children react to harmless infections such as colds much more frequently and with a higher temperature than adults. «However, with every feverish infection, the immune system learns to eliminate pathogens more quickly and effectively, so that the child gets sick less and less often over time,» says Huber, adding that in the vast majority of cases, childhood fevers are caused by banal viral infections. Typical examples are colds, flu or gastrointestinal illnesses. «The body basically has to deal with viruses itself,» explains Huber. «Antibiotics don't help here."

But bacteria can also cause feverish infections. They need to be targeted and treated in good time and according to the situation. "In uncomplicated cases, we always try to avoid the use of antibiotics,» emphasises the paediatrician. «It is often enough to treat the symptoms and allow the fever to subside.» In this context, it is important for parents to know that they should not be afraid of the fever rising uncontrollably without fever-reducing measures. «Fever build-up is a very precisely regulated process,» says Huber. «It takes place in three phases, each of which follows on from the next.»

The rise in temperature

When a fever rises, the body follows the increased target temperature. In order to reach the new target body temperature, the organism reduces the release of heat through the skin, increases the metabolism and utilises muscle work. «The skin now turns pale, hands and feet feel cool, the head glows, the child starts to feel cold and may even get chills,» says the paediatrician. During this phase, it can help to actively support the child's temperature development. This usually happens quite intuitively. «The child should be covered with a warm blanket during this phase, and a hot water bottle or warm tea can also be offered.»

The fever plateau

The target fever temperature is reached in the plateau phase. The actual and target values are now back in balance and hands and feet become warm again. «If the child is basically well and perhaps even playing, you don't actually have to do much in this phase,» explains the Fribourg paediatrician. «What's important now is plenty of rest, lots to drink and loving care.» However, if the child is in pain, painkillers can also be given. «Paracetamol and ibuprofen also have a fever-reducing effect,» emphasises Huber. «Nevertheless, you shouldn't do without them if necessary so that the child doesn't have to suffer.»

The drop in temperature

In this phase, the body lowers the temperature again. Heat must be released to do this. «Hands and feet are now very warm and the whole body is sweating,» emphasises Huber. «Now lukewarm calf compresses can help to gently support the cooling process. You should also drink plenty of fluids to compensate for the increased fluid requirement.»

Complementary medical support

Even though you often read in magazines that certain remedies such as «Belladonna» or «Aconitum» work well against fevers, Dr Martine Jus, lecturer in homeopathy and director of the SHI House of Homeopathy in Zug, cannot support this general advice. «There is no homeopathic remedy that helps across the board against fevers,» emphasises the experienced homeopath. «This is because every organism reacts individually and must therefore be treated individually."

The selection of the appropriate homeopathic remedy is complex and depends on many different symptoms and signs - fever is just one of them. It is therefore often difficult for the homeopathic layperson to find the right remedy themselves without guidance. "I therefore advise parents who want to treat their child homeopathically to seek advice from a well-trained homeopath,» adds Stephan Kressibucher, lecturer in homeopathy and practice manager at SHI. «A homeopathic practice should be visited for this. There is also a 24-hour emergency service at SHI for acute cases.»

Fever formation is a process that takes place in three phases. These follow on from each other.

However, if the fever is the main symptom of a simple infection, you can wait and see. «Ideally, the child should be given plenty of rest now, the TV should stay off and mobile phones, tablets and the like should disappear into the drawer,» emphasises Kressibucher. «This is because emotionally exciting content puts too much strain on the sick child's organism at this time.» If boredom does indeed arise without electronic devices, attention and reading aloud or telling a good story can provide the necessary distraction.

When to see a doctor?

In the vast majority of cases, it is therefore sufficient to give the feverish child plenty of bed rest and look after them lovingly at home. In most cases, the child will recover on its own after just a few days. If infants are affected or if the child's general condition deteriorates, or if there is dehydration, respiratory or consciousness disorders or a prolonged fever lasting more than three to five days, Huber advises consulting a paediatrician or outpatient clinic for further clarification.