Prep School Daily: When There Is No Children’s Tylenol: Prepping for Pediatric Fevers

Such interesting times we live in!

I don’t know about you, but the shortages of amoxicillin and Augmentin didn’t even make me blink. But children’s Tylenol? That just seems crazy to me. I guess it’s partly because pediatric fever reducers are an item every parent should always have on hand, right? Who wants the hassle of going to the pharmacy at midnight, when having a cheap and essential medication at home will save you loads of trouble? Apparently most people prefer it that way.

Those who have prepared for such circumstances have their pediatric meds on hand. Unfortunately, the liquid formulations have a short shelf life and long-term preparation for these needs is difficult. It could also happen that a family experiences their own personal epidemic with the whole tribe of children getting sick and in one shot the pediatric fever reducers are completely gone. I can’t imagine going to a pharmacy today and expecting to find any children’s Tylenol on the shelves. Pediatric ibuprofen is also in really short supply.

When will these items be back in stock? Who knows?

If I had small children, and especially infants, I’d be a bit concerned about using any of their medications now unless it was absolutely necessary. I’d be wondering about alternatives. And while I don’t have any small children anymore, I do have one little granddaughter at present. My own children were pretty healthy and their fevers responded well to medications. I never had to worry about reducing their fevers quickly. I got to wondering what my off-grid medical references had to say about reducing fevers.

Beyond administering medications, there was no mention of how to help reduce a fever!

So what do pediatricians recommend for helping to lower a child’s fever?

First off, let’s define what a fever is.

A temperature of 100.4°F or higher when taken rectally.

Child Fever Temperature Chart[1]

Age	Best Type of Thermometer	Temperature
0-2 years	Rectal	100.4°F
0-2 years	Armpit	99
2-5 years	Rectal	100.4
	Ear	100.4
	Armpit	99
5+ years	Ear	100.4
	Armpit	99
	Mouth	100

When does a child’s fever warrant contacting the pediatrician?

When the patient is 3 months of age or younger and the fever is 100.4°F or higher.
When the child is of any age and has repeated fevers of 104°F or higher.
When the child is 2 years old or younger and a fever of 100.4°F lasts more than 24 hours.
When the child is 2 years old or older and a fever of 100.4° lasts more than 3-5 days. (Some pediatricians say 3 days, some say 5 days.)[2]
When the feverish baby is fussy or crying and cannot be soothed.
When a fever-reducing medication doesn’t reduce the fever.[3]

However, most fevers really aren’t cause for concern. A fever occurs when the body’s defense system has been stimulated and white blood cells and macrophages are working overtime to kill the invading infection, thus raising the temperature. (Fevers may also occur in response to some medications, heat stroke, blood transfusion, brain disorders, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.[4])

Here is what pediatricians recommend for managing fevers in children:

Bathe in lukewarm water. Do not use cold water. (Cold water may induce shivering, which in turn will raise the body temperature.) Put 1-2 inches of lukewarm water in a basin or small tub. Place the child in the water and use a washcloth to apply water over the body. Also place the washcloth on the trunk of the body. The evaporation of the water will help cool the body. Allow 15-20 minutes for each bath.
Apply damp washcloths. Apply cool, damp washcloths to the forehead and wrists. Again, don’t use cold water to avoid the risk of inducing shivering. Do this for about 20 minutes at a time.
Fan the patient.
Increase fluid intake. Allow breastfeeding infants to nurse as much as possible. No water for babies under 6 months of age.
Allow a mild fever to run its course. If the patient isn’t uncomfortable, simply allowing the fever to run its course is a reasonable approach.
Monitor the fever. Regularly check the temperature every 2-3 hours. A rectal thermometer is most accurate for infants. Wait 20 minutes after a bath or feeding before taking the temperature. It is particularly important critical to monitor the temperature in children under 2 years of age.
Dress the child in light clothing, like cotton and linen.

What about febrile seizures? About 2-4% of children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years may experience febrile seizures. While they are alarming to the parents, febrile seizures are usually nothing to worry about. A febrile seizure does not mean the child has epilepsy, and while there is the chance that a febrile seizure will happen again, most children outgrow them by the age of 5 years. In addition, there is no evidence that treating the fever will reduce the risk of having a febrile seizure.[5] Also, a febrile seizure doesn’t necessarily cause the jerking movements observed in epilepsy. A febrile seizure may just look like the child has passed out.[6] If, however, the seizure lasts more than five minutes, immediate licensed medical attention should be sought.

The following herbs, prepared as herbal teas, may help reduce a fever and all are safe for use in even young children.

Catnip
Chamomile
Chokecherry
Spearmint

Caution. Do not administer aspirin to reduce a fever in children under the age of 12 years. The risk is the possibility of developing Reye syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease.

Do not use rubbing alcohol on the skin to reduce a fever. Some old folks still recommend the practice. The problem is that while rubbing alcohol will definitely lower a temperature, there is the very real risk of alcohol poisoning, and it can be fatal.

Links to related posts:

[1] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/kids-fevers-when-to-worry-when-to-relax/

[2] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/kids-fevers-when-to-worry-when-to-relax/

[3] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/kids-fevers-when-to-worry-when-to-relax/

[4] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/fever-in-children

[5] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/fever-in-children

[6] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/kids-fevers-when-to-worry-when-to-relax/