1 in 3 parents 'unnecessarily' giving children fever-reducing medication: survey

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During the winter months, parents may be particularly worried about their children falling ill, especially as flu season arrived early last year in Canada, and COVID-19 causes continuing concerns.

Doctors from the University of Michigan say a new survey they conducted indicates some parents are giving their kids painkillers when they don’t need it, explaining that a low-grade fever is part of the body’s natural immune response.

One in three parents may be “unnecessarily” giving children fever-reducing medication, according to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health, a U.S. national poll that surveys parents’ attitudes on a variety of topics by academics and doctors at the University of Michigan.

The hospital surveyed 1,376 parents of children under 12-years-old between August and September 2022, and found that about one-third of respondents said they would give their children painkillers for temperatures below 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, or 38 degrees Celsius.

Using medication to treat a fever at that grade is not recommended, pediatricians with the University said in a news brief on the study, published Feb. 20.

"Some parents may immediately rush to give their kids medicine but it's often better to let the fever run its course. Lowering a child's temperature doesn't typically help cure their illness any faster. In fact, a low-grade fever helps fight off the infection,” said Dr. Susan Woolford, co-director and pediatrician at Mott.

“There's also the risk of giving too much medication when it's not needed, which can have side effects,” she said in a statement in the news brief.

Woolford adds the method of determining a child’s fever can affect the accuracy of the reading.

In the survey, parents said they most commonly take their child’s temperature through a forehead scan (45 per cent) or by mouth (25 per cent). Less common methods included checking via the ear (13 per cent), the underarm (10 per cent) or through a rectal test (three per cent). Another four per cent said they check by seeing if their child is “hot to the touch.”

Fifty-six per cent said they felt confident in the method they use to measure body temperature.

Forehead readings can be inaccurate if the scanner is held too far away, or if a child’s forehead is sweaty. Earwax can interfere with ear readings, particularly in newborns, Woolford said, while rectal temperatures are most accurate for babies and young children.

For older children who can hold a thermometer in their mouths by themselves, that’s the more accurate method, she explained.

"Contact thermometers use electronic heat sensors to record body temperature, but temperatures may fluctuate depending on how it's measured," said Woolford. "Regardless of the device used, it's important that parents review the directions to ensure the method is appropriate for the child's age and that the device is placed correctly when measuring temperature.”

UNDERSTANDING FEVERS

Woolford says fevers are a part of the body’s immune system response. At a low-grade level, fevers work to kill a virus or bacteria, and fever-reducing medication could mask symptoms.

"Medications used to lower temperatures also treat pain, but pain is often a sign that helps to locate the source of an infection," she said. “By masking pain, a fever-reducing medication could delay diagnosis and treatment, and could cause a parent to take their child out into public where they could infect others.”

She adds there’s also a risk of overdose, especially in young kids.

Alternatives to  using medication include keeping the room cool, ensuring their child is resting, and staying hydrated, she said.

However, parents should be aware of signs that a doctor needs to be called or if their child should be taken to the hospital.

Parents with children four to 12 months old should contact their family doctor or healthcare provider if a fever is accompanied with decreased activity, increased fussiness and urinating less frequently. If a child has signs of pain, or if they aren’t acting like themselves even when a fever has gone down, parents should also call their doctor.

Contact your doctor right away if your child under two years old has a fever of 104 degrees Fahrenheit or 40 degrees Celsius for more than 24 hours. The same applies if your child is older than two and has a fever for more than three days in a row.