When to treat a fever?

I try not to give my kids medicine for a fever unless they are truly uncomfortable. I am sure there have been times when their fevers were at 100 degrees and I didn't even know it. I do treat them if they are achy and have a headache-sometimes a low grade fever goes along with that. When do you give your kids acetaminophen/ibuprofen?

FROM ABC: Treating fevers in children is a rite of passage for all parents, but the latest advice from experts may surprise you. It says that 98.6 is a number that's over-valued.

For the first time, the American Academy of Pediatrics has released guidelines for parents and health care professionals on how to deal with fevers in children. It says that if you give your child Advil or Tylenol for a one hundred degree temperature, then you have "fever phobia."

That's because mild fevers are *not* harmful and don't need to be treated aggressively. Fever is a common symptom in children, but a fever helps the body fight infection and should be treated to improve a child's level of comfort-- not to restore normal body temperature. This advice does not apply to children with certain chronic conditions or to children under three months of age-- who should be taken to the doctor if they have a fever. But for other youngsters-- the bottom line is don't treat a fever just because it's there.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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New Children's Fever Reducer

I have the generic brands.. but I actually think this is pretty smart of Triaminic.

FROM NBC: Drugmaker Novartis is capitalizing on the recent recall of Children's Tylenol -- and marketing its new Children's Triaminic fever reducer and pain reliever directly to parents.

The marketing campaign urges moms and dads to "restock their medicine cabinet" -- alluding to the fact that so many had to empty their homes of infant and children's Tylenol due to recent recalls. Novartis, which makes cough and cold medications, had already been developing a fever medicine when the liquid Tylenol recall was announced months ago.

Generic versions are available, but reportedly in low supply in some areas of the country. Novartis will give away 250-thousand bottles of its new Triaminic fever reducer through a rebate program in august. Details are on the Triaminic website.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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