A Mother's Guide to Raising Healthy Children--Naturally (12 page)

BOOK: A Mother's Guide to Raising Healthy Children--Naturally

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Page 58

Naturopathic physician Frank Ervolino of Seattle, Washington, shares his experiences treating children with fevers. The father of two young children, Dr. Ervolino received his training from Bastyr University in Seattle.

"Fever is that mystical demon that makes one earn the right to be called a parent. Fevers almost always occur on Saturday or Sunday night, when parents are essentially on their own. I remember getting a call late one Saturday night from a neighbor whose child was suddenly very ill. There was a tone of urgency to her voice. 'Frank, Kayla is very sick and I'm very concerned. She's got a fever, I think.' To a doctor, the determination of a fever is a black-or-white issue; either you have a fever or you don't. I asked, 'Did you take her temperature?' 'No' was her sheepish reply.

"If there is one thing a parent should have on hand, it is a formidable array of thermometers. Forget all the fancy backpacks and early child development gizmos. Get yourself a digital ear thermometer and a couple of mercury thermometers, as well as one of the new gadgets like a pacifier thermometer. Taking the temperature is the parents' responsibility, and it gives them a wealth of information they and their doctor can use.

"I went to Kayla's house and found her lying quietly in her bed with a red face and a very hot forehead. I took her temperature, and it wasn't easy. I was using an ear thermometer, and as soon as I tried to put it in her ear for the required two seconds, she suddenly came alive, screaming and thrashing about.

"The first thing that crossed my mind was an ear infection, and the second was delirium. The mother held her down, and I took my reading . . . 104 degrees. I told the mother, and she started to get an ashen look on her face. She asked, 'Should I take her to the emergency room?' I told her to relax. I explained that even though her daughter was very sick, her body's immune system was doing its job.

"Then the dad arrived and expressed his concern. 'What about that temperature? Is it too high?' I told him, 'No, it's OK for a child to have a temperature as high as 105 degrees, but at 104 degrees we should be doing something like using cool compresses to help her remain comfortable.' Kayla's father applied cool compresses while I wrote instructions for Mom to take her temperature at least every half hour, and to administer some catnip tea, which would keep the fever at a more acceptable level, under 104 degrees.

Page 59

"A fever is a change in the body's temperature set point, and it is mainly brought on by the white blood cells attacking a bacterial infection in the body. As the bacteria is destroyed, interleukin-1 is released into the bloodstream and is then detected in the brain, causing the brain's thermostat to be turned up. It is a sign of a very active immune system.

"In viral infections, it is thought that the fever raises the body's temperature to a level that harms the virus's ability to stay alive. A fever is not a sign of deterioration of a child's condition. In a mild illness, the child will appear alert and active, and be able to smile and eat. Moderately ill children will be fussy or irritable but consolable. Severely ill children will appear listless, cannot be consoled, will not eat; they may be vomiting or have abdominal distention, mild delirium, and even seizures. Severely ill children need to be under a physician's care.

"Danger signs for a fever are a temperature over 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit; the child acts confused, loses consciousness, starts to twitch, or seems hot on one side of the body and cold on the other.

"What happened to Kayla? I got a call from her mom the next day, and she was still running that high fever. I gave her some elder flower syrup, which is a medicine children will take while sick, and some Chinese herbal medicine. The elder flower syrup is used to mask the taste of the Chinese herbs. I called again that evening, and Kayla was still very ill with a high temperature. I went to their house and prepared some herbal tea for her condition and gave it to her as an enema. An herbal enema is the best way to dose a very sick young child. It rehydrates them, gives them about a three-day dose of herbs, and is absorbed by the intestines very quickly. Her parents were amazed at how compliant she wasand how it didn't make a mess. She actually absorbed a half-cup of tea. I use those little blue syringe bulbs they send home with a new baby from the hospital, and a little olive oil to lube the opening.

"The next day I got a call from the parents; Kayla's fever had broken and she was doing very well. If the fever does not break in a reasonable amount of time, I will use acetaminophen to break it. It is a very good use for an otherwise overused medicinal.

"You want the child to have a fever for a while. If you break it right away, you confuse the immune system, and you can get an echo pattern wherein the child is intermittently sick all winter. I see this all the time in

Page 60

my practice, and it is very hard to resolve. I also feel that parents who are fear-based in their approach to fever, and exercise too much control over the child's body, transfer that fear to the child.

"Grief and fear are the emotions of the lungs and kidneys in Chinese medicine; these two organs are often behind allergies and asthma. Asthma is on the rise in young children in America so much that HMOs are alarmed and seeking new ways to address asthma. I feel that a parent who educates himself or herself on how to deal with the child in times of illness will give the child a certain confidence. That calm confidence may prevent negative emotions from having an adverse effect on the child's life."