My son has been getting a fever of 103 every 10 days. It lasts for 4-5 days. Any ideas?


Question:
The doctors say it is just a virus...we think it is something more serious.

Answers:
Fever in Children - A Blessing in Disguise by Dr. Mercola
Fever is not a disease but rather a symptom of an illness.


Childhood fevers frighten grownups.
Fever is maligned and misunderstood.
Controversy surrounding the management of fever causes anxiety for parents, because they are not completely sure what to do when their child has one.
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It may help parents to remember that fever is only one part of the picture of an illness. In fact, for children under eight years of age, and especially for infants, the severity of a fever is an unreliable indicator of the severity of the child's illness. For example, infants and toddlers can be very sick with a low or even subnormal temperature. Conversely, children three to eight years old can be running about quite cheerfully with a fairly impressive fever.
Fever increases the amount of interferon (a natural antiviral and anticancer substance) in the blood. A mild fever also increases the white blood cells that kill cells infected with viruses, fungi, and cancer, and improves the ability of certain white blood cells to destroy bacteria and infected cells. Fever also impairs the replication of many bacteria and viruses.

Bottom line: A moderate fever is a friend, but not one you want to spend a lot of time with. So it makes sense to avoid suppressing moderate fevers with drugs, while continuing to monitor your child for dramatic increases in temperature and worsening of any other of his symptoms. more

Fever
Conventional doctors have been taught to treat every symptom that comes to their attention. For instance, medication is often prescribed to reduce childhood fever. Yet fever is the body's mechanism for destroying viruses and bacteria. "If we do no more than take the edge off the fever to make the child comfortable," says Dr. Smith, "we may be prolonging the illness."

According to Dr. Moskowitz, producing a fever is one of the signs of a healthy child. The remedies Dr.Moskowitz recommends do not take away fever, but rather help the immnue system to finish it's job of healing. These remedies may include Aconite, Belladonna, Ferrum Phosphate, Gelsemium, Pulsatilla and Bryonia.

Dr. Sodhi also considers a fever below 102 F to be beneficial in a child, and he does not like to give children medication such as aspirin or tylenol for it. He does recommend a light, nutritious diet, and cold sponging or homeopathic remedies such as Belladona, Aconite and Sulfur.

According to Dr. Ni, traditional Chinese medicine treats a fever by inducing sweating and treating the accompanying infection. A hot bath can be used to induce a fever.

David Hoffman believes that a fever may be beneficial in a young child, and that a low-grade fever does not need to be reduced. The child should be given a lot of support and comfort along with plenty of fluids. Herbal teas such as peppermint, elder flower and even yarrow will help the body cope with the fever, but will not surpress it the way aspirin does.
I would DEFINITELY get a second opinion. Go to the ER if necessary, a fever should NOT last that long.


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