Fever:Friend or Foe

The one thing that makes every parent overly worried when their children get ill is when they get the fever, especially when the body temperature reaches 39 degrees Celsius or 102 degrees Farenheit. At the onset of fever, parents usually grab the available fever medicine, either the paracetamol, acetaminophen or ibuprofen and give this with dispatch to their sick child. I, myself, previously did the same thing whenever my children get the fever.

This practice which more often than not is made with the clearance of the child's pediatrician has been questioned by Lucy Burney, a noted Nutrition Consultant and children's health specialist from London who authored the book "Boost Your Child's Immune System" and whom I have repeatedly cited in my previous post. She explained that fever is an indication that your child is trying to burn off something which is not meant to be there. The fever produced to fight off the "intruders" is beneficial since high body temperature stimulates the immune system to produce more white blood cells. It also increases the heart rate so that white blood cells get delivered to the sites of infection more rapidly and their secretions increased. In fact, she encouraged parents to think twice before reaching for the Calpol since such medicines not only reduce the temperature and therefore, the child's immune activity, but also mask the symptoms so that the child temporarily feels better.

She cautioned, however, to differentiate a raised temperature from a temperature spiralling out of control, noting that fever has also its beneficial limit, espcially when it is accompanied by other symptoms such as rashes, difficulty in breathing or unnatural floppiness.

Heeding Ms. Burne's advice, I tried to avoid giving my children fever medicine and instead gave them homeopathic medicine to control the fever. At first, I was skeptical if homeopathy really works which relies on the principle of "like curing like" or the law of similars. Its founder, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician, started experimenting in 1790 with an extremely wide range of natural remedies, which were derived from animal, plant, mineral and biological raw material. The law of similars in homeopathy simply means that taking small quantities of a substance, which in far larger doses would produce the symptoms from which the person is suffering, can cure them. (Home Remedies, A guide to symptoms and cures, Dr. Caroline Shreve, 2003).

I have given my children Belladonna, a Homeopathic cure derived from a plant, which proved very effective in controlling my children's fevers. The Belladonna which I give my children is in powder form (Isabelle and Ilysse call it their salty medicine which they simply love) and like any medicine is given every 4 hours for fevers less than 38 degrees Celsius. But, if the fever becomes higher, doctors prescribe that it be given every hour. Administering this medicine, obviously, requires more time and attention, especially if it needs to be given every hour. But, at least, I am assured that it is safe and carries no side effects.

I started dabbling in homeopathy 3 years ago and was surprised to find out that we have medical doctors in the Philippines engaged in such practice. The first doctor I went to was Dr. Liberty Santos of Intercare. Intercare has branches in Makati, Greenhills and Alabang. There is also Dr. Divina Hey-Gonzales, another Filipino homeopathic doctor, who holds clinic at 24 Mahusay St., UP Village, Quezon City and can be reached at (632) 928 5386. If you live in the Makati area, the best homeopathic doctor to see is Dr. Cricket Palanca-Chen who holds clinic at the Medical Plaza (beside Makati Medical Center). She can be reached at (632) 844 9185.

I have to admit that I still get the jitters whenever my children get the fever. Who wouldn't, especially in this time when we see new kinds of diseases sprouting all over? I guess, as parents, we just have to rely on our own intuition on what is best for our children, whether this be through administering them homeopathic medicine or the ever reliable fever medicine.