Dietary Tips to Help Alleviate a Fever

Although normal body temperature is generally thought of as 98.6°F (37°C), human temperature may vary over the course of the day by as much as two degrees. Most people can feel a difference in their body temperature that they will call a fever once it reaches about 101°F (38.5°C).

Old School
You must do all it takes to bring down a child’s temperature.
New Wisdom
Making a feverish child comfortable is much more important than reducing fever.

Fever is not a disease in itself but a symptom of an underlying problem, most commonly an infection. A fever is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as sweating, shivering, thirst, flushed skin, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. A fever alone does not necessarily require treatment. It is one of the body’s natural ways of fighting disease and should not be suppressed unless very high or accompanied by other symptoms.

Nutrition Connection
The following dietary tips will help alleviate a fever:
-Drink lots of fluids. Sweating, diarrhea, and vomiting may all accompany a fever, which can cause dehydration. Drink at least eight glasses of fluid daily. This includes water, fruit juice, herbal teas, and even frozen fruit juice bars. -Quickly add fluids for babies. Note that infants may get dehydrated very quickly because they have a large body surface in proportion to their fluid volume. When babies have high temperatures, parents should give frequent bottles of plain water or a commercial infant rehydration product. You can easily make your own rehydrating solution by dissolving ½ cup (118 mL) of baby rice cereal in 2 cups (473 mL) of water with ¼ Tbsp (4 mL) of salt. The mixture should be thick but pourable and drinkable.
-Don’t starve a fever. If you feel like eating, eat. There is no medical basis for the saying “Feed a cold and starve a fever.” If anything, you need more calories than normal if you have a raised temperature because your metabolic rate rises as the fever rises.
-Try the BRAT diet. Eat bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast for fever-related diarrhea. When diarrhea is a problem, solid foods should be avoided until the bowels stabilize. Then, small servings of bland foods, such as ripe bananas, applesauce, white toast dipped in chicken or beef broth, chicken-rice soup, rice cereals, or boiled or poached eggs can be eaten.

Beyond the Diet
Several strategies can help address fever. Here are a few suggestions:
-Let low-grade fever work itself out. According to some experts, aggressive treatment of a fever may interfere with the body’s immune response. Keep in mind that many viruses and bacteria thrive at normal body temperatures, and thus a fever may be the body’s way of dealing with the virus.
-Try over-the-counter (OTC) medications. OTC drugs such as acetaminophen or aspirin are recommended for lowering high fevers. However, aspirin should not be given to anyone under the age of 18 without a doctor’s approval; if given during a viral infection, aspirin increases the risk of developing Reye’s syndrome, a potentially life-threatening disease affecting the brain and liver.
-Get enough rest. Sleep and rest help the body recuperate and fight off viruses.
-Stay cool, but don’t get cold. Keep the room temperature comfortable, but avoid making conditions too cool, which may cause shivers and in turn raise body temperature.
-If the fever is persistent, see a doctor. In general, a child or an adult under 60 with a fever above 103°F (39.5°C) should seek immediate medical attention. Any fever of 101°F (38.5°C) that lasts longer than 3 days, or or is higher than that and is accompanied by severe headache, nausea, vomiting, a stiff neck, a change in alertness, or hypersensitivity to light requires medical attention.
-Don’t delay treatment for infants and the elderly. Infants under 3 months of age with a fever higher than 100°F (38°C) and adults over 60 with a fever over 102°F (39°C) need medical attention.