Tag Archives: fever

Avoiding the Flu

If you’ve been watching the news, you know the flu is a serious health issue this season.  I know in Memphis, the school system sent home a note about how to avoid the flu.  But, it is nationwide.  Actor Burt Reynolds was hospitalized in the ICU due to severe hydration from the flu. So, what can you do to protect yourself?  The government has set up a website (http://www.flu.gov) with tips to help you make it safely through the season. The number one thing suggested by experts is to get vaccinated.  The vaccination is available for children as young as … Continue reading →

Mother’s Day Extended

Posted on by

My wife looked forward to Mother’s Day this year. Last year our son was largely a mystery to us but she felt his presence through kicks and viewed it through the necessity for a different type of clothing (maternity). This year our son is crawling, sprawling, crying, laughing, talking and playing. Mother’s Day was sure to be a joyous occasion. My son even helped me pick out flowers to be delivered to Mom on the special day. While there was much to be happy about, Mother’s Day extended long past Sunday this year. It all started Saturday night. My son … Continue reading →

Protect your Ears

Our trip to the doctor’s office today was spurred by continued sick days with our son. He has been waking up with 103 degree temperatures, been nursing every 30 minutes each night, and fluctuating between our normal, happy baby and an uncomfortable, unhappy, baby boy. Not only has this sickness adversely affected our son but it has also required me to miss two days of classes. Mom hasn’t been sleeping because of his desire to nurse every 30 minutes. Perhaps most difficult for Mom and Dad is seeing their little man being in pain and unhappy. We’d had enough! So … Continue reading →

Amazing Sick Day

You know that you’ve angered someone, somewhere, when you wake up after a restful night of sleep and your child is whimpering with a temperature of 103. I’m not sure who I upset but my son was not a happy camper mid-week and this has certainly had its effect on the remainder of the week and my ability to do all sorts of things. There are lots of bad things when you have a sick child. Lots. You have to reschedule your life around the baby. You have to quickly figure out who’s going to skip work (or what babysitter … Continue reading →

Swine Flu and Fear: the Doctor’s Verdict

Yesterday, I had swine flu on my mind — I’ve been running a low-grade temperature since Wednesday, and was worried that it was an indicator of something serious. I decided yesterday that if I still had a fever today (Saturday), I’d go to the local walk-in clinic. I woke up this morning still feeling that old familiar body ache and headache. A check of the digital thermometer showed that sure enough, I was still running a fever. Off to the clinic I went! There was a big sign on the door saying that if a patient was experiencing a cough … Continue reading →

First Aid: Dealing With a Fever

A fever means your body is trying to fight an infection. If you have a fever, you may feel: Warm or hot — but often without sweat. Chills. The temperature inside your body can be very different from the temperature in the room! Achy. When I have a fever, my joints ache. For other people, the ache may be all over or only in certain places. Headachy. A fever almost always comes with a headache for me! Fuzzy-headed or easily distracted. Treating a fever doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some things you can do at home to treat … Continue reading →

Pain Medicine: Acetaminophen

As an alternative to aspirin, acetaminophen has been around a long time! The FDA approved acetaminophen in 1951. This medicine is both analgesic (pain reliever) and antipyretic (fever reducer). You may know acetaminophen as: Tylenol and others — more than 200 medications include acetaminophen. How does it work? Acetaminophen relieves pain by elevating the pain threshold — in other words, it takes more pain for you to feel the discomfort. Acetaminophen reduces fever by telling the heat regulating part of the brain to cool things down when the body’s temperature is above normal. Acetaminophen is available in many different forms, … Continue reading →

Feed a fever, starve a cold?

Or was it starve a fever and feed a cold? Is it chicken soup, or pile on more blankets? What’s a mother to do when someone gets sick? We get all kinds of advice from well meaning sources. But sometimes it’s best to listen to our own common sense and instincts. If someone has a fever their body is showing a reaction to its battle with an infection. If the fever is just slight (below 101 degrees) you really don’t need to do anything. When it gets higher than that it’s advisable to try and gently bring it down. The … Continue reading →

Chills

A quick shiver is your body’s natural response to cold temperatures. When you actually have the chills, this is often your body’s warning that a fever is on the way. Your body is fighting an infection by raising your temperature at the core; your skin can start to feel colder as blood is diverted away from the skin. You may even shiver with the chills. Doctors say that most cases of the chills last only fifteen minutes before a fever becomes evident. Any infection could give you a chill… but the flu is one of the most common culprits. So … Continue reading →

When Should You Not Vaccinate Your Baby

When it comes to vaccination, it’s ideal if every baby gets them, but there are some babies who shouldn’t be vaccinated. The following describe some situations and conditions where you should not vaccinate your baby (be sure to always consult your pediatrician on the following): Allergies to Gelatin or to antibiotics like polymixin B, streptomycin and neomycin in your baby? Be sure to consult with your pediatrician so they can do tests to identify some alternative vaccines Illness, whether moderate or severe, including vomiting and high fever are good indicators that you should wait before getting your baby vaccinated; if … Continue reading →