A feverish child should stay in bed. But if the child has a communicable illness, such as chicken pox, the flu, or a serious virus, she should be kept away from other children until the contagious stage passes and the secretions have stopped, usually after five to eight days. Ibuprofen is better than acetaminophen for reducing a fever. According to Steinberg, however, some studies have shown that ibuprofen may be more effective at bringing higher temperatures down lower. Aspirin has been linked to Reye's syndrome, a serious viral illness that develops as flulike symptoms and can result in brain damage or, in some cases, death.
Teething causes infants to run a fever.
Although there's little medical evidence that teething causes a fever, many parents are convinced it does. Donna Radice-Toscano of Wyckoff, NJ, says teething caused her twins to run fevers. Although some doctors admit that a fever may be caused by a baby's inflamed gums, most claim that any rise in temperature is the result of a mild virus. Anna David is a freelance writer in Los Angeles. Adapted from an article published in the May 1996 issue of Parenting magazine.