Q. When should I bring my child to the doctor when he/she is sick?
A. If you are concerned that they have more than a common cold, if their cold hasn't resolved in 1 week, if
they have a fever longer than a couple days in a row.
Q. What should I do if my child has a cold?
A. Make sure it doesn't seem like they have a fever, Make sure the child is getting lots of fluids (breast
milk or other liquids like Pedialyte) so that they are still making regular wet diapers or urinating regularly,
Allow the opportunity for rest as much as necessary. Common colds should get better on their own
without needing to do much else.
There are a few treatments that the Naturopath at the Hawthorne Wellness Center, Dr. Kelly Owens,
recommends for support when a child is sick to support the body's immune system during illness, and
these approaches make sense to me. One treatment for the child is called "hydrotherapy", which is a
treatment that uses warm water to improve circulation to different parts of the body. Here is a link to a
handout for one technique that is supposed to be good for nasal congestion.
If the mom is breast feeding Dr. Owens frequently recommends mom can take a product called "Bio-Veg"
which is some immune supportive herbs and enzymes, I believe; it is made in the NW and she has made it
available for purchase at the Hawthorne Wellness Center. For kids who are no longer breast feeding,
there is a product called Phyto-guard, which is also locally made and has immune supportive herbs, and
also made available for purchase by Dr. Owens.
Q. How do I know if my baby has a fever? (or adult)
A. If they feel warm/hot to you, you should take their temperature in their armpit or their rectum. 100.5
degrees Fahrenheit or more is considered a fever taken by either method. If the armpit temp is on the
border, some people add 1 degree to the armpit temp, but technically only a rectal temperature taken is
precise. I recommend one of the fast 6 second thermometers. I do not recommend the ear or forehead
thermometers because they are not accurate. Big people can do it the old fashioned way – under the
tongue, 100.5 is also a fever in adults.
Q. When should I give Tylenol or Motrin?
A. If it seems like the child is very uncomfortable from their illness or from some discomfort they are going
through, then it would make sense to give them some pain relief, otherwise the fever itself is thought to be
part of the healing process and reducing it might slow down that natural process. If the child has a high
fever above 104, it would probably make sense to give on of the above medicines (note: if the child has
had febrile seizures before, I would give the medicine for all fevers).
Q. How high is too high for a fever?
A. It is very rare that a fever itself is at risk of harming us – brain damage happens at 107-108 degrees
Fahrenheit. The risk of a seizure associated with a fever becomes higher at 105-106 degreed Fahrenheit
–though interestingly, these types of seizures are not thought to be harmful…that being said, I would
probably give some Tylenol at 105 or 106 degrees.
Q. What is the dose of Tylenol (acetaminophen) for my infant?
A. It is 10-15mg Tylenol for every 1 kg naked weight, taken every 6-8 hours as needed (so it requires
some math!) This is not on the bottle because it is recommended you have your baby checked out by the
doctor if they have a fever for more than a couple days (though as of 2012 the FDA made a decision to
put these instructions on the box, so this may now already no longer be an issue).
Q. What is the infant dose for Motrin (ibuprofen)?
A. For infants 6 mos old or greater, the dose is 5-10mg/kg every 6-8 hours (lower dose for fever under
102.5, higher dose for fever >102.5
Q. What do I do if my child has stomach flu (a bug that causes vomiting or diarrhea or both)?
A. Focus on maintaining adequate hydration while it passes through their body (which can take 1 week);
they will often have a fever during this time.
-You can buy or make Pedialyte; the recipe is 5 teaspoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in 1 Liter water.
-Focus on liquids only; do not worry about giving any solid food at all; start with small quantities of liquid -
sips first and increase the volume slowly, if you give a large amount of fluid at once, the child may vomit.
-Warning signs that the child is dehydrated are: lethargic or tired and not easily waking up; you can check
the inside of the cheeks and if it's dry and pasty, this is also a sign of dehydration; if your child appears
dehydrated despite your attempts at oral hydration, you should go to the ER so that they can give some IV
fluids.