Seizures From Fevers Don't Cause Brain Injury
Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 8:02 pm
The below is my experience and also what I have been taught in nursing
school.............
"The fever-induced convulsions that some young children suffer appear to
have no long-term impact on their brain functioning.'
" It is important to realize that fever reducing drugs have never been
shown to reduce the chances of having a seizure. One reason for this is
that seizures are usually caused by a rapid rise in temperature, not from a
high fever. So by the time a high fever is discovered, the risk of a
seizure has already passed." (or I would add, a rapid fall)
http://www.mercola.com/2001/jul/21/fevers.htm
Seizures From Fevers Don't Cause Brain Injury
The fever-induced convulsions that some young children suffer appear to
have no long-term impact on their brain functioning. However, there is a
risk of developmental problems when infants suffer the seizures.
Fever-induced seizures, or febrile convulsions, affect up to 4% of children
by age 5.
The possible long-term consequences for children's brain development and
school achievement have been unclear. Some research has suggested that
children who experience prolonged or recurrent febrile convulsions are at
higher-than-average risk for mental retardation and behavioral problems. In
sharp contrast, other studies have found these children to perform better
on tests of intelligence and academic skills.
This latest research bolsters the findings of the latter studies, showing
that children with a history of fever-induced seizures actually
outperformed other kids in tests of memory and learning capacity.
The exception was for children who suffered febrile convulsions before the
age of 1. These children were at increased risk for deficits in mental
abilities.
This study provides "reassuring data" that fever-induced convulsions have
no lasting impact on most children's memory.
However, it also reinforces the concern that during infancy, these seizures
may injure certain brain cells and lead to more profound dysfunction.
The 'take home' message is that most febrile seizures do not adversely
affect global measures of intelligence, nor do they harm more specific
functions such as memory, in children older than 1 year of age.
Neurology July 10, 2001;57:7-8,37-42
Dr. Mercola's Comment:
It is absolutely amazing how infrequently your children will get sick when
they are following the food choice program. We all know that it is far
easier to prevent an illness than to treat it.
A fever is a backup defense mechanism when our primary ones fail. Good
food, adequate rest and the ability to handle stresses are the primary ones.
I would also advise avoiding most all of the anti-fever medications unless
your child is absolutely miserable or the fever is over 105. It is
important to realize that fever reducing drugs have never been shown to
reduce the chances of having a seizure. One reason for this is that
seizures are usually caused by a rapid rise in temperature, not from a high
fever. So by the time a high fever is discovered, the risk of a seizure has
already passed.
The article below is one of the most comprehensive articles to date that I
have reviewed on this important topic. Many families with young children
will want to print this article out or bookmark it so you can have it to
refer to in the future.
The second article, by Dr. Incao, is also a classic and strongly recommended.
It is important to realize that fever reducing drugs have never been shown
to reduce the chances of having a seizure. One reason for this is that
seizures are usually caused by a rapid rise in temperature, not from a high
fever. So by the time a high fever is discovered, the risk of a seizure has
already passed.
**********
"There is so much that we have been taught that needs to be questioned
seriously. Fevers do not ultimately end in seizures for most children.
Tepid baths are less dangerous than the drugs. But usually nothing is
needed at all. The fever is SO necessary when ill and you are not helping
your child by trying to lower it in most instances. And siezures rarely
happen with a slow rising, maintaining fever - its usually those that shoot
up real fast - but that doesn't mean always (or when you use things to
lower them and the fever goes down fast).
And life has pain and it really isn't a good thing to always totally try
and take away the pain. I know this sounds cruel, but think about it. I
know you don't want your child to suffer, but if it Tylenol, etc, are going
to damage their liver, what sense is that. And sometimes we just overreact
thinking there is tons of pain when there isn't. It is really hard though
to step back when you are the parent.
Sickness is necessary and may be the way that your immune system needs to
respond in order to heal or detoxify, but it is
important to deal with the ailment in the most, best method.
Homeopathc remedies do what the immune system is trying to accomplish
without interfering with the method to enhance and support the health. When
the remedy is the correct chose, it may not, and often does not, remove a
fever, but makes it more productive. The fever may raise but the patient
seems more relaxed and is able to rest. The remedy may cause the cough
that is dry (such as in pneumonia) to become loose in order to move and
exit the system in its proper mannerto release the fluid from the lungs.
It may bring on a runny nose in a baby that is screaming with an ear
infection. The runny nose is a proper response in order remove the fluid
that is infecting the inner ear. It may bring a chronic asthmatic back
into the bronchitis type symptoms that were "suppressed" years back with
antibiotics or a vaccination.
Most people believe that they should avoid all illness or that they should
stop a fever or a cough or a pain as it is being experienced. Illness is
necessary in order to release the infection and to strengthen the system.
Health is often in the perspective of the observer. Health is not equated
with the "absence of disease", it is a "Vibrancy of life and living" or
'freedom to be who you were meant to be. Many people today feel that
stopping a symptom or not expericening a symptom is "health". "I never get
the flu or a cold", I often hear most chronic aliment suffers will tell me.
Most times when someone does not experience illness it is because they are:
1.) extremely healthy being vibrant in all ways,
a.) pure organic diet
b.) healthy pure water
c.) high energy levels high
d.) exercising in mild to moderate methods
2.) having no weakness in the area of the symptoms of that particular
illness (no susceptibility to it); or
3.) are so ill with an overwhelming chronic illness, that their immune
system has no time to respond to the mild or moderate symptom of a cold or
flu, chicken pox, measles, whooping cough because it is overworked dealing
with the life threatening problem.
Allopathic vaccination actually works by invoking the third reason that I
had listed above. There is only a very small percentage of the world's
population that is representative of #1, the vibrant health catagory. Most
often when you do not experience the symptoms of the cold or flu that is
going around it is because you are not weak in the organs effected by that
virus (or susceptible). So if you are ill with the smptoms it is because
you need to clear or cleanse that organ system. Homeopathy will support you
in that method. It aids the system to muster the chemistry that is
necessary to heal and clear without having to expericense all of the
symptoms that are needed to trigger the pharmacy response that the body
needs in order to do so.
school.............
"The fever-induced convulsions that some young children suffer appear to
have no long-term impact on their brain functioning.'
" It is important to realize that fever reducing drugs have never been
shown to reduce the chances of having a seizure. One reason for this is
that seizures are usually caused by a rapid rise in temperature, not from a
high fever. So by the time a high fever is discovered, the risk of a
seizure has already passed." (or I would add, a rapid fall)
http://www.mercola.com/2001/jul/21/fevers.htm
Seizures From Fevers Don't Cause Brain Injury
The fever-induced convulsions that some young children suffer appear to
have no long-term impact on their brain functioning. However, there is a
risk of developmental problems when infants suffer the seizures.
Fever-induced seizures, or febrile convulsions, affect up to 4% of children
by age 5.
The possible long-term consequences for children's brain development and
school achievement have been unclear. Some research has suggested that
children who experience prolonged or recurrent febrile convulsions are at
higher-than-average risk for mental retardation and behavioral problems. In
sharp contrast, other studies have found these children to perform better
on tests of intelligence and academic skills.
This latest research bolsters the findings of the latter studies, showing
that children with a history of fever-induced seizures actually
outperformed other kids in tests of memory and learning capacity.
The exception was for children who suffered febrile convulsions before the
age of 1. These children were at increased risk for deficits in mental
abilities.
This study provides "reassuring data" that fever-induced convulsions have
no lasting impact on most children's memory.
However, it also reinforces the concern that during infancy, these seizures
may injure certain brain cells and lead to more profound dysfunction.
The 'take home' message is that most febrile seizures do not adversely
affect global measures of intelligence, nor do they harm more specific
functions such as memory, in children older than 1 year of age.
Neurology July 10, 2001;57:7-8,37-42
Dr. Mercola's Comment:
It is absolutely amazing how infrequently your children will get sick when
they are following the food choice program. We all know that it is far
easier to prevent an illness than to treat it.
A fever is a backup defense mechanism when our primary ones fail. Good
food, adequate rest and the ability to handle stresses are the primary ones.
I would also advise avoiding most all of the anti-fever medications unless
your child is absolutely miserable or the fever is over 105. It is
important to realize that fever reducing drugs have never been shown to
reduce the chances of having a seizure. One reason for this is that
seizures are usually caused by a rapid rise in temperature, not from a high
fever. So by the time a high fever is discovered, the risk of a seizure has
already passed.
The article below is one of the most comprehensive articles to date that I
have reviewed on this important topic. Many families with young children
will want to print this article out or bookmark it so you can have it to
refer to in the future.
The second article, by Dr. Incao, is also a classic and strongly recommended.
It is important to realize that fever reducing drugs have never been shown
to reduce the chances of having a seizure. One reason for this is that
seizures are usually caused by a rapid rise in temperature, not from a high
fever. So by the time a high fever is discovered, the risk of a seizure has
already passed.
**********
"There is so much that we have been taught that needs to be questioned
seriously. Fevers do not ultimately end in seizures for most children.
Tepid baths are less dangerous than the drugs. But usually nothing is
needed at all. The fever is SO necessary when ill and you are not helping
your child by trying to lower it in most instances. And siezures rarely
happen with a slow rising, maintaining fever - its usually those that shoot
up real fast - but that doesn't mean always (or when you use things to
lower them and the fever goes down fast).
And life has pain and it really isn't a good thing to always totally try
and take away the pain. I know this sounds cruel, but think about it. I
know you don't want your child to suffer, but if it Tylenol, etc, are going
to damage their liver, what sense is that. And sometimes we just overreact
thinking there is tons of pain when there isn't. It is really hard though
to step back when you are the parent.
Sickness is necessary and may be the way that your immune system needs to
respond in order to heal or detoxify, but it is
important to deal with the ailment in the most, best method.
Homeopathc remedies do what the immune system is trying to accomplish
without interfering with the method to enhance and support the health. When
the remedy is the correct chose, it may not, and often does not, remove a
fever, but makes it more productive. The fever may raise but the patient
seems more relaxed and is able to rest. The remedy may cause the cough
that is dry (such as in pneumonia) to become loose in order to move and
exit the system in its proper mannerto release the fluid from the lungs.
It may bring on a runny nose in a baby that is screaming with an ear
infection. The runny nose is a proper response in order remove the fluid
that is infecting the inner ear. It may bring a chronic asthmatic back
into the bronchitis type symptoms that were "suppressed" years back with
antibiotics or a vaccination.
Most people believe that they should avoid all illness or that they should
stop a fever or a cough or a pain as it is being experienced. Illness is
necessary in order to release the infection and to strengthen the system.
Health is often in the perspective of the observer. Health is not equated
with the "absence of disease", it is a "Vibrancy of life and living" or
'freedom to be who you were meant to be. Many people today feel that
stopping a symptom or not expericening a symptom is "health". "I never get
the flu or a cold", I often hear most chronic aliment suffers will tell me.
Most times when someone does not experience illness it is because they are:
1.) extremely healthy being vibrant in all ways,
a.) pure organic diet
b.) healthy pure water
c.) high energy levels high
d.) exercising in mild to moderate methods
2.) having no weakness in the area of the symptoms of that particular
illness (no susceptibility to it); or
3.) are so ill with an overwhelming chronic illness, that their immune
system has no time to respond to the mild or moderate symptom of a cold or
flu, chicken pox, measles, whooping cough because it is overworked dealing
with the life threatening problem.
Allopathic vaccination actually works by invoking the third reason that I
had listed above. There is only a very small percentage of the world's
population that is representative of #1, the vibrant health catagory. Most
often when you do not experience the symptoms of the cold or flu that is
going around it is because you are not weak in the organs effected by that
virus (or susceptible). So if you are ill with the smptoms it is because
you need to clear or cleanse that organ system. Homeopathy will support you
in that method. It aids the system to muster the chemistry that is
necessary to heal and clear without having to expericense all of the
symptoms that are needed to trigger the pharmacy response that the body
needs in order to do so.