Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are used not so much to bring the fever down (which they do most of the time), but to make the patient more comfortable, as children feel miserable with a high fever. Give acetaminophen or ibuprofen every six hours for a high fever. If the child does not have a specific symptom along with the fever, such as an earache or sore throat, then he may have the flu. The flu is a common illness caused by a virus. Infections can be caused by viruses or bacteria. Bacteria, not viruses, can be killed by antibiotics like penicillin and amoxicillin. Antibiotics do not work against viruses.
If a disease is caused by a virus such as flu, cold or chickenpox, nothing can be done but wait until it runs its course. With flu, the fever goes up and down for two to four days, then the child will get better. Some parents have heard about seizures caused by fever. These are called "febrile seizures" and only happen in three or four children out of a hundred. These seizures last a few minutes, but are frightening to watch. However, they are totally harmless. They do not cause brain damage.
Fever is our friend in helping fight infections. We need to be concerned about its causes, but not about the fever. If the child perks up and the whole picture looks good, watch and wait for about three days. If the picture looks worse, or the fever lasts longer than three days, the child should be seen. Fever in the presence of an infection is different from fever in the presence of excessive heat in the summer. Heat stroke is different in that there is no infection, the person is usually dehydrated, and the fever is not aiding the body in fighting off infection. In this case, the fever can reach excessive degrees and cause serious damage. However, the situation is completely different and not usually confused.
(published with permission in writing from:http://www.armymedicine.army.mil)
