Phobia For Fever: Parents’ Fear That The Children Will Get A Fever

Phobia of fever  is a persistent, unwarranted fear that many parents feel in the belief that it can cause seizures, meningitis or even death. Therefore, they feel a great need to quickly give their children medicines that are not really needed, or take them to the doctor.

Instead, keep in mind that fever is usually the body’s natural defense against a disease. So if you try to give your child medicine without knowing what is causing the fever, you can actually make the disease worse.

What do parents who suffer from phobia for fever experience?

The parents usually feel very nervous. They believe that fever is a symptom of a very serious illness. In addition, they also believe that if the fever exceeds 39 degrees, it is very dangerous and will harm the child.

Reasons for phobia of fever

A fever phobia can be due to many different things, for example:

• In some cases , you do not know what a normal body temperature is.
• The belief that all fever, no matter what, is bad  and will always cause damage that cannot be repaired.
• The belief that if the child receives medicine , it helps to cure the disease.
• Thoughts that if the fever does not go away quickly , the child may have a seizure or meningitis. 

What effect can fever have on children?

The fear that the parents feel can also have a negative effect on the child’s well-being. Examples of such an effect can be:

The child’s health deteriorates

If you use more medicine than necessary, your kidneys must also work harder to get rid of them. The child can also be in a bad mood if you constantly take it to the emergency room and can assume that the situation is more serious than it is.

The child’s development is affected

This usually happens when the child is very overprotected. It can prevent the child from participating in activities that children normally do. The child may also feel isolated if you take care of your child far too much unnecessarily.

How can you avoid phobia of fever?

Parents can avoid fear of fever in the following ways, among others:

• Try not to believe wrong information or strange ideas. This can make you act hastily and irrationally.
• Learn what signs and symptoms can pose a real risk. So don’t just focus on your body temperature.
• Go to a doctor and  ask about anything you are wondering about.

Things parents should think about

In order not to worry about things that do not actually pose a risk, also try to think about the following things:

• Sometimes children can get febrile convulsions. However, this does not mean that your child will suffer from epilepsy.
• Lower the baby’s temperature in other physical ways. You can use the thermometer and give the child warm enough baths and wet warm wraps.
• Try not to give your child unnecessary medication, such as antipyretics or penicillin.

• Do not give your child home remedies recommended by other people  if you have not tried them before. If you do not know how effective they are, it is better to refrain from using them. In addition, an adult body reacts completely differently than a small child.
• If the child is younger than three months and has a fever, consider taking it to a pediatrician.

• If the baby is older than three months,  keep an eye on body temperature and other symptoms.
• Do not rub the baby with alcohol. It can be very toxic.

In short, a fever phobia is an abnormal fear that has its roots in your brain. Although it is not wrong to worry about your child when he has a fever, you need to determine if the child is actually very ill or not.

Of course, you should not stop monitoring your child. If the fever does not get better eventually , take the child to a doctor immediately.