March 12, 2010
Friday

So the debate continues. First and foremost I have totally given up the talk about the older children who ditch their coats. There is only so much that can be done when it comes to the kids who can actually speak for themselves leaving their coats when they are told to put one on.

My concern is still with the infant/toddler outside on the mothers shoulders in a diaper while around 6 adults are dressed warmly standing around outside talking. First off, it doesn't sound like the child was sick. I know when my kids are sick, they are clingly. A clingly child wants to be in your arms, not on your shoulders playing. I have actually done a little bit of research just so I can make sure I get the facts straight. I called Callisto Pediatric Clinic and spoke with a nurse there and informed her that my child wasn't sick, I was just doing a little bit of research for a Sitnews debate that was going on. She said that although remedies are being changed everyday, you do NOT take your feverish child outside in just a diaper. Taking them outside in the cold actually makes them shiver, which in turn causes the core temp to rise and could cause the fever to spike even more. When the core temp rises, it could cause damage to the child. They do not recommend alternating tylenol and ibuprophen anymore, it has been proven that they do not work as well together as it had been originally thought. The luke warm bath is what they do still recommend, but you don't want the water cool enough that the child shivers.

They get their new information off of the American Academy of Pediatrics whose website is www.aap.org They go off of the "Gold Standard". As for the KGH ER, I don't know that I trust them. When my child received shots in October, His temp went up to 104.9. I figured it was just a reaction to getting the H1N1, the seasonal flu and 2 vaccines. I called the ER after doing everything that I usually do. Alternating the tylenol and ibuprophen, giving him an hour long luke warm bath and him doing a lot of sitting in my arms because he was clinging to me. The ER nurse asked me what I was doing for the fever and I told her, she told me I was doing everything right, and not to worry about bringing him in until his temp reached 107! 107???? I have NEVER heard of waiting that long. I have always been told 104-105 TOPS. That is the highest temp I have ever seen on either of my children, so yes, I was spooked by it. By the next morning his temp had went down and he was feeling better.

Also for the record, I do not know Lori Heading and did not intend for it to sound like I was bashing her at all, that was definitely not my intention. These children are OUR future. I know there are more children in this community that have touched my heart by just knowing them, seeing them in a school play or just smiling at you when you walk through the store. I will defend my children when it is needed and I will defend a child who cannot defend themselves, which I am sure any other parent feels the same way.

Bethany Phippen
Ketchikan, AK

Received March 11, 2009 - Published March 12, 2010

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