Ethnicity Plays Role in Parents' Treatment of Childhood Fever

Most parents have some misconceptions about their children's fever and overtreat mild cases, a Johns Hopkins Children's Center study shows.

Parents' ethnicity may also play a role in how they view and treat the fever, the researchers added.

"It's a natural response for a parent to worry when a child has a fever and to want to fix it, so every pediatrician must have the fever talk with parents every time they bring a sick child to the office," study author Dr. Michael Crocetti said in a prepared statement. "We must remind parents not all fevers are dangerous, that fever is a sign of the body's revved-up defenses fighting infection, and that fever-reducing medications carry their own risks."

The findings were expected to be presented Monday at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting in Honolulu.

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