In preparation for this post about the Exergen TemporalScanner, I decided to bring you some basic information about fevers – what is considered a “high fever,” when to call the doctor, etc. – courtesy of the Ask Dr. Sears website:

ARE FEVERS DANGEROUS?

No. Many parents have a misconception that fevers are a bad thing and a sign that there is some serious underlying illness. This simply is not true. Fever is a normal and healthy response of the body to an illness. The body’s immune system releases chemicals that raise the body temperature. This is part of the normal infection-fighting process.

WHAT TEMPERATURE CONSTITUTES A FEVER?

• Normal temperature – 97 to 99 degrees (36 to 37.2 Celcius).
• Low-grade fever – 99 to 100.9 degrees (37.3 to 38.3 Celcius).
• Common fever – 101 to 103.5 degrees (38.4 to 39.7 Celcius).
• High fever – any fever over 103.6 degrees (39.8 Celcius).

WHEN NOT TO WORRY

• Low-grade fevers are generally not serious, are easily treated, and can wait until the morning to be evaluated by your doctor.
• Fevers of 101 to 103 (38.4 to 39.5 Celcius) are also generally not serious and can wait until morning to be evaluated (there are some exceptions…).
• High fevers of 104 (40 Celcius) or higher that quickly come down to 100 or 101 (37.8 to 38.3 Celcius) when treated are also generally not serious and can wait until morning (there are some exceptions…).

WHEN TO PAGE YOUR DOCTOR

• If your infant is 6 weeks or younger, and has a fever of 101 or higher, this is considered a medical emergency. 
• Infants age 7 weeks to three months with a fever over 101 warrant an appointment with your doctor within the next several hours.
• If your child of any age is lethargic, irritable, exhibits signs of meningitis, or has a temperature of 104 or higher that won’t come down even after being treated, then you should page your doctor.

To read the full article (it’s a “goodie”), click here.

To take your child’s temperature quickly, painlessly, and comfortably, consider investing in an Exergen TemporalScanner. It’s a “a totally non-invasive system with advanced infrared technology providing maximum ease of use with quick, consistently accurate measurements.” Just swipe the scanner across your little one’s forehead (or your own)…and a temperature will appear in seconds (In fact, this method is so gentle that you could probably take your baby’s temperature in his/her sleep). I just took mine and the display screen promptly told me that my temp is 98 degrees. I expect that the temperature is correct since the scanner has been proven to be more accurate than ear thermometers by a Harvard Medical School Study.

The scanners retail for between $30-$50 (depending on where you shop) and are available at Walmart, Babies R Us, Costco, and other big box shops.

WIN IT! One winner will receive an Exergen TemporalScanner. To enter, leave a topic-related comment on this post prior to Monday, February 16 at midnight (Don’t forget to follow the rules…all generic comments like “Enter me!,” “Love it,” and “Cool stuff!” will be disqualified.). * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.

*UPDATE* The winner is #148 Bess. Congratulations!

Please welcome Dr. Bob Sears back to Metropolitan Mama.

Please welcome Dr. Bob Sears back to Metropolitan Mama.

Sears is a nationally known pediatrician, father of three, and author of The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child. Sears has graciously offered to extend his expertise about vaccines through a monthly column where YOU ask the questions…and he answers them. See the bottom of this post for details about how you can submit a question.

If you want more information now, you should really just buy his book (read my review here). It’s comprehensive, objective, and the only one of its kind on the market.

Today’s question was sent in by Jen.

QUESTION: My question is about vaccines and autism.  I have a friend who swears that her daughter became autistic because of her vaccines. (Is that possible?!?) What are your thoughts on the vaccines and autism issue?

ANSWER FROM DR. SEARS: The reason that many families with autism believe that vaccines may play a role is that some seemingly normal and healthy toddlers regress into autism between 12 and 18 months. The problems appear to begin after the MMR vaccine (given at 12 or 15 months). The measles component of this vaccine has been shown by some researchers to cause an intestinal measles infection that they suspect may be a trigger for autism.

This theory has not been proven, and the research that suggests a possible connection has come under a lot of fire and has been discredited by most professionals. No one, however, has repeated this research in order to try to prove that kids with autism don’t have a measles intestinal infection. The problem is, even if we some day do discover measles is a problem in autism, we won’t actually know if the virus is actually a cause of autism or simply happens to be there.

Another theoretical connection between vaccines and autism may have been mercury. But now that mercury is out of all vaccines (as long as you know which brands of the flu shot to stay away from), this is no longer a concern for parents today.

The final possible (but unproven) connection may be an overload of the various chemicals all given together at 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months in the standard vaccine schedule. We just don’t know whether or not this could trigger autism. Researchers are currently working on ways to test every baby’s genetics and immune system at birth to screen out babies that may be susceptible to damage from chemical overload. We can then be more careful with such infants, both with vaccines and other aspects of daily life. This technology is years away, however.

Until we learn more, parents are faced with making a decision based on the information we have now. In The Vaccine Book, Dr. Bob Sears presents all the current research on these issues, and offers parents a variety of ways they can vaccinate their children while minimizing risks and side effects. For more information, and a preview of the book, visit www.TheVaccineBook.com

If you have a question about vaccines for Dr. Sears, send an e-mail with “Ask Dr. Sears” in the subject line to stephanie@metropolitanmama.net.

Sears is a nationally known pediatrician, father of three, and author of The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child. Sears has graciously offered to extend his expertise about vaccines through a monthly column where YOU ask the questions…and he answers them. See the bottom of this post for details about how you can submit a question.

If you want more information now, you should really just buy his book (read my review here). It’s comprehensive, objective, and the only one of its kind on the market.

QUESTION: If my baby/toddler has the first shot of a vaccine series (HIB, DTaP, or Rotavirus, for example) and doesn’t experience any “reactions”/side effects, is it safe to say that he won’t experience them when he gets the second (or third or fourth…) shot?

ANSWER FROM DR. SEARS: While handling the first round of shots is somewhat of an indication that the next rounds will be well tolerated, this is by no means a guarantee. Some babies will show ever-increasing reactivity with each subsequent round. And the toddler round of boosters (the 4th dose in the entire series) is more known for being fairly reactive, even if the first three were fine.

You just never know. A baby could react at any time without any prior indication. Fortunately, MOST babies handle these rounds of shots without much reaction.

If a baby DOES have a tough reaction to any round of shots, I feel it would be safer to spread those shots out more with subsequent rounds. Maybe only get one at a time so you can see which vaccine may be the more reactive one. By spreading the shots out, you would be less likely to have a tough reaction again.

If you have a question about vaccines for Dr. Sears, send an e-mail with “Ask Dr. Sears” in the subject line to stephanie@metropolitanmama.net.

Sears is a nationally known pediatrician, father of three, and author of The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child. Sears has graciously offered to extend his expertise about vaccines through a monthly column where YOU ask the questions…and he answers them. See the bottom of this post for details about how you can submit a question.

If you want more information now, you should really just buy his book (read my review here). It’s comprehensive, objective, and the only one of its kind on the market.

Today’s question was sent in by Leigh, the mother of a 13-month-old little girl.

QUESTION: I started the MMR (or any other vaccine) series and then read your book/researched the topic/talked to friends…and now I don’t want to continue with the series. Can I decline the vaccine at my child’s next appointment or do I have to move forward now that I already started the series? Is there any harm in only having “part” of a full series?

ANSWER FROM DR. SEARS: Good question. No, there is no harm in stopping a vaccine series before completing it. Parents often change their mind about a particular vaccine mid-series, and they have every right to do so. Realize, however, that by not completing the whole series, your child won’t have very good immunity to that disease. And any immunity they did gain will wear off more quickly. The exact amount of immunity gained, and how long it will last, varies greatly depending on how much of the series is completed and what type of vaccine it is. Parents should ask their doctor for more specific information regarding any vaccines they don’t wish to complete.

If you have a question about vaccines for Dr. Sears, send an e-mail with “Ask Dr. Sears” in the subject line to stephanie@metropolitanmama.net.

Sears is a nationally known pediatrician, father of three, and author of The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child. Sears has graciously offered to extend his expertise about vaccines through a bi-monthly column where YOU ask the questions…and he answers them. See the bottom of this post for details about how you can submit a question.

If you want more information now, you should really just buy his book (read my review here). It’s comprehensive, objective, and the only one of its kind on the market.

QUESTION: My child is sick (has a cold/a stuffy nose/the flu) and is scheduled to have his/her shots today. Should we proceed with the vaccinations or wait until he/she is healthier?

ANSWER FROM DR. SEARS: It’s inevitable. The day before your baby’s check up her nose starts to run. Or she’s just coming off antibiotics from an ear infection a few days before her next check up and shots. What do you do? Some people worry that vaccines may temporarily lower a child’s immune system, thus making any present illness potentially worse. Although this hasn’t been proven in research studies, it theoretically makes sense. As the immune system is working on the vaccines, other parts of the immune system may be “distracted” or may not work at full capacity. So vaccinating may make a mild illness worse. Another complicating factor is that if the shots make your baby fussy and feverish for a couple days, you won’t be able to tell whether it’s her illness that’s worsening or it’s just a reaction to the vaccines. Finally, it may be possible that vaccine reactions may be more likely if a child is already fighting an illness. This issue hasn’t actually been researched, but it is a theoretical worry.

If you delay your baby’s shots and come back a few weeks later to get the shots when she’s totally well, there goes another co-pay, another morning off work, and another drive to the doctor’s office! The reality is some kids are sick more often than they are well. If we waited for every child to be completely illness-free, some kids would never get vaccinated. In general, if an illness is minor enough to allow a child into school or daycare and doesn’t require antibiotics, then it’s probably OK to give the shots. If a child is sick enough to need antibiotics or to stay home from school or daycare, or is fussy and not sleeping or eating well, then shots should be put off until another day.

Extra cautious patients who don’t mind returning another day when baby is at peak health should feel perfectly justified to do so. Even better, cancel your current checkup and simply delay it until your baby is well again.

If you have a question about vaccines for Dr. Sears, send an e-mail with “Ask Dr. Sears” in the subject line to stephanie@metropolitanmama.net.

We were offered four shots and oh-how-I-wished that I had my copy of “The Vaccine Book” with me. We decided to go with two of the four – and my husband held down her little arms while I waited in the corner to come to her rescue. It always breaks my heart to hear her agonizing cries and to see that look of terror in her eyes. But I am well aware that sometimes a little pain in the short run can prevent much larger pain in the long run. So we vaccinate.

I can’t say that I have the issue all figured out. In fact, I feel uncertain about the vaccine debate and Dr. Bob Sears‘ new book is the one resource that I’ve found that actually makes sense. It’s not pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine. It just spells out the facts and lets parents make informed decisions.

If you haven’t bought it yet, I highly recommend that you do (you can buy it on Amazon for $11.19)…or add it to your Christmas wish list. If you have a pregnant friend or sister or co-worker, this would be a great gift idea because this isn’t really the kind of book to just check out at the library or browse through at the bookstore. It’s a manual that they’re likely to refer to again and again in the coming years.

After you read the book (or even before), come back here to submit any questions that you have about vaccines. Dr. Bob Sears will be doing a biweekly (every two weeks) column right here on Metropolitan Mama where he answers your questions. All you have to do is send your vaccine question to me at stephanie@metropolitanmama.net with “Ask Dr. Sears” in the subject line.