A fever is only beneficial to a point. The body can over do it and actually harm itself in attempt to increase white cell effectiveness or denature pathogens. Higher body temperature can also lead to quicker dehydration, something that does not help healing in any situation.

A carefully monitored fever might be acceptable, but how often to monitor a child? Do you want to risk permanent damage if the fever happens to get into a danger zone?

Different people have different pain tolerance. One person might perceive a stimulus as minor while another perceives it as moderate. The moderate person may start a pain cascade that can lead to other undesirable consequences in the body. Pain is usually a sign from the body something is wrong. Typically it is bes to pay attention and try to deal with it.

I am not an M.D. but I do play one on tv.

Absolutely!! First off, I have never seen a study that showed that patients did better or healed any faster with a fever than without. We routinely treat fevers in the hospital.

Fever is a physiologic response. Just like any physiologic response it can get out of hand and cause damage. Mild diarrhea may be a good response to bugs in your colon but severe diarrhea such as cholera can kill you.

My point was that your original physiological assumption was correct in that fever does probably play some role in helping the body fight off infection. It is likely a small role though and you are certainly better off being safe and treating the fever.

Hope I didn't confuse things.

All this talk of illness and I found out while I was up in Canada this week that my boy has had hives for 2 days straight. My wife thinks it is something from the woods, I thought it might be from stawberries or a few crab claws he put in his pocket when him and I and a few guys went out to dinner then to the Stars game. He tasted one, didn't like it but thought the claws were cool. Momma didn't think so...specially after they sat in his coat pocket for two days!