I remember getting fevers as a child, feeling chills-heat and laying around not being able to do anything. On some of these feverish occasions, I recall having the urge to use the bathroom, closing my eyes as it felt so strenuous to stand up to walk to the bathroom, then dreaming of having gone to the bathroom, only to open my eyes to find that I had not moved from the spot I had laid down on. My parents would do the same routine; take my temperature, put a moist, cool towel on my forehead, make me drink fluids and at some point, give me a paracetamol to lower the fever. Most times it worked; the fever would drop and after maybe some other symptoms, like sore throat or cough, resolved, I was back doing my normal day activities. What we never asked was what exactly is a fever, why they occur or if there are other ways to work with fever.

Since having my own children and my training in natural medicine, I have become more knowledgeable and comfortable with fevers. I believe this is one of the most feared symptoms that parents have for their children. Often many parents have had their own negative experience with fever and coupled with their fear, they end up at the hospital emergency room with their child, where a whole triage of events will occur; these can sometimes be traumatic for child and parents. Fevers are however a common and natural occurrence in the life of a human being; in fact, in science fevers are viewed as an evolutionary trait developed over 600 million years in both vertebrates and invertebrate life forms on Earth.

If you ever came in contact with a child, or remember your own childhood, you will experience fevers. It is part and parcel of growing up. As a parent, I realized that my instinct to protect my children, created a sense of wanting to take the discomfort of fever away from them. This however is a fallacy; it is a natural process of the body to “train” the immune system and the whole body for growth. I studied Chinese Medical methods to reduce fever, with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs, but really knowing when to apply them came with experience of being a parent. As a parent to young children, I came to read a book of Natural Medicine, Wickel und Co., about using traditional healing methods like compress. This book’s section on fevers provided me with an understanding that I am very thankful for. I remember reading that children can have fevers for different reasons, not just due to infections. This can also be due to growth, teething, excitement or stress. After reading this and observing my kids, I realized this was true. I recall my eldest son was ill from a stomach-intestinal virus just before his 1st birthday. He had a fever, thrown-up, had diarrhea for almost a week and when finally the day of his birthday came, with all the guests outside celebrating his birthday, he was lying in bed sleeping. But the next year, he was healthy before his birthday, no fever or illness; the birthday celebration came and went, which he enjoyed a lot. The next day, he had a fever and we stayed home to rest. After half a day of sleep, he was up and about playing, with a slightly elevated temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius, which resolved and he was fully healthy the next day. This surprised me, but it made me aware that even excitement could raise a body temperature in a child. But what most surprised me was on both occasions, he lost a little more of his “baby cheeks,” grew another few centimeters and developed another growth milestone over the coming weeks and months. I learned then to back-off from “doing;” just wait, observe, support and then act when needed. My children have used very little pharmaceutical medicine for fevers through their childhood.

I find this categorization of fevers by Swetha, Karlie, Shumway and Shweta very clear:

•  Low-grade: 37.3 to 38.0 C (99.1 to 100.4 F)
• Moderate-grade: 38.1 to 39.0 C (100.6 to 102.2 F)
• High-grade: 39.1 to 41 C (102.4 to 105.8 F)
• Hyperthermia: Greater than 41 C (105.8 F)

My first course of action was to get my children to rest, provide lots of fluid, take their temperature regularly to assess if the fever was rising and observe how they were doing as well as what time of the day it was. If it was low-grade, I would just do the above. If it was evening (fevers tend to rise later in the evening and night) after 7 pm, and the fever was over 38.5 degrees Celsius (moderate-grade), then I would act by doing acupuncture to clear the heat, do a vinegar-water compress on the calves and provide fluids throughout the night. If it was high-grade fever at any time of the day, I would act immediately with Acupuncture and compresses, not waiting. Often times, the fever would subside by morning. Both my children have never been to a Western medical doctor for fevers. We have learned to respect the body’s own healing capacity and help it to do what it needs to do with natural and herbal methods.

Looking at fevers alone and not paying attention to the rest of the body is counterproductive. There is a reason why the body is mounting a fever, therefore, observing the rest of the body is essential to helping the healing process. Often times all we need to do is just be present with our children and let their bodies do what they need to do.
 


Reference
Swetha Balli; Karlie R. Shumway; Shweta Sharan (2023) : Physiology, Fever:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562334/ (accessed on 30.10.2024)



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As an 18-year-old I was invited by the Philippines Gymnastic Federation as guest rhythmic gymnastic coach; the Philippines had only a few short years before began their rhythmic gymnastics program and needed support from neighboring Malaysia. I had spent almost 2 years after my retirement from competitive gymnastics and finishing secondary school, coaching rhythmic in local schools, to girls between the ages of 7 to 16. I stayed a month and a half in Manila, with a host family, being driven from their home to the gym daily, occasionally having time off to meet with local as well as international coaches and making friends with artistic gymnasts. I met Coach Popov, who was from Russia but had already spent a few years coaching the national artistic gymnasts in Philippines. He was older and had a lot of experience coaching all over the world. On one of those occasions, he mentioned something to me which I took as a critique of my coaching. I retorted defensively that I was young, new to coaching and was still learning. Then he said and did something that has stayed with me till now, I probably am paraphrasing his words. He said, “It is not just what you coach your gymnasts but how. It has to come from here, that is more important” and he pointed to his chest. I understood then as I do now as a therapeutic practitioner and a human being – Many things we do, especially if we are aware, is about Intention that stems from the Heart.
 
What is Intention? The American Heritage Dictionary defines Intention as “an aim that guides action,” “a determination to act in a certain way or do a certain thing,” “a plan of action,” as well as “a stretching or bending of the mind toward an object.”
 
As I began studying Chinese Medicine, I heard this question very often, “What is your intention?” It was often referring to situations when we were to pick a certain Acu-point or Herb or Hand-technique for Tui Na massage, or when we had already inserted a needle and were beginning to perform some manipulation technique of the needle. I was often reminded by my Acupuncture teachers that it is not just what point you choose to needle but also what you do with this point that will affect the Qi of the person you are treating. My Tai Ji Quan/ Qi Gong Master used to say, “One-pointed-focus. This is what separates master from student.” I came to understand that what I was thinking while doing a certain action affected the treatment or the movement that I was performing. This was not new to me; as a dancer I was trained to express emotion or an idea through my movement. As a choreographer of dance pieces and gymnastic routines, I understood that if I had a theme and a focal idea for what I wanted to convey, the movement piece would be so much stronger and would be well received by the audience. It wasn’t just about stringing movements together to make a dance, it was guided by a purpose. Chinese Medicine just brought it home for me, by refining it more.
 
The Chinese define Intention as 意 yì. The upper part of this Chinese character, 音 yīn refers to “a celestial vibration, a quality that Heaven confers upon a breath produced by a being,” describe the sinologists Larre and Rochat de la Vallée. They go on to add that the lower part of the character for Intention is 心 xīn, meaning Heart. For the Chinese, Intention is a vibration from Heaven rooted in the Heart of the person. As the above sinologists go on to describe,

“The heart recognizes if the vibration coming to it is true, that is, if its nature is such that the heart can compose with it. The heart holds the position of composer and orchestra conductor, and also choir master[…] Supported by the heart, the germ of processes of conscience, of knowledge, of action can develop.”                                   
(Larre, Rochat de la Vallée: 1995, 52)

When I perform something with Intention, I am articulating the resonance of Heaven with the essence and wisdom of my Heart.
 
Over 30 years later, I understand Coach Popov’s advice and try to apply it in many, if not all aspects of my life, with the understanding that I have gained from Chinese Medicine. When I am treating someone with my hands or needle, or I am discussing with my teenage sons about the state of their bedrooms and why they should take action, or when I begin performing a pose in Yoga with my own body, I am aligning Heaven and my Heart into my action. We can do things in life, but without Intention, they amount to empty deeds, without the resonance of Heaven or the dedication of our Hearts.
 
 
 
 
Reference
American Heritage Dictionary
Larre, Claude/ Rochat de la Vallée, Elisabeth (1995) : Rooted in Spirit. New York: Station Hill Press.
 
 
 
 
 
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