Something very interesting. I have a 6 yo son with PDD: high functioning. He seems to have a auditory processing problem and difficulty at times expressing himself......EXCEPT when he is sick, especially with a FEVER. He actually sounds like he's a typically developed sixteen year old. Very articulate!!!!! Listens and comprehends very well. Has actually told me when he had a high fever that something was "different in his brain..I don't know what is going on" I have my own theories, but looking for other thoughts and theories. Please tell me what you think. Thank you.

Hi Meech,

W/fever, metabolic rate increases, incl in the brain. Could be some processes there are benefitting from increased blood flow, nutrients, or neurotransmitter turnover.

What are your thoughts?

HI , I dont know if this is the same or not, but when my son was in the hospital for his colon resection back in nov.he would run high fevers and was very sick. But he would talk to me more [normal] than he usually had done before. His conversation was more appropriate. He would ask me questions like if the doc would come in he would ask me things like what did the doc say? When normally it woudnt matter to him .There was not alot of the repetive talk, or talking to hisself.I would say his conversation was more normal and age appropriate. he is 24 .:)

What I find interesting is that I almost never have fevers. If I have a fever, you know I'm really, really sick. There may indeed be some sort of connection. I just know that I have always had atypical expression of illness- my throat didn't even hurt when I had strep as a child. I didn't have a fever, either... :confused:
-GatsbyLuvr1920-

I could feel terrible and not run a fever. When I was a small child, a cold could send my fever up to 104 degrees. My normal temperature today tends to be a couple tenths of a degree below the average 98.6. When I am sick, I feel dopey and sluggish.

One of my close friends whose 12 year old son has severe Autism swears that when he has fevers he changes completely! He is MUCH calmer, more focused, more clear in his speech, much easier to be around, more like a "regular kid", less obsessive and actually happier. She loves when he gets a fever and stays home from school, and she takes off of work to be with him. She says it is the best times they ever have together. We could never figure out why, but would love to know! Maybe it would be a key to helping Autistic kids in general?!:blob_fire

My son is 4 and he has only had a fever once in his life, but when he did he was like a different child. He is normally very scattered and speaks in short 2 or 3 word phrases. When he was sick though, he was very calm and spoke more clearly. He also linked more words together than usual. He also did activities he normally doesn't have the patience for like coloring in a coloring book without trying to rip pages or eat crayons. This is a interesting topic!

Fever is part of the immune system defensive mechanism, perhaps fever distract the immune system from building strep antibodies that attack some parts of the brain.....????? I wish somebody with knowledge would explain what's going on. I read somewhere that in old times people would apply damp towels on feet and legs to reduce head fever, kind of distracting the immune reaction.

This topic is of interest to me! I hate to say this--but I have always loved it when our 7 year old gets a fever!!! He is so sweet and gentle and does not have obsessions, perseverations, etc. He'll talk in a normal tone, and he is so calm and loving. Hmmmm...I wonder why. He hardly ever gets a fever but it is such a reprive sometimes when he does. Only the parent of a child on the spectrum could say this! :)