How To Reduce Fever in Your Child Naturally

One of the most common health conditions experienced by children is fever. It may be easy to panic at the first sign of a fever, but know that the fever will usually subside in two or three days. If the fever is not high, instead of taking your child directly to the doctor, you may want to learn how to reduce fever in your child naturally.

How To Reduce Fever in Your Child Naturally

Fever is a fairly common condition in children and can be usually managed at home  if it is between 37.6°C and 38.5°C.

However, if your child’s body temperature has reached 38.6°C or if the child has other health conditions that are serious, you should immediately take them to the doctor.

When a child has a fever, the body is fighting an infection. Rising body temperature is a defense mechanism to kill germs or bacteria. In other words, fever is a good thing.

On the other hand, you certainly can’t bear to see your child become lethargic or feel uncomfortable. Therefore, you can learn how to reduce fever in your child naturally. Here’s what you can do:

1. Maintain Body Fluids

Maintaining fluids in the body is always important, but it is especially so when the child has a fever.

When body temperature increases, what happens is that the body loses fluids more easily. This condition can also cause dehydration in children to occur more quickly.

Making sure your child continues to drink and eat can sometimes be a challenge. In addition to mineral water, you can also give them other drinks and foods, such as:

• Hot chicken broth
• Sweet jelly
• Fruit juice

However, avoid giving drinks with caffeine content such as tea because they can increase the chance of dehydration in children.

Children can also drink cold water because it is another way on how to reduce fever in a child naturally due to its cooling effect.

2. Give Your Child a Lukewarm or Tepid Bath

Another natural way of how to reduce fever in a child naturally is to bathe them in lukewarm or tepid water.

Avoid bathing children with cold water because it can make them shiver, which results in an increase in body temperature.

If your child refuses to take a bath, there’s no need to worry because you can try other methods such as cleaning their body with a lukewarm, wet cloth. Simply wet a small towel, then pat gently all over the child’s body. This can make the body more comfortable and help relieve fever.

3. Place a Lukewarm or Tepid Water Compress on the Forehead and Armpits

This is also one of the ways of how to reduce fever in a child naturally. First aid to relieve fever can be done by parents by placing a compress on the forehead, armpits, or both legs.

You can use an instant compress or a small towel that has been soaked in lukewarm or tepid water.

Avoid cold water compresses because they cause blood vessels to constrict, thereby signaling the body to increase its core temperature.

Simply place the compress on the child’s body area, then repeat when the child’s body feels hot.

4. Let Your Child Rest

Every child’s body condition is different. Some feel week develop a fever when they feel weak.

As a parent, you need to make sure your child gets enough rest until the fever subsides completely.

To do this, make sure the room temperature is comfortable and ensure that there is proper air circulation in the room as well.

Another natural way to deal with fever in children is to have them wear light and comfortable clothes. Thick clothes will only trap heat and increase their body temperature.

Is Medication Necessary To Reduce Fever?

If you have tried natural home remedies, but your child’s temperature has not decreased, it could be time to give them fever-reducing medicine. This can be done within the day of the onset of fever.

Some fever-reducing drugs that can be given are paracetamol and ibuprofen, but always seek a recommendation from your doctor first.

Avoid giving children aspirin because this can trigger a rare disease, namely Reye’s syndrome which can be fatal.

If the child has not reached the age of 2 months, do not give any fever medicine without checking with a doctor first.

Keep in mind, when natural remedies and drugs do not produce results, see a doctor immediately to get the right treatment.

Key Takeaway

It’s normal to feel worried when your child has a fever. Fever in children usually does not require serious treatment and often natural treatments are sufficient to treat the situation. Knowing how to reduce fever in your child naturally can help to relieve fever symptoms and lower their temperature.

Learn more about Child Health here.