How Else Can I Bring My Child’s Temperature Down?
How Else Can I Bring My Child’s Temperature Down?
Beyond calling the doctor and offering over-the-counter medication to your child, there are a few other ways to help reduce their high temperature.
- Try a sponge bath. Use water that is lukewarm.
- Avoid rubbing alcohol, cold water, and ice.
- Instead of piling on blankets, make sure your child is resting at a comfortable temperature and is dressed lightly.
- Watch out for dehydration symptoms.
- If your infant’s diaper is dry, has a dry tongue or mouth, or is feeding poorly, call a health-care professional immediately or go to the nearest emergency room.
- For older children showing signs of dehydration such as not urinating frequently enough, not drinking well, or acting abnormally, call the pediatrician.
- discharge after a period of 10 days, or if discharge appears to come from his or her eyes;
Call if the child is feverish for three days or longer.
Some situations are even more serious, and require an immediate trip to the emergency room. Go to the emergency room if your child has difficulty breathing, seems very sick, will not to eat or drink, shows signs of a rash, or anytime you are concerned.
Is It a Low-Grade Fever, or More Serious?
Does your child’s forehead feel hot? Does he or she wake up in a cold sweat? Fevers can be scary, but how hot does one need to be before a parent should find a way to cool it?
According to pediatricians, if your child is warmer than 100.4 degrees, he or she may be at an increased health risk. Call the doctor if your child is this warm and is fewer than 6 months old, shows other symptoms, has been feverish for three days or longer, or has yet to be vaccinated.
If these are not the case, it is generally safe to use children’s ibuprofen or acetaminophen as common cold remedies, which have the additional benefit of pain relief. Aspirin should never be given to anyone under age 19, say many pediatric doctors. Aspirin use in children elevates the risk of Reye’s syndrome, a serious but rare illness that can harm the brain and liver.
