There's really no worse feeling a mom can have than seeing our kids sick and miserable, especially when they're up in the middle of the night suffering from a fever. And while there are certain things you can give to try and bring down their temperatures, not all parents want to medicate their toddlers, especially without having them seen by a doctor first. On top of that, sometimes our poor little ones feel so icky, they refuse to take the meds in the first place.
But there are a few other methods of reducing a fever you can try that are completely natural and will hopefully help your child feel a bit more comfortable so he/she can get some rest.
- Dress him/her lightly -- Your child's body needs to cool down, so take off a layer or two to move the process along.
- Encourage liquids -- This can be tricky especially if they have an upset tummy, but even giving a teaspoon of water every few minutes will help.
- Lukewarm bath -- It's amazing how well this one works ... believe me, I've tried it. Put your toddler in a lukewarm bath for a few minutes. The thermometer reading should go down immediately afterward.
- Cold compresses -- Placing cool washcloths on the forehead, wrist, and groin, where blood vessels are close to the skin's surface, will help with cooling.
- Sponge bath -- If you don't want to put your child in the tub, try a lukewarm sponge bath instead to help lower the fever.
- Offer ice cubes -- If your toddler won't drink, try giving him an ice cube or ice chips to suck on. It will help get some fluids into him to prevent dehydration and will also help to cool him.
THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT CAFEMOM IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING MEDICAL ADVICE. CAFEMOM ENCOURAGES YOU TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN REGARDING ANY SITUATION THAT REQUIRES SUCH ATTENTION.
This article was first published on CafeMom and was republished on theAsianparent with their permission.