How To Manage Your Child’s Fever

How To Manage Your Child’s Fever: Things To Do

 

You wake up one day seeing your child down, looking soggy and tired. It’s all too familiar with most parents – they raised their hands to check the temperature of their child. Most adults dread seeing their kid down with the flu, but what do you think they can do? Normally, when parents suspected their child with a fever, they’ll have that little panic attack for being unsure on what to do.

Here’s how to manage your child’s fever and a little more on about it.

What causes your child’s fever?

How did it start? Know that fevers are actually a symptom of another underlying disease and not the disease itself. Also, when your child has fevers, it means that the body, your kid’s body, is fighting the illness and therefore results to a higher temperature.

 

• Viral infections that cause the flu, colds, and coughs among and etc.
• Bacteria-induced infections are those that often cause severe sickness like pneumonia
• Overheating from the clothes or the environment
• Inflicted with common childhood ailments
• Other environmental factors like weather

 

These are just some of the causes of your child’s grogginess and sniffling. If you want to know how to manage your child’s fever, below are some ways.

 

What should you do to manage your kid’s fever?

Don’t panic when you see your child is having chills. When the kid is down with a fever, here are some of the things you should do.

 

Lukewarm bath

For 10 to 15 minutes, give your child a lukewarm bath to bring the fever down. Don’t let the water get cold!

 

Medicines

Some of the meds you can ideally give your child are ibuprofen or acetaminophen to relieve him from a soaring temperature. Read the labels and instructions for proper dosage.

 

Breastfeed or slow-paced bottle-feed your child

Breast milk is packed with nutrients that can help fight diseases in the body. If you’re feeding your kid with a bottle, you can try slow-pacing his feeding time by using a narrow nipple bottle.

 

Cool compress over his forehead

You can try cooling your child down by rubbing his forehead or giving him a towel or sponge bath. That way, he can feel relieved from his feverish state. You can try rubbing his forehead with ointments and oils with cooling effects.

 

Dress your child lightly

Have your kid wear light clothes and put him to bed in light-sheet blankets. Have your child rest in a room with a moderate indoor temperature. If you happen to have your baby in a co-sleeper, make sure that that the nets and sides are breathable and airy so that your child can be cooled down.

 

Offer light, bland snacks

If you’ve noticed that your kid lacks the appetite to chow down the food given to him, you can offer bland snacks like crackers and biscuits void of any sugar or other flavorings.

 

Keep your kid hydrated

Always keep a glass or bottle of water around your child. In case of dehydration, you can mix his water with a pinch of lemon, salt, and sugar. It will rehydrate your child and at the same time, remove any toxins, and boost his electrolytes.

 

A fever generally lasts for three to five days. If there aren’t any developments in your care, try calling the doctor and heed the advice given to you. If the fever is manageable, you can try doing the methods above and know how to manage your child’s fever. But know when it is serious enough to go to the hospital.

When to call the doctor?

Parents need to assess their child before deciding to rush to the hospital. When the fever is severe, they have to scurry to the doctor. Here’s when to know your child is feverishly sick:

 

• For infants three months old or younger with a fever of 38°C (100.4°F), you should seek a doctor immediately.
• For babies to toddler years, take your child to the doctor if his fever state reaches 39°C (102.2°F).
• Older kids might be fine, but the fever is quite tricky to tell. If your child can still eat and drink well, highly alert, and has normal skin color, your child will be alright. If he is neither of the above, start calling for a doctor.

 

Other symptoms you should look out for are the following:

• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Stiff joints and muscles
• Severe headache and sore throat
• Rashes

How to manage your child’s fever is a careful progression of your kid’s well-being.

 

Parents’ love for their child
Your child getting a fever is normal and part and childhood or life itself. Sometimes, fevers don’t need to be treated with meds unless it’s necessary. Most times, parents can cook up little home remedies to keep the fever away. For first time parents, you can try these methods on how to manage your child’s fever, only if the illness is manageable.

 

 

 

Author Bio
Sarah is the founder of GiantMommy. She likes to write about mommies and their babies. Sometimes, even if she doesn’t, she likes to hear stories from other mothers. She may not be an expert mommy by any means, but she is happy to share what works for mothers out there.