When your baby falls ill, the first thing that crosses your mind are the remedies you can use to get them back on their feet. It’s amazing how effective nature has been in helping us cope with so many things we face as adults, so it’s no surprise that you would turn to it when your child isn’t feeling well. Here are some home remedies that will help reduce fever in babies naturally and effectively.
Fever in children, especially babies, can be a worrisome thing to witness and manage. Commonly, parents will use acetaminophen to reduce their baby’s fever – but this isn’t the safest method available to you. In fact, there are some natural ways to reduce fever in babies that won’t put them at risk of liver damage or other common side effects from acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol). Use these natural remedies to keep your baby feeling better without risking damaging side effects.
Keep your child hydrated
To keep your child hydrated, first use an oral syringe or dropper to squirt water into the child’s mouth. Next, give them plenty of fluids, juice or soft drinks. You may also place a cool washcloth on their forehead for a few minutes at a time. Keep track of your baby’s diapers. If they’re not urinating as much, this can indicate dehydration and should be addressed immediately by feeding the child more fluids and possibly medication prescribed by a doctor. Try to maintain a normal body temperature: Try to maintain a normal body temperature with lots of fluids and gentle heat. Wear clothes that are light-weight and have no long sleeves. Avoid tight clothing because it could increase blood pressure on your baby’s head, which is not good when you have a fever. If you have air conditioning, consider turning it down just a little bit so that your baby doesn’t get too cold while sleeping. Consider staying home from work so that you can take care of your child better and monitor them closely. Babies need extra love when they are sick! Make sure to comfort them and make them feel loved. They will appreciate you even more when they recover.
Feed your child the right foods
Use the list below as a guide and choose foods that are healthy for your child. Even if you give them only one food or drink during this time, remember that what they eat now can affect their appetite for days to come.
Water: One way of reducing fever is by giving a child water. A mild dehydration can develop when a child has a high fever because the body loses more water than it takes from drinking. Water also reduces pain, which makes it easier for your child to sleep. For children between the ages of six months and five years, make sure they drink eight ounces of fluid at each meal and two hours after it; otherwise, one should drink about four ounces of fluid every hour until he feels better again. The temperature of the water depends on how hot the child’s fever is. If the fever is below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, then lukewarm fluids are preferred. Colder fluids may be given for fevers above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid sodas and drinks with sugar, like juice and soft drinks. Make sure to keep the cup full. When it comes to soup, clear broths are best for fighting off colds, while pureed soups provide hydration and nutrition. Applesauce is another option for hydration as well as some nutrients. Offer vegetables such as carrots or cucumbers in order to help replace electrolytes lost through sweat or diarrhea caused by fever, especially if there are not other sources of hydration available. In order to avoid constipation due to too much fiber intake, remove all fruit juices and whole grains from the diet while offering lots of fruits and vegetables instead.
Use medication as a last resort
There are some common cold and flu medications that can be used if the child is over 6 months of age and has no complications. These medications include acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol) or ibuprofen (i.e. Advil). Both have side effects such as gastrointestinal problems, allergies, heart issues, or other conditions which may need evaluation from a pediatrician before being given the medication. If your child is too young for these medications then you can try some natural ways to reduce the fever by doing things like applying cool compresses on their forehead or giving them ice pops with a little bit of juice in it. Another way to reduce the fever is by giving your child a lukewarm bath. You should not put any soap in the water because this will dry out their skin. You also want to use a cup of apple cider vinegar mixed with water for their bath time. Then after they get out, give them an old towel wrapped around them and walk around until they’ve cooled down. Be sure to check the temperature of their body before going into another room because babies who are overheated often forget about the sensation of feeling cold and will begin shivering when they actually feel warm again.
Conclusion
– Put the room thermostat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure that it’s not too cold as this will cause your child to shiver and shake, which can actually raise their temperature.
– Give your child a lukewarm bath with a few teaspoons of baking soda mixed in the water, not cool or cold water. Make sure the water is deep enough for your child’s whole body to be submerged and make sure they’re still covered with soap bubbles when you remove them from the tub. – Wrap your child with a clean wet towel afterward so they don’t get chilled by air coming from doorways or windows that may have been opened during the bath. You should also keep the bathroom door closed while your child is bathing. If you want to avoid getting dirty, put an old sheet on the floor before starting.
– Turn off all fans and lights because these generate heat and cold air respectively, making it difficult for your home to regulate its own temperature. The central heating system should stay on if possible but avoid opening windows or doors if possible as well.
– Provide extra clothing like hats, socks, and pajamas made of wool or fleece instead of cotton because these are better at keeping in heat than those made out of other materials. Wear loose clothing over any tight fitting clothes when outside since this will provide more insulation from wind chill. Read more for these type of blogs.
