How to manage a fever in your baby

How To Manage A Fever In Your Baby – by mum, Flick Frankish

It really is the worst feeling when your little one comes down with an illness. It seems with the winter season upon us, this happens a lot. Cassie is the type of child that just keeps going and going and going until she crashes, and that is exactly what happened when I picked her up from daycare the other week. As soon as she spotted me, she ran straight into my arms and collapsed with her head on my shoulder and wouldn’t move. This was so unlike her, and her daycare teachers assured me she had been fine all day. I got her home and took her temperature, and sure enough, we had a fever.

Firstly, it is important to note that fevers aren’t always a bad thing. They are the bodies way of fighting a virus and if your child is showing no other worrying symptoms, it is usually ok to let the temperature run its course. The first thing I did for Cassie was to strip her down to allow her body to cool off naturally. She rested in my arms and slept it off, but woke even warmer than before. If you are looking to help bring down your child’s fever, here are some tips to help you out. But remember, if you are ever concerned, always take your child to doctor to get proper medical treatment. There is no such thing as being too safe.

How to manage a Fever in your Baby

Strip them off

This is a natural way to bring your child’s temperature down. If they are too warm, then try taking some layers off them and see if this makes much of a difference.

Enjoy a cool bath

Another way to cool your little one off naturally is in a lukewarm/cool bath. It’s not only a great way to help bring their temperature down, but it is also enjoyable for them and they may find it relaxing, despite feeling miserable.

Use a damp washcloth

As they sleep, place a damp washcloth on their forehead to help them cool down while they are resting.

Offer lots of fluids

When your child has a temperature it is important to keep their fluids up. They may not feel like eating, and that’s ok. Offer them lots of fluids in whatever form they will drink it. We gave Cassie milk, water and even some apple juice to help her out and keep her hydrated. If you are worried your child isn’t drinking enough or there aren’t enough wet nappies, be sure to go visit your doctor.

If all that fails and you are worried about your child’s temperature, you can try some Panadol to bring it down. Remember, once you offer them Panadol, any readings of their temperature after this are inaccurate, as the Panadol will mask the temperature. If your child has any other symptoms with the fever and you are worried, make sure you get them checked out. We took Cassie to the doctor twice while she was fighting her fever, just to make sure we weren’t missing anything and were doing everything we could to help her out. That’s why the doctors are there, so don’t even feel worried about paying them a visit.

The best thing, of course, is to avoid the fever in the first place. Stay warm, keep rugged up and tough it out during these winter months. Hopefully your whole family escapes the sicknesses going around. If your child is unwell at all, remember to keep them home from daycare – the last thing we want is to be spreading germs, especially to younger kids who are more vulnerable.

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