Tag Archives: Reduce

How To Reduce Infant Fever

Unlike adults, infants usually get fever. Doctors consider a rectal temperature exceeding 100.4F or oral temperatures higher than 99.5F to be fever. Fortunately, parents need not worry when their young children develop fever. It is possible to treat fever with home remedies. Unless the child has a history of developing febrile convulsions, there is no need to rush the kid to the hospital. Also, doctors advise that the high temperatures are at times advantageous because they fight some infections in the body.

However, if the body temperatures are so high and the kid becomes uncomfortable, you can use the following strategies to treat the fever.

How To Reduce Infant Fever (1)

Strategies of how to reduce infant fever

1) Use a sponge bath

It is the widely known home remedy of how to reduce infant fever. It involves placing the child in a bathtub filled with up to two inches of warm water. The water should have temperatures ranging from 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If there is no thermometer at home, the wrist or back of the hand can be used to test the warmth of the water. However, parents are warned not to use cold water because it can cause shivering. Shivering can worsen the fever.

2) Use a damp washcloth

A damp water cloth should be used to spread water over the body and, in particular, over the forehead of the child. The water evaporates as it cools the body. In the next 30 to 40 minutes, the body temperatures reduce by one or two degrees. It is, however, advisable not to use alcohol because the child can inhale it or be absorbed through the skin.

3) Remove any layers of clothing

If the child has several clothes on, they should be removed immediately. When the clothes are off, the body gets an opportunity to lose some heat through the skin. The child should be dressed in one light layer of clothing. If the child starts shivering, a light sheet or blanket should be used to cover the body.

4) Offer plenty of fluids to reduce fever

Parents should always be keen to hydrate their children properly. In cases of infant fever, the parent of caregiver should provide popsicles and iced drinks. Also, parents should purchase electrolyte drinks that can hydrate the sick infants.

5) Maintain appropriate room temperaturesHow To Reduce Infant Fever (1)

The last strategy of how to reduce infant fever involves observing the room temperature. When the child has fever, the parent should ensure the environment that the child stays is cool and comfortable. The room where the kid stays should have temperatures of between 70 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, the room should have a fan kept at a low setting to circulate air gently around the room.