How to make our child's temperature go down

Most of the feverish cases don't need medical attention or an specific treatment, only in those cases that the child shows a lot of discomfort.

Fever, generally, is the organism reaction to defend itself from some infectious processes. Every children has fever at some point, and usually, it disappears within few days.

If we notice that a child has fever, the best thing is to try that the temperature goes down with simple methods at home.

First we have to give them antipyretics, as long as the dose agrees with its age and weight. If you don't know the right dose, it's better to call a pediatrician and ask him. The antipyretics will make that the temperature go down but it won't cure what causes the fever. If the baby has less than 2 months old, you must go to the doctor and don't try any medicine.

Then, to help the temperature go down. We can give him/her a bath with tepid water; we don't recommend cold water because it can cause shivers. The best thing is to put the child in the bath with tepid water for 10 to 15 minutes. Then take them out and dry them.

Don't rub the body with alcohol, because alcohol can be absorbed by the skin and can cause poisoning.

Dress your child with some pajamas or cotton cloth, so the body heat can be expelled. If you lie your child down, cover him/her only with a sheet or light blanket. Too much cloth or covers could avoid that the body heat get out and the increase of the body temperature.

The room temperature where your child is can't be too hot or too cold.

To avoid dehydration, offer him/her liquid constantly, whether it is water, soups, stocks, yell, avoid sodas and drinks with caffeine.

If besides the fever there are vomits or diarrhea, it's better to ask the doctor what hydrated drink you should give your child. Meanwhile, try to give him/her liquid with a teaspoon or little sips. Fever causes a quick loss of liquid and if there is vomiting

or diarrhea, dehydration is almost certain.

If there's only fever and the child wants to eat, you can offer him/her any food (in reasonable amounts), but if the child isn't hungry, don't force him/her to eat, as long as he/she drinks liquids without difficulty.

You have to avoid that the child moves a lot, its best to take him to bed, or that he/she do some laid-back activities.

You must never take a feverish child or with fever to school or daycare. The child must come back to its regular activities after the 24 hours without temperature has passed.

When to call a pediatrician
• Though fever is a normal reaction of the organism to fight viruses, in some cases you have to go to the doctor.
• If the body temperature is 100.4º F or more.
• Can't drink any liquids.
• Presents signs of dehydration (nearly active, moves less than usual, looks lost)
• Presents fever for more than a day and the temperature doesn't go down not even with baths.
• Suffers from some chronic disease like leukemia, cardiac condition, anemia, etc.
• Some kind of rush appears in the skin.
• Feels pain or burning when he/she urinates.

We recommend going to the doctor quickly in the following cases
• He/she cries in a unstoppable way or is extremely uncomfortable.
• Can't stay awake and seems disoriented.
• The neck is stiff and his/her head hurts too much.
• The nails, lips, tongues are blue.
• He/she doesn't have a domain over his/her body; his /her limps are flabby and drool excessively.
• Presents convulsions.