Fever In Children And Babies – What To Do And Home Remedies To Use

While fever in children is often a major cause of worry to their parents, many natural health practitioners actually perceive mild fevers as a sign of strength in the children’s ability to fight infections. As such, instead of focusing on reducing mild fevers immediately at its first appearance, these practitioners often take a different approach from conventional doctors – they seek to support the child’s immune system in fighting the infection.

When medical attention is needed

You probably need to exercise discretion when deciding when your child needs medical attention.

According to Dr Moskowitz (Alternative Medicine – The Definitive Guide), an important question parents need to ask is how well the child appears to be coping. If the child is in great discomfort and is not coping well (e.g. vomiting, in pain, not responding at all), then parents should not hesitate to seek medical attention. However, if the child appears to be coping well (especially in the case of a mild fever), then parents can be more confident that the child’s immune system is capable of handling the illness. What parents can do would then be to monitor the child closely, provide comfort as well as immune support such as herbal or homeopathic remedies.
It might be useful to note the following temperature ranges indicated by the Seattle hospital as needing immediate medical attention.

• Very high fever (important to bring it down): Over 106°F (41.1°C)

• Dangerous fever (fever itself can cause brain damage) : Over 108°F (42.3°C)

The following are also signs of danger – unresponsive, difficulty awaking, not moving or very weak, breathing difficulties (sometimes manifested as bluish lips), purple or red spots on skin. The appearance of these signs means that you should send your child to a hospital immediately.

If you feel unsure about your child’s condition, always speak to your doctor. Your doctor would be able to alert you to issues you may not be aware of.

See the next page for some home remedies and natural treatments for fever you can use for your child at home.

Care for your child at home

Should your child come down with fever, here are some things you can do at home.

Give your child access to as much fluids as possible. The body needs water to regulate the body temperature. If your child is still nursing, offer to feed him as often as you can so as to keep your child hydrated. Keep away from sugary stuff (including fruit juices) though.

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