It can be alarming for a parent to watch their child have a fever. Although mild fevers are usually the body's natural response to an infection, learning to safely manage it at home is important. Combining home remedies for child fevers with good hydration and injuries in child diets, will promote a quicker recovery and allow your little one to feel more comfortable.
Explaining Fever in Children
A fever isn't an illness, it is a symptom that shows the body is fighting an illness. First stay calm and monitor your child's temperature. Most mild fevers are easily managed with rest, fluids, and gentle home remedies for child fevers. Supporting your child's immune system through healthy child diets which includes vitamins, fruits, and whole foods will help the body manage illness and recover faster.
Effective and Simple Remedies to Use at Home
When searching for home remedies for children with fever, sometimes the simplest remedies are the best. A parent can keep their child cool by placing them in light clothing, providing lukewarm sponge baths, and giving plenty of water or natural fluids to drink. Herbal teas, soups, and coconut water can also be given to ensure their body is replenished with electrolytes. Along with home remedies, providing a healthy child diet can support your child by offering needed nutrients to fight infection naturally.
What to Feed a Child with Fever
As children recover from illness, diet is always important. A healthy child diet should consist of easy to digest foods. Good foods include rice porridge, fruits (especially bananas and apples), and any type of warm, vegetable soup. Avoid greasy, heavy, or processed foods that could put a burden of digestive tasks on the body. Together with gentle home remedies for child fever, a healthy diet can hasten recovery times and improve energy levels.
Staying Hydrated is Very Important
Another important home remedy to reduce child fever is hydration. A fever presents the potential for fluid loss through the sweat of the fever. Offer your child water, diluted fruit juices or even an oral rehydration solution on a regular basis while they have a fever. Coupled with a healthy child diet of soup and soft fruits, your child is being nourished while they run the fever.
When to See Your Pediatrician
Home remedies for child fever will help for mild fevers, but it is also important to know when to head to the doctor’s office. If your child's fever exceeds 102°F (38.9°C) and lasts longer than three days, or if your child has uncontrolled vomiting, rash or difficulty breathing, you need to visit a pediatrician immediately. Even still, a healthy child diet will aid in recovery as well as strength of the immune system in the future.
Observing Accompanying Symptoms Along With Fever
Fever by itself isn’t necessarily concerning, but it’s important to be attentive of any accompanying manifestations. Monitor if your child is eating, drinking, urinating normally, or any alterations in behavior. Observe if they are experiencing any persistence of cough, ear pain, diarrhea, or odd lethargy. Monitoring these symptoms will prepare you to know whether you think you are able to manage your child at home, or whether you need tocall the doctor sooner.