We talk about fever when when the body temperature exceeds 37 ° C (or 37.5 ° C, if we talk about internal temperature). The causes can be multiple; in any case, fever is a normal response of the organism, a defense mechanism, and can be accompanied by several other symptoms, including headache, loss of appetite, sore throat and generalized malaise.
Fever spares no one; in the youngest, however, it is a more common occurrence, especially in the early days when children begin to attend a community, for example the nursery or nursery school.
Natural remedies for fever in children
If the temperature is not too high, that is up to 38.5 ° C, it is often not necessary to take medication to control fever. It is always advisable to resort to some precautions.
The first natural remedies against fever in children are as simple as they are important:
- Avoid covering the child too much to help disperse excess heat.
- Make him drink a lot ; everyone must drink plenty of fluids in case of fever, but above all children, who tend to dehydrate more easily than adults. For example, water, fruit juices, juices, chamomile, vegetable broth, milk are good. It is not appropriate to force children who have fever to eat.
- Keep children with fever at rest, but not necessarily in bed, in an environment with moderate temperature, that is neither cold nor excessively hot and with the right degree of humidity.
- And grandma's remedies ? Grandma's remedies against fever in children are not always really advisable. To give relief to little ones, you can practice sponging and refreshing clutches. It is not appropriate to use ice on the head to bring down the fever: the excess of cold tricks the apparatus that regulates body temperature, creating a paradoxical effect; in this case it may in fact happen that the fever drops and then rises immediately after reaching even higher temperatures.
When to use drugs to lower fever
In general, natural remedies against fever in children are sufficient and it is not necessary to resort to drugs if the axillary temperature does not exceed 38.5 ° C (or 39 ° C if we speak of internal temperature), especially if the child with fever plays, has an appetite and shows no signs of discomfort. Otherwise, when the child seems rather suffering, it may be appropriate to administer an antipyretic even with a lower fever.
Yes: but what drugs? The only antipyretic drugs sufficiently studied against fever in children are paracetamol and ibuprofen, the latter being also an anti-inflammatory. Never give other medicines to children without asking the pediatrician for advice. In any case, always call your doctor in case of high fever or if the baby is suffering.
Obviously, it is also possible to use naturopathy or homeopathy for children, but DIY is absolutely not recommended. In case you want to use these remedies, always seek the advice of a specialist.
