How to reduce fever for a 21 month toddler?

L., a fever may be scary, but it is actually a good thing. Giving her medication is actually a bad thing.

You see a fever is the body's way of ridding itself of toxins. If you suppress the fever with meds, the toxins try find another route out OR WORSE find a nice comfortable spot in the body to "hang out" and live…even longer.

A fever needs to be monitored, not drugged. Let it run its course. If it gets to 102ish, feel free to give your baby a cooling bath. At 103.5, a visit to the doctor may be necessary. DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT GIVE MEDICATION UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Our bodies need to “work out the kinks”. If we keep putting a bandage on the problem, never letting the solution surface, then we will remain a sick and pill popping society.

PLEASE DO NOT START YOUR CHILD ON THAT PATH OF A PILL FOR EVERY ILL.

B.
Family Wellness Coach
Education not Medication

Unless the fever is really high or a child cannot sleep because of it, don't try to lower it. Her body is fighting the illness.

Make sure she stays hydrated - water/electrolyte drink - little juice. A drink we always have on hand for hot days and illnesses is Vitalyte -you can find it at REI or running stores.
http://www.vitalyte.com/

Hope she is feeling better soon!
M.

Sounds like you are doing the right thing. My youngest, when he was little, would run just a fever for about a week. It would go up and down depending on the time of day...........it was a virus. Makes sure that she drinks as much as possible. Popsicles are great if she will take them no ice cream. Just watch the fever if it gets to 103 or higher stick her in a mildly warm bathtub to get the fever down immediately then call the dr. But I bet in a couple of days it will be done.

It's all part of being a mom! Worrying about your little one- but like the other mommies said, fevers are normal and even high fevers with young ones are not always something to be too worried about. My 2 yr old had a fever of 104 a few months ago (yes right when all the swine flu hype was on the news- had me more worried than ever about my kids getting sick!) and I called the nurse- they told me just to watch her and bring her in for urgent care IF it stayed that high the next morning. Fevers often go up in the evenings and down in the mornings. They told me to monitor her behavior more than the fever. If she just seems like she's sick- don't worry too much, if she starts to seem very lethargic or unresponsive then take her to an urgent care to get checked out. Sounds like she's doing okay as long as she's drinking and eating a little (mine always lose their appetites when they are sick). The doctors' office is full of sick people, so I always want to avoid it unless it's absolutely necessary! Most of the time the doctors can't do much anyway because most of these bugs are viral and kids just have to fight them off and build their immune systems. You know her best- give her lots of comfort and go with your gut. Good luck- It's so stressful when they aren't feeling good!

My 3 year old just had a really high fever a couple of weeks ago, and he has had a few others in his lifetime. I have learned that a fever is our body's way of fighting off illness and it is not necessarily anything to be concerned about. Fever can actually be a really good thing because it is your body's own immune system working to fight off illness.

I also have a 4 year old who has had his fair share of fevers, so I have been through this several times and learned useful information through it. You don't really need to be concerned unless the fever lasts longer than 4 or 5 days, according to the doctors. When my 3 year old had his most recent fever, it was high 102s and low 103s for a few days, then on the third night it went up to 105! That really scared me so we called the doctor. The doctor said you don't really need to be concerned about the number as long as your child is still aware and reactive. If your child cannot respond to you or is behaving like their consciousness is altered, then you need to be concerned no matter how high the fever is. And he reinforced to us that it could last up to 5 days without concern, as long as there were no serious signs of illness of course. My son was very uncomfortable and unhappy, but that is normal and not a serious cause for concern (though it is very hard to watch your little one suffering!!) By the end of the 4th day, and still a very high fever, we felt we should take our son to the doctor. The doctor felt he had a sinus infection so we got some antibiotics. We are very cautious (and so is our doctor) about antibiotics, and the doctor said it would be safe to wait another day to see if our son could fight off the illness on his own, but we really felt this was a case where antibiotics were going to be necessary and we hated to watch him being so uncomfortable so we went ahead with it. My 4 year old then got the fever the following week. It lasted about 4 days, but then he was clearly getting better so we didn't have to take him to the doctor this time, and now he is fully recovered (no medications needed).

Also, from doctor's advice, you don't need to worry about bringing down the fever (like I said, our doctor was not concerned about 105 as long as his consciousness was not altered). I only give my little ones Motrin or Tylenol if they are really uncomfortable. I am always cautious with any medication because they are all hard on our systems, but I do feel it is worth it when they are really unhappy (just my opinion). If your daughter is able to sleep and is not terribly uncomfortable, I would let her body handle it naturally. And if you do give her something, I have found that Motrin works better for fever aches and pains better than Tylenol (for my kids anyway). Motrin also lasts longer. :)

Hang in there, Mommy! It is so awful to see our little ones sick, but she'll be OK!

Hi L., I always hated fevers also, for my kids giving them a bath with baking soda will reduce the fever, due every so often if needed this does not hurt them at all and it really does work, alot of people have been doing it for years, and switch off and give Motrin then the next time Tylenol. It should reduce the fever and then take her in monday if it still continues. Good luck

Could she be getting her molars? My son (21 months) always runs a fever at night when he's cutting any new teeth and his molars have been particularly bad. I usually do just what your doing and it passes within a few days. My older son went through the same thing. It is scary though when something abnormal happens and as a mom we try not to freak out but our minds can't help but wander to "worst case scenario" sometimes.

You're doing a great job. Just follow your instincts.

~J. B

From everything I've read, fevers are GOOD :) It's your body's natural reaction to fighting infection and means the body is doing it's job correctly. I've also heard from my doc that 103 or above is when to call the doc. 103 you can call the next business day, 104 is call within 24 hours and anything above 104 is contact urgent care.

My daughter went through a string of fevers last month (19 months old). Some were due to her canines coming in, but she also contacted a virus that ended up in a rash all over her body. I freaked out and was at the doctor's 3 times! *lol (first time mom). They reassured me it would be gone soon and sure enough in 3 days you wouldn't have even known she had had one.

If she's acting healthy all around, I would say she's teething or possible fighting a virus (which there isn't anything you can do for anyway).

Hope this helps :)

My 22 mo old daughter had the same thing this week. Dont panic...the fever is the bodys natural way to figh back. You dont need to give tylonol or motrin unlass she seems uncomfortable. If the fever goes to 103.5 then take her to the Dr. or if it is still reasonably high after 3 full days. My daughters fever went away yesterday and turned into a snotty nose. Shes fine today. I gave her tylonol like 4 times over the past several days at the times when she whines constantly. Urgent cares are open sat and sun if you ever have something that can't wait till mon.

The fever itself is not dangerous. Just what is causing the fever. (I know, it doesn't make us feel any better.) make sure she is hydrated and comfortable. I only give my kids tylenol for a fever if they can't sleep. if it gets above 103 call the dr./nurse/hospital. As far as swine flu... wash your hands! times 3. That really is for any kind of sickness. So you know I was reading a report that said that 1,000 people died of "swine flu" last year but 38,000 died from the regular flu. (I am sorry I don't mean for this to scare you) But it isn't just swine flu to worry about. It just has a name so it makes it scary. Make sure you have good hygine practices in place to prevent getting anykind of sick. Hopefully this will pass and she will feel better in a few days.

My little one catches everything going around and there are a few viruses out there right now. We just had hand, foot mouth, Roseola and a stomach bug. With each of these, she had a pretty high fever. You are doing the right thing with keeping the fever down with Tylenol. For us, the fever got worse at night and then broke after day 3 or 4. With Roseola, she had a high fever and then a rash on day 4..no other symptoms. Hope your little one feels better soon :)

Hey L.,
First off let me suggest that you get the book "What to Expect The Toddler Years". There is a first aid section in the back of the book that tells what to do in instances such as these.
According to the book (and this information varies from doctor to doctor) they recommend that you call a doctor if:
the fever (taken rectally) lasts more than three days, or if it lasts more than 24 hours with no other symptoms of illness, or if there is a sudden spike in temperature, or if your child becomes unresponsive or has convulsions, inconsolable crying that lasts more than 2-3 hours, whimpering or moaning , crying as if in pain, difficulty breathing, severe headache with vomiting, excessive drooling or inability to swallow liquids, a stiff neck, suspected pain during urination, or severe dehydration.
The book also recommends that you dress your child comfortably so she is not too hot and give her plenty of fluids.
Finally, if her temperature spikes, and you can't contact your doctor, first try to lower her temperature by giving her a sponge bath with tempid (room temperature) water to get her temp to lower. Than take her to emergency.

My husband who is am M.D. and my sister who are nurses say don't bother to bring them in unless the fever lasts more than 4 days or exceeds 104.

First off...don't sweat the swine flu. It's actually a really mild flu compared to what else is always going around. Less than 10 people have died of the swine flu. The "regular" flu kills 50,000+ in the US alone every year. The media grabbed it an ran with it (like they always do). <grinning> And DON'T start sweating the regular flu now, either, hear? We have fever reducers, clean/safe drinking water, and doctors/hospitals.

Secondly you're doing good. Yes a lowgrade fever (99-101-ish) is both a common and good thing. NO you don't want a high fever, or a lowgrade fever for a long period of time (danger of neural damage & blindness). It's especially important to dose young children...because their internal temp regulators don't always work well (shooting up *really* high, or staying longer than necessary). Their immune systems are new, and are still figuring out how to react appropriately to illnesses. Infant blinding/brain damage/mortality are common things where fever reducers are not available. Fortunately we live in a country where they ARE available. Standard fever advice:

- Tylenol/Ibuprofen (combining works better than one alone in a high fever. If my son is burning up I'll hit him with both...just like you did. If it's lower, I'll hit him with one...temp him in 20 minutes. If that hasn't brought it down enough 99-101 I'll add the second).

- HYDRATION. Probably the most important thing. Juice/water/popsicles in an ordinary fever. If it's a high fever or a long lasting one, you really want to replace the salts/sugars that they're burning up...which is when you switch to an electrolyte drink -pedialyte/gatoraid....but don't start off with an electrolyte drink. Hit it with juice and water first. And YES this is the perfect time to be giving sugary juice. You need sugars right away (and fats/proteins...like you'll find in chicken broth..for the immune system as soon as you've gotten the fever down).

- Cool washcloth (wet) across the eyes and back of neck...helps take heat away from the eyes and brainstem.

- A LUKEWARM bath. (96-98degrees, temp it on the inside of your wrist) If you put a fever patient in a cold bath (even an adult), you can actually cause shock/death...so be really really careful with this one. I save it for a last resort, because they're so dangerous.

* * * If you've double tapped tylenol & ibuprofen, and the fever is still 103ish OR still climbing...call the nurses advice line at your local children's hospital. (The line is free and staffed 24/7). They'll give you the ACTUAL doseage allowable for height weight. The doseages on the bottle are lowballed...because it's the dose that is safe to take on a regular basis. You don't want to overdose, so don't just guess at home. But DO know that there is a higher dose available to you. * * *

When to go in: If the fever is over 104 or lasts for more than 3 days.

I stay away from dairy when sick...it takes longer to absorb/digest, there's the phlegmmy issue, and it can make one nauseous.

You're doing great. So you know...I have a LOT of medical background...and I STILL call my doc when my son is sick and I'm tired (or tired and sick myself)...just to check and make sure I'm doing everything I'm supposed to. Always feel free to call the nurses line at the hosp or your doctors office...even just to touch base. :)

Tylenol is safer than Motrin.

a cool damp wash cloth on the forhead always helps.

I would just monitor the fever. Make sure it doesn't get above 104. Continue with the Motrin and Tylenol. You can give her a lukewarm bath to make sure she is comfortable.

This happened to me in July. My son had never been sick and the fever was his only symptom. I just called the doctor on call. She told me that to expect the fever to get higher at night. That is usually what happens. I kept thinking the fever "had broken" but it would be back at night. That lasted for three days. Afterward, he broke out with a rash on his tummy and it spread. THAT was when I took him to the dr. It was roseola (sp?). Its apparently very common. Fever for 3-4 days and then once the fever is gone a rash appears. It is not uncomfortable and usually goes away within 5-7 days. Exposure is usually a week prior to the fever. Once you see the rash it is no longer contagious.

I'm not sure if this is what your little girl has, but just letting you know my experience in case it could be of some help. I would put a call into the on call dr just to relieve your fears.

Best of luck,
R.

My daughter gets fevers ALL the time. She gets high fevers (up to 105.5) and they last up to a week. The Dr. says 5-7 days is normal for a viral infection, which is the most likely cause. Stay on the Motrin / Tylenol and take whatever action you need to feel comfortable. Since you're new at this, it doesn't hurt to get answers to all of your questions. Oh, and don't forget, LOTS of water since they burn off their fluids faster at a high temp. Good luck and know that you are not alone!

I did not read any of your replys so if i repeat I apologize, BUT CALL THE DR. My DR always accepts calls weekend or not-the answering services pages her and if she is available she picks up or calls me right back. It could be urinary tract infection-they come w/high fevers suddenly also could be an ear infection-just some suggestions as I am not a Dr, but please do not hesitate to call yours-don't play guessing games-it is not worth it. L.:)

A fever is the body's way of fighting off an infection, so it's not all bad. But as a mother, it's hard to watch your child suffer through one. If she is still playing off and on and has an alright appetite, I would just monitor her closely. Sometimes sypmtoms are just worse at night than during the day. As long as her fever does not reach 104 (orally) or 103 (under the arm), you can usually treat it with over-the-counter medication, provided that she has no other sypmtoms. Sponge-baths at night will help to bring her fever down. You should concentrate on areas that radiate the most heat, like under the arms, on her forehead, neck and temple areas. Make sure you're in a place where the wind doesn't blow or not in an air-conditioned room because it could cause her to get the chills. And always make sure to keep her hydrated. Things to watch out for are:
* fever accompanied by vomitting and/or diarrhea
* if she complains of stiff neck
* a fever lasting for three days or more
All these are signs of something more serious and you should bring her in to see a doctor.

In the end, you know your child best and should follow your instincts as to when to bring her in to the doctor. If your doctor or clinic staff makes you feel uncomfortable or ashamed, you should either find a new clinic or have them discuss with you when its appropriate to bring your child in. But most doctors and nurses are understanding and are more than willing to discuss what to do when your child is sick. Good luck and I hope your daughter feels better.

I'm not a dr, just a mama to 4 so I only speak from what I've seen with my bunch. :) Fevers seem scary but it's actually a good thing... It means that her little body is doing it's part to get rid of whatever bug she's got. You are doing great! I find Motrin to have worked best for fevers. Stay on it until it seems to break.Set an alarm for night and wake her for a dose... I know don't wake a sleeping child but you do when you have a fever. You don't want to miss a dose and then have a bit of a panic bringing it down.It's always good to put in a call to the dr to let them know her symtoms and what your doing to help her. They may or may not see her but it's good that they have a record and you have peace of mind that your doing what you can correctly. Try to keep her drinking.Offer some popsicles. My kids will usually humor me and drink some chicken soup broth and when they were little I'd make toast and cut it out with cookie cutters in fun shapes to encourage a bite or two or to dunk in the soup. If a fever gets high, give Motrin and then put her in a room temp bath (not cold water!) Sometimes it gives a little cool down while the meds kick in. Careful to not "give in" (so hard) and change the way your family does things while their sick or you may suddenly have a healthy kid that is begging to be held 24/7. We stick to "our sick plan" everytime one of ours gets sick which sounds silly but they are comforted by knowing what to expect and helped to keep a norm around the house. Silly little traditions sound simple and have been made fun of by my oldest (11 yrs) but the second she's sick she wants to know when I'm producing dino shaped toasts/ sitting with her and petting her hair/ requesting her favorite juice to be made into popsicles and when does the Tv/DVD get put in here. Your doing great! Moms second guess themselves but your doing the right thing. Do not hesitate to go directly to ER or dr if that fever can't be controlled with meds. Your gut says be proactive then do it. You know your little lady so just watch her to make sure she doesn't get worse/symtoms change. If so call the dr or go in. Sometimes after a little bug they'll come down with a cold or cough which then can have you in for an ear infection... All sort of linked together and you feel like what could I have done. Nothing. With my 1st if I didn't have my mom to bounce ?'S off my dr would have fired me for the amount of tear filled calls I would have made at all hours. :). Hope your Princess is back in action in no time. Remember to take good care of yourself too so your not the next one to fall. Good luck!

There is a great website called kid's health
( www.kidshealth.com ) that has lots of great info. I'm pretty sure they have a topic on fevers. You might want to check that out. Or, does your insurance or dr's office have a 24-hour nurse hotline that you can call for advice? I hope your little one feels better soon!

Hi L., sorry about your little one's sickness. i think you have already got a lot of good responses, so I won't repeat. I was concerned when I read one mom's response, however.. She suggested that you give her both Tylenol and Ibuprofen at the same time...!? I just wanted to mention that my doctor once told me that you can give your kids both, but not at the same time. So figure out the right dosage, then give her tylenol, then 3 hours later ibuprofen (motrin), then 3 hours later tylenol, etc. Never together, and never exceeds the max. dosage per day. If the fever continues, and if you haven't done so, please take her to the doc's office on Monday. Good luck.

So sorry to hear your little one is ill! It's so frustrating to not be able to take away their ailments, isn't it. I try to use Motrin/Tylenol as little as possible...the fever is fighting off something and those medications interfere with the process and could extend the infection. When the fever makes you uncomfortable yu can get in a bath with her. Run the water to be a few degrees cooler than her temp (but not cold, just cool enough to try and lower it a bit). A cool cloth on the forehead, neck, wrists, etc may be soothing. Make sure to give plenty of water, not just juice. I am a fan of teas made of chamomile, anise seed, lemon balm, catnip, etc. If you suspect infection, add in echinacea root, garlic, elder blossom, vitamin c. If you are still nursing, drink plenty of fluids including these teas...it will pass through your milk to your babe! I get most of my home remedies from a book: Naturally Healthy Babies & Children, by Aviva Jill Romm and have found it very useful! I hope your daughter gets over the fever and feels better soon! Take care!

Sounds to me like it might be Rosiola. My kids have all had this. Extremely high fever (104-105) for a couple days. Acting somewhat normal, no other signs then one day the fever breaks and the next day they break out in a rash. Usually all over the torso. Not itchy and no big deal at all. Nothing to be alarmed about.
HOWEVER, just make sure your daughter is getting plenty of fluids and the only thing you want to watch for with a high fever is siezures. Most kids are not prone to siezures with a fever, but that is a major concern. If it happens, it usually happens with a 104/5 fever. 101 is a pretty normal fever.

My Dr. always advises me to let a fever go until it reaches 101 degrees... then call right away, don't hesitate. It could be an infection. If it is ear, the damage can be done quickly. Once, my son had an ear infection. He had gone to the Dr. for his regular check-up earlier in the day, and was fine. That night, I took him to after hours with a fever of 102 degrees, and he had an ear infection.
There are other infections that the only sign is a fever.

actually there is no need for meds with MOST cases of fever. remember - fever is your friend - first it lets you know something is wrong. second - it helps the body to fight off the intruder and develop immunity. stopping the fever is like plugging the exhaust pipe in your car. there are several philosophies of healing, and your ped may disagree and insist on shutting the fever down. if that happens use your common sense - you don't have to pump Tylenol and Motrin in your child just because there is an opinion that this is what you should do.
http://askwaltstollmd.com/wwwboard/wwwboard.html
reading this Dr.'s BB has opened a world of alternatives for me. check it out - you can ask ANY health related question and get many responces by qualified specialists.

Good Luck
V.

L. S

Call you pediatrician immediately. With this flue going around, you will never know. There is also the point of teething, getting molars, etc. Don't wait till she is running 102 temps. It is common for the fevers to go up in the evening, but you still need to get her to her pediatrician. I used to bring fevers down when my children were some tylenol and a room temperature bath with a cap full of rubbing alcohol. This was what I was told in the emergency when my oldest had a fever of 102. He was also tested for meningitis, he was only 2 1/2 yrs old and we had to take him to emergency for his temp. He was that 1 in ?? who had a fever with no cause. My son grew out of this but it can be troublesome. I hope this helps. Good Luck.