Fever and baths

[PeachBaby]

Is the advice, not to give a child a bath if they have a fever until they are better (or it may keep their fever high), sound advice?

Thanks!

[tanyalynn]

Do you mean a bath intended to reduce the fever, or just because the kid was already dirty or sticky/sweaty or something?

I wouldn't do it to reduce the fever, for my kids fevers look to be helpful, and I can use that as a rough guide to how their bodies are doing dealing with the illness (and thus how much other supportive stuff I should be doing to help them get well faster and easier), but I'd swab off grime or vomit or anything that needed to be washed off today instead of in two days.

[alegna]

I don't buy it. when I'm feverish a bath feels GOOD. My kids like it too.

-Angela

[tanyalynn]

I've had the opposite enough times, where I've run a fever and felt better with blankets piled on, and a couple times with the kids, when it finally occurred to me to put a blanket on them and see what they do, they leave it, seem happy, and they get done with the illness pretty soon. Either the timing was coincidental, or the increase in heat helped. That's not all their fever illnesses, but enough that I consider it.

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by tanyalynn

I've had the opposite enough times, where I've run a fever and felt better with blankets piled on, and a couple times with the kids, when it finally occurred to me to put a blanket on them and see what they do, they leave it, seem happy, and they get done with the illness pretty soon. Either the timing was coincidental, or the increase in heat helped. That's not all their fever illnesses, but enough that I consider it.

I agree, when I have a fever I like to be under a duvet or blankets. I always make sure my kids are warm and covered when they are running a fever too. If they don't want the covers, they certainly can kick them off, but I do encourage them to stay underneath. I certainly don't offer baths, but if they want one (doubtful, they aren't fans of baths at the best of times), they would be welcome to take one.

[Rico'sAlice]

I encourage fevers rather than try to bring them down. That said we tend to have DS in the bath a lot when he is sick. Partly because we are stuck in the house and he enjoys it. But also because if he has a fever he probably also has vomiting/diarrhea or some sort of runny nose/congestion. The bathing is good to get the vomit out of his hair and soothe his irritated bottom, or, in the other scenario, it helps clear out all of his mucus.

ETA- we do luke warm to warm baths. Don't give cold baths in an attempt to bring the fever down. Can shock the system.

[alegna]

I often do very warm baths (HOT for me) never never cold or cool.

Whatever feels good.

-Angela