Natural remedy for fevers in toddlers

[SilverMoon010]

What is a proven (and reliable) natural remedy that is used to get rid of a fever in a toddler? To date, I have always looked to Children's Tylenol (only had to use it once thus far thankfully), but I really want to use more natural approaches for these types of things. And after the huge recall of Children's Tylenol, I REALLY want to use more natural things

Any ideas? I was in an organic food store the other day and asked the customer service rep there but it didn't sound like there was anything there that would combat a fever and totally reduce it. There were a lot of immune support products, however, that you could take when you start to feel a cold coming on, but nothing to get rid of fever.

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

How high is the fever? Anywhere between 100 and 103, the best way to treat it is with fluids. Breastmilk for a nursling or nursing toddler, and good old fashioned H2O for a an older child. I usually turn to Motrin for discomfort, but the fever I like to let run its own course.

anything higher for more then 24 hours, i personally am giving some motrin for the fever and calling my very reliable and natural minded pedi.

[pianojazzgirl]

I wouldn't try to lower my toddler's fever, unless it was getting very high (and I was getting nervous). Fever is a mechanism to fight off infection. Small children tend to run higher fevers more easily than adults. If my kiddo is esp uncomfortable I'll sponge them off with luke warm wash cloths, and dress them very lightly (just panties or a diaper, covered with only a light sheet... that kind of thing).

Check out the dr sears website for a guide to treating fevers, when to worry and when not to worry.

[ameliabedelia]

I would give vitamin C and garlic to help fight the infection, but I wouldn't do anything to try to lower a fever. The fever itself is how the body fights the infection, so I wouldn't fight that mechanism.

[CrunchyChristianMama]

There's a great Chinese remedy called Quell Fire that helps keep a spiking fever in a lower range. We've had luck with it with our DD when her fever lasts longer than I'm comfortable with or is starting to get a bit too high. It's a tincture and we give her about two drops and she's good.

[ammiga]

We also don't try to lower a fever. They are the body's way of fighting off infection. We give dd supplements to help her body fight off the infection (elderberry and other things depending on the illness), but do not try to lower the fever.

It's also important to know what a normal fever for your child is. I find that dd can typically run a fever of 102-103 at the height of her sickness, and then it drops back down to normal. As soon as the temp drops, by morning her illness also seems to be almost gone. It sounds high, but it is normal for her. Her body fought it off naturally, as it should.

[SilverMoon010]

Thanks guys. I am so programmed to want to get rid of a fever right away because I am paranoid about a febrile seizure (probably the media who did that to me - LOL). I know febrile seizure are said to not cause harm but I could never imagine seeing my child go through that!!

I've read that giving a fever suppresant is the worst thing you can do. Do you feel that is true, and do you guys fear febrile seizures? I'm a new mom (my son is now 2), and I am just getting into researching homeopathy and natural remedies versus conventional medicine. This is all new to me and a bit scary at first too. It's tough to stray from conventional when that's what you've been used to your whole life.

[ammiga]

It's hard to watch a child suffer through a fever. I just have to remind myself that it is safer and healthier to be able to watch what my daughter is going through rather than mask symptoms and take away her body's natural ability to fight what is making her ill.

One time she was hallucinating with her fever. She was fine and staring off at the ceiling while in bed, and didn't want to be held and didn't mind when we left her alone. I was worried, but my dh said he used to get fever like that. He clearly remembers being young and watching colors on his ceiling when he had a fever. It was hard, but I was reassured by my husband's experiences and watching dd. I think it's scarier to wonder what is going on that I'm masking with fever reducers.

From what I understand, febrile seizures are not generally caused by the fever itself, but by a rapid temperature change. This is actually more likely to happen when you use a fever reducer, because when it starts to wear off, the body's natural response is to bring the fever back, and that spikes much more quickly than when the fever is allowed to run its own course. Now, many people will give that as a reason to keep up with the dosing of the medicine, but that takes away the body's ability to fight the infection.

[ameliabedelia]

If it's any consolation, I have never 3 children (oldest is 8) and have never treated any of their fevers, and none of them have ever had a febrile seizure or anything scary. I really don't think febrile seizures are all that common.

Also, I know it's hard to see your child suffer, but I think it is actually somewhat "good" for them to feel lousy...so they'll be still and quite and rest and get better. IME, with all my kids, the worse they feel, and the higher the fever gets, the shorter the illness. Whenever I've had a kid that was just really lethargic/lying around/high fever, they've been better within a day. Any illness where the child is able to play through it (like a cold) lasts so much longer.

[serenbat]

I wouldn't try to lower my toddler's fever, unless it was getting very high

--we don't either!!

raw eggs whites on the feet work super fast- we recently broke a fever because we had just exposed to CP and 4 days later our DS ran a fever, we were afraid (and now on day 21!!)feel his body tried to fight it off (no NOTHING else going on - not even a sniffle!)

we soaked paper towels (it can get sticky- could use cloth but because of his size paper worked best for us) soak in two dishes of just the "whites" raw, nothing else, place on feet, cover with sandwich baggies (sock if you want) and wait--we dropped from 103.7 to 100.2 in less than 15 minutes and did not go back up, went down to 99 and stayed for a day plus

there is a lot on using it if you google it

also (no way this was going in!!) is to take apple cider vinegar

[WuWei]

Mild Fever in 5.5 month old

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Pat

[SilverMoon010]

What about herbal fever reducers? Would that be the same thing as using Tylenol, except in natural form? I would think an herbal fever reducer would be much, much better than Tylenol, but it's still doing the same thing, right?

[greenemami]

we don't try to lower fevers either normally, but dd's temp got ut to 105 a couple of weeks ago and our homeopathic doctor told us to give her ferrum phosphoricum to lower it back down under 103 or so. It worked well and got us back to the range where the fever was still doing its job but we weren't freaked out about it going "too" high (although really this was just for us, she said it is more improtant how the kid is acting rather than what the number on the thermometer is).

Also, she said that seizures are more an issue if you DO give fever reducers b/c once the medication wears off, there is more of a chance of the temp jumping back up suddenly, which is what causes the seizure, not the temp itself.

[SilverMoon010]

Originally Posted by pianojazzgirl

I wouldn't try to lower my toddler's fever, unless it was getting very high (and I was getting nervous). Fever is a mechanism to fight off infection. Small children tend to run higher fevers more easily than adults. If my kiddo is esp uncomfortable I'll sponge them off with luke warm wash cloths, and dress them very lightly (just panties or a diaper, covered with only a light sheet... that kind of thing).

Check out the dr sears website for a guide to treating fevers, when to worry and when not to worry.

I really like the Dr. Sears site. Thanks for providing.

Is there a temp. where you moms feel safe to give just a lukewarm bath without a fever-reducing medicine, if the fever starts to creep up? I guess the fear with a lukewarm bath (without using a fever-reducing medicine in conjunction) would be that it would reduce the fever, but then it could possibly spike back up again rather quickly. I had in my mind that if my son were to happen to develop a fever, I would resort to a lukearm bath before a fever-reducing medication if the fever crept up, but after reading Dr. Sears' site, I'm not sure that would be a good idea.

[tanyalynn]

I've found that the decision-making process is easier now that I don't use a thermometer anymore. I do more or less support depending on how sickly the kid looks, and may use the continuing presence of a fever as one symptom to see that something's still going on, and maybe I need to consider other support measures, but I don't do anything to actually lower their temp.

My son actually seems to get better fastest when he's got a fever that he also wants to either be cuddled against me or wants to be under a blanket. I've had some illnesses like that, clearly feverish but wanting to be under a blanket, and it really seems to help. Haven't noticed it as much in my daughter, but she doesn't get sick as often.

[IntuitiveJamie]

My son is wavering b/n 103-104 right now. He was a mess a little while ago. He's sleeping now. But I put a lemon slice on his calf and foot on both legs (held in place). It's supposed to bring the temperature down the body and even it out. Onion poultices are supposed to work as well, but I have not tried that.
I often use lavender on the body. Usually I put a several drops in a carrier oil in the palm of my hand and rub all over body. In fact, I've had great luck with lavender EO. My son spikes these kind of fevers when he gets sick. This is his norm so I don't tend to worry too much. We do sometimes use motrin or Tylenol. But I tend to give him half a dose or so, depending on if he's miserable. Tonight he was absolutely miserable, so I did give him some along with all the other remedies and many things already mentioned. Sometimes it's great to use all sides of medicine. I'm sure he'll bounce back by tomorrow.
Gonna go check on him right now.

[newmum35]

Originally Posted by serenbat

--we don't either!!

raw eggs whites on the feet work super fast- we recently broke a fever because we had just exposed to CP and 4 days later our DS ran a fever, we were afraid (and now on day 21!!)feel his body tried to fight it off (no NOTHING else going on - not even a sniffle!)

we soaked paper towels (it can get sticky- could use cloth but because of his size paper worked best for us) soak in two dishes of just the "whites" raw, nothing else, place on feet, cover with sandwich baggies (sock if you want) and wait--we dropped from 103.7 to 100.2 in less than 15 minutes and did not go back up, went down to 99 and stayed for a day plus

there is a lot on using it if you google it

also (no way this was going in!!) is to take apple cider vinegar

Wow this is incredible. Thank you so much for posting this. I never would have believed it. Great to know. I also do not use tylenol unless absolutely necessary (when my toddler cannot sleep due to high fever) its usually over 103 before this happens. Then I use a half dose.

With all the tylenol recalls and just for the fact that its expensive to keep buying (it usually expires before we can use more than one or 2 doses from it) to have on hand, this is great to know, and I will most likely be tyring it some day.

Only thing is some sites say use it on the feet, while one said use it where its hot (face or chest especially). I will likely go with the feet, much easier to undress. I wonder how it works?!?! just wow.

[momtokainoa]

We've used the raw egg whites method a few times and it's worked every time. We've also used the apple cedar vinegar, but our son doesn't like it so much probably because it's cold and it stinks. They both work by drawing the heat away from the brain and it pulls it towards the feet or other parts of the body. This way their temperature reads close to normal, however they're temperature is still high, but just in a "safer" part of their body. Best part about it is the body is still fighting off whatever "bug" is causing the fever.

[newmum35]

Originally Posted by momtokainoa

We've used the raw egg whites method a few times and it's worked every time. We've also used the apple cedar vinegar, but our son doesn't like it so much probably because it's cold and it stinks. They both work by drawing the heat away from the brain and it pulls it towards the feet or other parts of the body. This way their temperature reads close to normal, however they're temperature is still high, but just in a "safer" part of their body. Best part about it is the body is still fighting off whatever "bug" is causing the fever.

So their temperature is actually just as high but not if taken by head (like: oral thermometer, ear thermometer, forehead thermometer) is that correct?

So does it help with disturbed sleep then? If my son gets a high fever and can't sleep this is the only time I feel its good to try to lower it to get him some rest. If I use the egg whites, I'm assuming they can then sleep again? But with hot feet? lol I am truly amazed and yes imagine that at some point in the future we will be trying it out. I don't do anything for low fevers... up to 102 or so. Its usually when hits 103 he gets uncomfortable and that has only happened few times so far.

[serenbat]

egg whites- I have always used the ear thermometer to test and saw the drop

you can sleep fine with eggs whites on your feet- I do know!

also, when you are in a deep sleep your hands and feet are warmer than the rest of your body