Tips for safely lowering a newborn’s fever without medication

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Fever is a common ailment in young children. So, what are some safe and effective ways to reduce fever in infants at home without medication? This article from the 0-3 year old baby care section will provide parents with the most accurate answers. Let’s find out!

How to Reduce Fever in Infants Without Medication

Dress Your Baby in Loose, Breathable Clothing

Many parents worry that a feverish child will get cold, so they overdress them with socks, blankets, and long-sleeved clothes. However, this will only increase the baby’s body temperature. Thick layers of clothing prevent the body from cooling down naturally.

Therefore, one of the most effective ways to reduce fever in infants without medication is to dress them in loose, breathable clothing or just a shirt and diaper.

How to reduce fever in infants: Dress them in loose clothing

Dress your baby in loose clothing to avoid increasing their body temperature

Use Lukewarm Water to Wipe Down Your Baby

When your baby has a fever, you can use lukewarm water to clean their body instead of giving them a direct bath. Use a soft cloth, soak it in lukewarm water, wring it out, and then wipe your baby’s body. Focus on the forehead, groin, and armpits.

Skin-to-Skin Contact with Mother

First, the mother should bathe and wear loose clothing. Ensure the room temperature is above 28 degrees Celsius to prevent both mother and baby from catching a cold. Next, remove both your and your baby’s clothes and place the baby on your bare skin, belly-to-belly, for 1-2 hours. This is a very effective way to reduce fever in infants without medication and provides a sense of security for the sick baby.

Give Your Baby Plenty of Fluids

When a baby has a fever, their body temperature rises, and they can easily become dehydrated. Therefore, for infants, mothers should breastfeed more frequently. For older babies, mothers can prepare nutritious porridge or liquid-based foods, or give them fresh milk, fruit juice, etc. This method not only helps reduce fever without medication but also provides various essential nutrients to help the baby get stronger.

Wrap Wet Socks Around Your Baby’s Ankles

Another method that may sound strange but is extremely effective, even for high fevers, is using wet socks.

Choose two cotton socks of appropriate length, soak them in cold water, wring them out, and then wrap them around your baby’s ankles. When the socks are no longer cold, re-soak and reapply them. Initially, the baby may feel slightly uncomfortable, but their body temperature will gradually decrease, significantly improving their condition.

Wrap a Thin Cloth Around Your Baby

When a baby has a fever, their body temperature is elevated, so wrapping them in a thick blanket will make them very uncomfortable. Instead, you can remove all the baby’s clothes or wrap a thin cloth, like a muslin cloth, around them for comfort. This is a very effective way to reduce fever in infants that mothers shouldn’t overlook.

Wrap a thin cloth to reduce fever in infants

KuKu KU2383 30×30 cm cotton muslin cloth

Give Your Baby Cucumber to Suck On

Besides being used for skincare and reducing dark circles, cucumber is also considered an excellent way to reduce fever in infants. Choose a young cucumber, wash it thoroughly, cut it into the shape of a baby bottle, peel it, and let your baby suck on it. After a short time, the baby’s body temperature will decrease significantly.

Massage Your Baby with Olive Oil

Apply olive oil to your hands and massage your baby’s entire body. Then, dress them in long-sleeved pajamas and let them sleep overnight. The next morning, wipe off any remaining olive oil. This method is only suitable for children under 2 years old, so please be aware.

Massage Your Baby with Warm Water

When your baby has a fever, prepare a basin of warm water and a cotton towel. Bring the baby into a room (ensuring the room temperature is above 28 degrees Celsius), undress them, and lay them down on the towel. Dip your hand in the warm water and gently place it on the baby’s chest, massaging their entire body. If your hand gets cold, re-dip it in the warm water. The warmth from your hand and the water will help soothe the baby’s body.

Massage is an effective way to reduce fever in infants

Massage is also a very good way to reduce fever in infants

Steam Your Baby to Quickly Reduce Fever

Another method to reduce fever in infants without medication is steaming. Prepare a large basin of hot water, add eucalyptus oil, and close the door to prevent the hot steam from escaping. Hold your baby or place them on a towel, and cover their body with another towel, without dressing them.

Supplement Vitamin C

A diet with adequate nutrients is the most effective way to reduce fever at home. Pay attention to supplementing vitamin C, as it plays a crucial role in helping reduce fever and restore health. It also helps improve the baby’s resistance, protecting their body from pathogens.

Supplement Calcium

Calcium can promote faster recovery. Therefore, supplementing calcium through calcium-rich foods like oatmeal, milk, fish, cheese, etc., is also a very good method.

How to Reduce Fever in Infants with Herbs

Use Fish Mint, Succulent Leaves, or Mugwort

In Traditional Medicine, mugwort, succulent leaves, and fish mint are all very effective remedies. When a baby has a fever, crush a small amount of one of these leaves, wrap it in a clean cloth, and apply it to the baby’s forehead for 30 minutes, then clean with warm water. This method is suitable for babies aged 0-6 months.

Use Cajuput Oil

Many parents believe that bathing a feverish child will cause them to catch a cold. However, a warm bath with cajuput essential oil is extremely effective in reducing fever. This essential oil can reduce fever, clear the nose, and keep the body warm. Therefore, if the baby has a mild fever, you can apply this method and then dress them in loose clothing and let them stay in a well-ventilated area, away from drafts.

How to reduce fever in infants: Use cajuput essential oil

Bathing your baby with a little cajuput essential oil is a very effective way to reduce fever

Reduce Fever with Onion

Onion has relatively good fever-reducing and pain-relieving effects. Here are three ways to use onion to reduce fever in infants:

  • Wrap ¼ of a crushed onion in the baby’s left hand.
  • Thinly slice an onion, place it in a sock, and put the sock on the baby’s feet overnight. Wash with clean water in the morning.
  • Bake and mince an onion, wrap it in a clean cloth, and apply it to the baby’s chest for 10-15 minutes.

Use Fresh Lemon

Fresh lemon is extremely effective in reducing fever, especially for high fevers above 38 degrees Celsius. Cut the lemon into thin slices and apply them along the baby’s spine, forehead, elbows, and knees. However, avoid contact with any broken skin, as it may cause stinging and itching.

Reduce Fever with Perilla Leaf Juice

According to Traditional Medicine, giving a baby perilla leaf juice is very effective in reducing fever. Blend perilla leaves and strain the juice for the baby to drink. For breastfeeding babies, the mother can eat 10 raw perilla leaves or drink boiled perilla leaf water so that the perilla is secreted into breast milk.

Use Spiderwort Leaf Juice with Salt

Reducing fever with spiderwort and salt is a traditional remedy. Take a small handful of spiderwort, wash it, soak it in diluted salt water for 10 minutes, then boil it, strain it, and give the baby 10ml to drink at a time. For babies under 1 year old, you can crush the residue and apply it around the forehead, armpits, and soles of the feet to gradually reduce their body temperature.

Reduce Fever with Peppermint

Peppermint contains menthol, an essential oil that is very effective in reducing fever. However, peppermint can cause breathing difficulties in babies under 3 months old, so this method is only suitable for babies over 3 months. Prepare a handful of peppermint leaves, wash them, crush them, and apply them to the baby’s forehead, palms, and soles of the feet for 30 minutes, then wipe with a clean, wet cloth.

How to reduce fever in infants: Use peppermint leaves

Peppermint leaves are very effective in reducing fever in children

Use Ginger

Ginger has warming properties and can help babies sweat effectively. Here are two ways to use ginger to reduce fever:

  • Mince ginger, mix it with 50ml of warm water and 1 spoon of honey, and give it to the baby to drink in small sips.
  • Boil 2 liters of water with a ginger root, let it cool slightly, and bathe the baby for 3-5 minutes.

Things to Avoid When an Infant Has a Fever

Avoid Allergenic Foods

The best way to reduce fever in infants is to keep them away from allergenic foods like shrimp and crab. When a baby has a fever, their immune system is working at full capacity to protect the body. If they experience an allergic reaction, their condition will worsen.

Avoid Sugary Foods

Consuming too many sweets will suppress the baby’s immune system. Therefore, limit sugary foods like soft drinks, cakes, and candies when the baby has a fever.

How to reduce fever in infants: Avoid sugary foods

Parents should limit sugary foods for their children

Avoid Egg-Based Complementary Foods

Eggs are rich in protein. If a baby eats egg-based complementary foods, their body will produce a large amount of heat, which can increase their fever and reduce the effectiveness of any previous fever-reducing methods.

Other Precautions

  • Do not give lemon to the baby to eat.
  • Using ice is a completely wrong way to reduce fever in infants.
  • Never slap or pull the baby’s hair during a seizure, as this can cause further stimulation and more seizures.

A Few Words from AVAKids

A baby can have a fever for various reasons. The methods AVAKids shared above are for informational purposes only. If your baby has a high fever that doesn’t improve after a prolonged period, take them to the hospital immediately for prompt treatment.

This article from AVAKids is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical diagnosis and treatment