Fevers

Poor kid. My five year old is home with a fever today. During the day yesterday, he started to act more cranky than usual (and that's quite an accomplishment!) I figured that something might be wrong. When we got home at about 4:00, he fell asleep on the couch and woke up with a fever. Now, what is the best thing for a mother to do when a child develops a fever? First of all, give them a lot of drinks. Most children will resist eating when they aren't feeling well, and they may resist drinking as well. It's very important, however, to get them to drink. The last thing you want is to end up in the hospital with a dehydrated, feverish child. Next, give them so medicine. It's amazing how well and quickly Tylenol and Motrin work to reduce fevers. There is no reason that your child should have to suffer just because he has a fever.

The next great thing to do is a bath. Now, kids with fevers will not enjoy this. They probably have the chills and will say that they are cold. But, a warm bath really does work wonders for fevers. Make sure not to make it too hot - or too cold. Help them to get dressed into some really cozy clothes afterwards and give them some loving care.

If the fever doesn't break after about 24 hours, you might want to take them to the doctor. Usually, a fever will go away on its own with a lot of fluids, a lot of love, and rest. Let them sleep for as long as they need to, and try to keep any other children or noises away.

Feel better soon!