How to Comfort Your Child with a Fever

For a parent, it’s understandable to be concerned when your child has a fever. Usually, a fever is just a symptom of an infection or other condition. In most cases, a fever will go away on its own in 2 or 3 days.

If your child has a fever, but is playing, eating, and behaving as usual, you may not need to do anything. However, if your child doesn’t feel well, your treatment goal should be to help him or her feel more comfortable. Your goal doesn’t have to be getting a temperature back to normal levels: just remember that any decrease can help bring your little love some relief.

Being their parent, you know best how to comfort them - from preparing a special meal or playing their favourite game with them. Your child looks to you for comfort.

What you can do

Fever reducers such as acetaminophen (found in Infant’s and Children’s TYLENOL®) or ibuprofen (found in Infants’ and Children’s MOTRIN®) may help make your child more comfortable.

Comfort Tip: A sleeping child is a comfortable child. Most doctors and pediatricians recommend that you not wake a sleeping child to give fever medicine.

Other steps to consider:

• Sponge your child’s body with slightly warm water (only if child finds it comforting and stop if child begins to shiver)
• Keep your child cool with light clothing and a lower room temperature
• Make sure your child drinks lots of liquids