Avoid feeding your baby fruit or apple juice or dilute it with fifty percent water. Popsicles or gelatin are also acceptable. Avoid caffeinated drinks because they force urination and the loss of fluids. Offer your baby his usual diet but realize that your baby may not want to eat as much when he has a fever. Try offering bland foods such as breads, crackers, pastas, and oatmeal. Infants who are breastfeeding should only drink breast milk. Keep them hydrated by giving them plenty of breast milk. Never force your baby to eat if food is refused.
Avoid running the heater nonstop so that your baby does not overheat. Same with the air conditioner. Keep it off so your baby doesn’t shiver and raise her temperature.
Keep your baby comfortably dressed and cover him with a light blanket if the temperature is too cold in the room or you notice your baby shivering. Adjust the room temperature as needed to keep your baby comfortable.
If you plan to give your baby a lukewarm bath, give her some medicine to make sure her temperature does not rise after getting out of the bath. Avoid cold baths, ice, or alcohol rubs. These will cause your baby to shiver and make the situation even worse.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) is usually what the doctor or nurse recommends for fevers in babies. If your baby is under three months old, call the doctor before administering medication. Do not go over the recommended dosage or there is a potential it could cause liver or kidney damage, or worse, it could be fatal. Acetaminophen can be taken every four to six hours and Ibuprofen can be taken every six to eight hours as long as the baby is older than six months old. Keep track of what medicine you give, how much, and when you gave it, so as not to overdose your child. For temperatures under 102°F (38. 9°C), try to refrain from using medication unless the doctor or nurse suggests it. Never give aspirin to babies it could trigger a rare, but fatal, disorder called Reye’s syndrome.
For newborn babies up to three months old that have a temperature of 100. 4°F (38°C) or higher, you should contact a pediatrician for instructions. If your baby is older than three months old with a 102°F (38. 9°C) and the fever lasts longer than a day, call your pediatrician. If you are ever in doubt, make a call to the pediatrician just to be safe.
If your baby is not alert or comfortable when the fever subsides, is very irritable, has a stiff neck, or no tears appear when baby cries, contact your doctor right away. If your child has any special medical problems such as heart problems, immune problems, or sickle cell disease, make sure to check with your doctor when he has a fever. Call your doctor if your child has a fever that lasts longer than 48 hours and a decreasing number of wet diapers, or excessive diarrhea or nausea, as this could indicate an illness that should be evaluated. Call your doctor if your child has a fever over 105°F (40. 5°C) or has a fever for more than three days. Dial 9-1-1 if your baby has a fever and seems confused, cannot walk, difficulty breathing, or lips, tongue, or nails become blue.
Record all of the necessary information about your baby’s fever: when the fever started, how long ago you took your baby’s temperature and informing the doctor of any other symptoms. Make a list of medications, vitamins, and supplements that your baby is taking and if your baby is allergic to anything. Think about questions to ask the doctor like what is causing the fever; what kind of tests need to be performed; what is the best approach for treatment; and will my baby need to take any medications? Be ready to answer the doctor’s questions: when did the symptoms begin; did your baby take medication and if yes, when; what did you do to try and alleviate the fever? Prepare for the fact that your baby might have to be admitted to the hospital for observation or more testing if your baby is very ill or is younger than 3 months old.
Wash hands, in particular, before eating, after using the toilet, petting or playing with an animal, using public transportation, or after visiting a sick person. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly — front and back, between fingers, under your nails, and for at least twenty seconds with warm water and soap. Keep hand sanitizer with you when you travel or do not have access to soap and water.
Guard against all bodily fluids that exit the “T” zone as well: cover your mouth when you cough, your mouth and nose when you sneeze and wipe your nose when it is runny (then wash your hands!).
Avoid putting your baby’s binky in your mouth as a way to clean it and then putting it back into your baby’s mouth. Adult germs are powerful inside the baby’s mouth and can easily cause illness. The same goes for toothbrushes.
