We speak of fever when the body temperature exceeds 37 ° C (or 37.5 ° C, if we are talking about core temperature). The causes can be many; however, fever is a normal body response, a defense mechanism, and can be accompanied by various other symptoms, including headache , loss of appetite,  sore throat  and generalized malaise.

Fever spares no one; in children, however, it is a more common occurrence, especially in the early days when children begin to attend a community, for example the nursery or kindergarten. 

Natural remedies for fever in children

If the temperature is not excessively high, i.e. up to 38.5 ° C, it is often not necessary to take medications to control the fever. It is always and in any case advisable to resort to some precautions.

The first natural remedies for fever in children are as simple as they are important:

• Avoid covering the baby too much , to help him disperse excess heat.
• Make him drink a lot ; everyone must drink plenty of fluids in case of fever, but especially children, who tend to become dehydrated more easily than adults. For example, water, fruit juices, freshly squeezed juice, chamomile, vegetable broth, milk are fine. On the other hand, it is not advisable to force children who have a fever to eat. 
• Keep children with fever at rest , but not necessarily in bed, in an environment with moderate temperature, that is, neither cold, nor excessively hot and with the right degree of humidity.
• And grandma’s remedies ? Grandma’s remedies for fever in children are not always really advisable. To give relief to the little ones, you can practice sponging and refreshing frictions. On the other hand, it is not advisable to use ice on the head to bring down the fever: the excess of cold deceives the apparatus that regulates the body temperature, originating a paradoxical effect; in this case it may in fact happen that the fever drops and then rises immediately after reaching even higher temperatures.

When to use medications to lower fever

In general, natural remedies for fever in children are sufficient and it is not necessary to resort to drugs if the axillary temperature does not exceed 38.5 ° C degrees (or 39 ° C if we are talking about core temperature), especially if the child with fever plays, has appetite and shows no signs of malaise. Otherwise, when the child seems quite in pain, it may be appropriate to administer an antipyretic even with a lower fever.

Yes: but which drugs? The only antipyretic drugs sufficiently studied against fever in children are paracetamol and ibuprofen, the latter being also an anti-inflammatory. Never give other medications to children without asking the pediatrician for advice. However, always call the doctor in case of a high fever or if the child appears to be in pain.

Obviously, it is also possible to resort to naturopathy or homeopathy for children , but do-it-yourself is absolutely not recommended. In case you want to use these remedies, always seek the advice of a specialist.