Young children are prone to frequent illness due to their weak immune systems. One of the most common illnesses faced by children is fever. That is when parents panic seeing their child down with a fever and confuse themselves in choosing Indian home remedies for fever in babies over medications.
Many parents find it tough to see their child down with fever as their baby goes through a lot of discomforts. You must accept the point that fever is not always a bad thing and it helps the child build and develop immunity while fighting against infections.
While it is quite common for parents to urge to control fever in babies, you need not always use medications to do so. Read on to explore more about how to reduce fever in children naturally and know more about various foods to reduce fever in babies naturally.
Can I Reduce My Baby’s Fever Naturally?
There are ways through which you can reduce the baby’s fever naturally. As parents, we all ensure that our child is healthy and doesn’t fall sick. Despite all efforts there comes a point where we see our child down with the flu. If you are thinking about how to reduce fever in babies naturally, you can do it by using the Indian home remedies for fever in babies.
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Without much medication, you can get your baby back to normal using food to reduce fever in babies naturally. Also, you must accept that fever isn’t a bad thing. A slight increase in the baby’s body temperature is quite normal. There could be many factors for this such as
- Warm bath a few hours ago
- Indigestion
- Physical exertion or heightened metabolism
There are many ways to reduce fever heat in babies and to reduce fever in toddlers. You can try any of the home remedies discussed in this article to bring down the fever. But if the fever persists for more than two days, it is advised to take the child to the doctor.
Fever Red Flags
While most fevers are harmless and are helpful, it is best to consult your doctor if there is a cause for concern. Always note the below symptoms.
- Persistent fever lasting more than 2-3 days
- Any fever over 100.4º F in a baby under 3 months
- No clear source of the fever (no runny nose, no cough, no pain, etc.)
- Excessive lethargy
- Trouble in breathing
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Top 9 Indian Home Remedies For Fever In Babies
Fever is protection against infection. The rise in temperature of your child’s body is to kill the germs causing the infection. An increase in body temperature to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or higher is considered a fever.
Fever is a sign of illness and not by itself a cause of worry. Fever could be due to any reason such as a urinary tract infection or a common cold or indigestion. You don’t need to keep taking your child’s temperature multiple times a day. Once you know they are down with the flu, all it matters is the other symptoms and how your child looks and feels.
Listed below are a few Indian home remedies for fever in babies that work better than medications.
1. Giving them nourishing soups – home remedies for fever in babies in winter
Fever could be due to many reasons and one among them is dehydration. Due to fever, your child might sweat a lot which makes them lose their important minerals. And during winters, the intake of water could also be less.
Make sure your child is hydrated well to compensate for the loss of electrolytes. A hot bowl of soup is an easy food to reduce fever in babies naturally as it contains the essential vitamins and minerals and also is easy to digest. Also make sure that you follow our tips to keep baby warm at night in winters.
2. Probiotics – home remedies for fever in babies in summer
Probiotics lend a helping hand to reduce fever. Giving your child probiotics help their gut microbiota strengthen. Also, giving your child probiotics when the child is on antibiotics will help them prevent an upset tummy.
Giving your child probiotic foods like curd will help in preventing the child from falling sick often.
3. Use a cold compress – Indian home remedies for fever in babies
One natural way to reduce fever heat in babies is to use a cold compress. A cold compress can help to significantly reduce the temperature.
- Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to four tablespoons of cold water and mix well
- Dip a clean cloth in this mixture and apply it to the baby’s forehead
- Repeat this process until you find a reduction in temperature.
You can also use plain water to wet the cloth and apply it to the child’s forehead. This is one popular Indian home remedy for fever in babies.
4. Use lightweight clothes
Many parents tend to dress up their children with multiple layers of clothes when the child is down with a fever. The reason behind this is to ensure the child doesn’t feel too cold. Wearing thin cotton clothes or removing excess layers of dressing could help the child feel better.
This remedy is the easiest of Indian home remedies for fever in babies. Many believe extra layers could lead to overheating and removing those could reduce fever naturally.
5. Turmeric milk – trusted Indian home remedies for fever in babies
Using ingredients from the kitchen to deal with the baby’s illness is the best home remedy we all have been looking for. Turmeric is one such spice known for its health benefits such as boosting immunity, improving memory and brain function, and aiding digestion.
Curcumin in turmeric works as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral agent. It helps to treat and prevent colds and fever in kids as well as adults.
To prepare turmeric milk:
- Take a cup of milk and add half a spoon of turmeric to it
- Then add a teaspoon of palm sugar/ jaggery or honey and stir it well
- Heat the milk in low to medium flame until it boils
- Transfer the turmeric milk to a glass and serve while warm
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6. Make them rest – to reduce fever in toddler
When it comes to fevers, we often are quick and emotional in reaching for the medicine bottle. Remember, viral fever is a sign that the body is fighting hard to get rid of an infection. During this stage, the baby needs to ensure adequate rest. Lack of sleep can even make you sick.
Hence, make sure the baby sleeps for 9-10 hours during the night. Also, during the day, let the baby take adequate rest and refrain from playing and jumping around.
7. Raisins – common Indian home remedies for fever in babies
Raisins come with antibacterial properties that help to fight infection and aids in reducing fever in toddlers. Raisins are rich in vitamin B and C. These vitamins are vital to strengthen immunity in one’s body and thus, making the body less susceptible to infections1.
Soak about 25 grains of raisins in half a cup of water. Once they become soft, crush them and make them into a paste. Feed the child with this paste twice every day. You will see a significant reduction in temperature but before doing same you should know when can you start giving dry fruits to your baby.
8. Ginger bath – easy Indian home remedies for fever in babies
Ginger is one of the most common kitchen items that is known for its ability to kill bacteria that cause fever and infections2. The antibacterial property in ginger works better against fever. Also, the heat content of ginger causes sweat which helps to remove toxins from the body.
Add about two tablespoons of ginger powder and a few slices of raw ginger to a bucket of warm water. Give your child a refreshing bath in this water and you will be surprised with the results.
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9. Mustard oil and garlic
Mustard oil and garlic are again popular ingredients in most parts of northern India. Using this technique is hence a commonly followed Indian home remedy for fever in babies. Both mustard oil and garlic can reduce fever in toddlers.
- Add a tablespoon of garlic paste to two tablespoons of hot mustard oil
- Allow the mixture to cool down
- Apply the mixture on the child’s feet, palm, chest, and back
- You can also use this oil to massage the baby before the baby is off to bed
Mustard oil and garlic help to get rid of the toxins causing fever and also relieves body pain in children.
Conclusion
High temperature, muscle aches, cold and cough, loss of appetite isn’t a good experience for anyone — especially kids. While there is always an option to consume medicine to bring the body temperature down, there are also many Indian home remedies for fever in babies that will help you cure the fever naturally.
Though fever in children is the body’s natural mechanism of defense to infections, you must also watch out for other activities of the child such as their food intake, urination pattern, and how active the child is. In case you feel the child is lower than usual or if the fever persists for long, it is advised to take the child to the doctor.