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13 Natural Remedies for Fevers

Natural Remedies for Fever

One of the most misunderstood and over-treated childhood conditions is a fever. Fever is not a disease, and in most cases is nothing to worry about. An elevation in body temperature is one of the body’s strongest weapons to deal with infections, and is best left to run its course.

A fever increases the amount of natural antiviral and antibacterial substances in the blood. Fever also increases white blood cell count, to kill cells infected with viruses, and it improves the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria and infected cells, while impairing the replication of bacteria and viruses.

Western medicine has a limited number of treatments available for fevers, most of which involve Tylenol or Ibuprofen, which may mask the symptoms and actually prolong the illness.

Treating a feverish child with natural remedies is a gentler method that doesn’t introduce pharmaceuticals into their body or artificially force a fever down. Dr. Robert Mendelsohn, author of How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor, debunks the myth that febrile seizures (convulsions) and high fevers cause permanent damage the child’s brain or body. He does recommend seeing a physician if your infant (under two months old) has a fever over 100°. Fevers under 106° should be allowed to run their course.

Of course, when your child is miserable and can’t sleep, treating a fever with natural remedies may give enough relief for them to sleep and heal. You will probably need the sleep as well…

13 Natural Remedies for Fever:

  • A lukewarm bath – Bathing in tepid water helps the body shed some of that heat and may give enough relief for a good night’s sleep for all of you. For kids that love bath time, the distraction of playing in the water will take their mind off of the discomfort they feel.
  • Proper hydration – Make sure your child always has water at hand, and feed them fresh fruit or vegetable juices to replace lost fluids due to fever.
  • Wet socks – Soaking a pair of cotton socks with water and covering them with wool ones helps to draw the temperature down. Try this for nights when they just can’t get to sleep.
  • Vinegar – A sponge bath with vinegar, or soaking the socks (above) in vinegar is another tried and true remedy.
  • Herb tea – Strong peppermint tea is helpful for feverish children, as is elderflower tea. Mothering magazine has a Fever Soothing Tea recipe:
    • 2 teaspoons peppermint
      2 teaspoons elder flowers
      2 teaspoons yarrow flowers
      2 teaspoons boneset flowers and leaves
      4 cups hot water
      Honey or maple syrup to sweetenUse 1 teaspoon of the dried blend or 2 teaspoons of fresh blended herbs per cup of boiling water. Steep for five minutes and strain. Sweeten a cup to taste for your child to drink; pour the rest in the bath. To induce sweating, serve this tea as hot as your child can comfortably drink it. We recommend serving it in a plastic mug while your sick child sits in a comfortably warm bathtub in a warm bathroom.
  • Herb Tea Popsicles – Freezing the herb teas listed above into popsicle molds makes for a fun treat and may get them to “drink” the tea (younger children tend to resist herb tea, so popsicles help).
  • Herbal Tinctures – TempAssure, by Herbs for Kids, is a staple in our medicine cabinet. It provides relief so that your child can get some rest. Echinacea tincture (glycerine extract) also helps boost their immune response.
  • Homeopathic remedies – Viburcol, by Heel, comes highly recommended by some mothers. Consult your homeopathic doctor for other remedies.
  • Vitamin C – We like Emergen-C for boosting the immune system and hydrating the body. Plus, it’s fizzy… We call it Fizzy Lifting Drink (Burp, Charlie, burp… It’s the only way!).
  • Raw Onion – Slice a raw onion and place several on the bottom of each foot and cover with socks. This folk remedy is endorsed by mothers around the country, but it does stink up the room…
  • Egg Whites – Soak two cloths in egg whites, place on the bottom of the feet and cover with socks.
  • Sunshine and Fresh Air – If the weather is nice, making a cozy spot for your child in the sunshine, complete with some good books and a large glass of water will do wonders for them. Don’t expose them to extreme temperatures, though.
  • Herb Spritzers – Combine several drops of essential oil of chamomile, lavender, or thyme with a small amount of water in a spray bottle. Spray on your child’s chest, back, legs, and arms. Keep away from the face and the eyes.

Caveat: I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on television. This article is based on my experience and that of other parents, and does not constitute medical advice. Please seek the advice of your family physician for their recommendations.

Image: sunshinecity at Flickr under Creative Commons License

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Comments

  1. Jamie Ervin says

    October 25, 2008 at 12:32 pm

    Great post and excellent tips!

    Reply
  2. Sommer-Green and Clean Mom says

    October 25, 2008 at 5:48 pm

    Great post. Wet socks? I haven’t heard that one. I cannot get my children to drink tea. I’ve tried. Bummer.

    Reply
  3. M.E. says

    October 25, 2008 at 6:06 pm

    These are all very good tips! The only problem would be that it’s very difficult to get children who are fussy to give in to these different remedies!

    Reply
  4. Beth says

    October 29, 2008 at 6:49 am

    I think these are all great suggestions, and I’d love to give my daughters less medicine. However, I also wanted to reiterate the point that you need to watch fevers carefully when they are above 100. My daughter had a febrile seizure when she was 18 months old, when her fever was 104. She didn’t wake up from it, and we had to call 911 and rush her to the ER. Thankfully, she recovered quickly and did not have any side effects. So well I will always give her Motrin, I am still happy to try some of these new options as well.

    Reply

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About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

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