remember that any fever in a newborn infant (under 3 months of age) needs prompt medical attention because at that age it’s hard to tell when a serious infection might be present. a fever is the body’s natural response to infection or other illness and will subside when the underlying process gets better. other than treating the infection (or other condition) causing it no home treatments can shorten the duration of a fever. also remember that fever doesn’t always need to be treated. if a toddler is acting normally and unbothered by her fever and her temperature is less than 104 degrees (40 degrees celsius) there’s no need to treat the fever. for a fever that’s high or is bothering your toddler either acetaminophen (mapap tylenol) or ibuprofen (advil motrin) are good treatments. you’ll need to know your toddler’s weight (don’t guess) and use the dosing guidelines on the package. it’s best to stick with one medicine if you can. if you feel you need to use multiple drugs call your pediatrician’s office. don’t ever use aspirin to treat a child’s fever as it increases the risk for reye’s syndrome. if sponging with water helps your child with a fever feel better use a warm bath (not cool) with water around 85 degrees.
how do you break a fever in a toddler?