Can you bathe a baby with fever?

Medical Video: How to Cure the Fever in an Infant Baby

Fever or heat may be one of the health conditions that often occur in your baby. Fever is a sign that the body is fighting an infection that attacks the body. This is one response to your immune system. Sometimes parents are very worried when they find out their baby has a fever.

Indeed, special treatment is needed to be able to relieve fever in infants. One of the usual ways to relieve fever in infants is to bathe warm water. However, can the baby take a shower during a fever? Is it true that bathing can reduce fever?

Can the baby take a shower during a fever?

Actually there is nothing that prohibits babies from bathing during a fever. Even previous experts recommended that the baby take a shower during a fever. However, not for now. If needed, a baby fever may be bathed and may not be bathed.

Baby fever can be bathed with the condition that the water used must be warm water. Do not bathe a baby who has fever with cold water because this will make the baby shiver. Water also cannot be too hot. Water that is too hot can make baby's skin hurt and can also make the baby shiver after being bathed.

If the baby looks shivering when bathed, you should immediately lift the baby from the bath and put on warm clothes (but not too thick and many layers). Do not let the baby take a long bath until it shivers during a fever. Shivering will only increase the baby's body temperature instead of helping to reduce the temperature. Or, you can also bathe the baby by simply washing it with a washcloth that has been dipped in warm water. This method may be safer.

Can a bath reduce fever in infants?

Although in the past people believed that bathing can help lower a baby's hot body temperature, it turns out that this is not the best way to do it. Babies can shiver when bathing. To prevent this, you should first give a baby febrifuge before the baby baths in warm water, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Consult with a doctor or read the instructions for use to find out the dosage that should be given to your baby.

After giving febrifuge, your baby may not shiver after being bathed. So, a combination of giving febrifuge and a warm bath can help reduce baby fever better. Babies who are not given medication before bathing may be shivering because their body will try to raise the temperature again. So, this can make the fever worse.

When should a fevered baby be taken to a doctor?

If the baby is very young, where his immune system is still immature, you should immediately take the baby to the doctor if the baby starts a fever. Don't try to bathe the baby. Fever in very young babies can be very worrying. You might not be able to handle baby fever yourself at home.

If your baby's fever has reached the temperature below, you should immediately take your baby to the doctor: