Correct methods and precautions for physical cooling of children with fever
Fever in children is one of the biggest worries for parents. Faced with a child with a fever, many parents try every means to cool them down, and physical cooling is one of the safest and most effective methods. But how to operate physical cooling correctly and what matters need to be paid attention to?
1. Ice application should be moderate
Ice compress is a common method of physical cooling, but ice packs or towels should not be too cold to avoid stimulating vasoconstriction on the child\’s surface and increasing body temperature instead. Ice packs should be applied to the child\’s armpits, groin, knee bends, lower back and other areas. You should watch the time when applying, no more than 10 minutes each time, two consecutive times is enough. At the same time, if the child sweats a lot, be sure to wipe him dry before physically cooling him.
2. Control the bathtub water temperature well
When children have a fever, they can take a bath in the bathtub to cool down, but the water temperature in the bathtub must be controlled and should not be lower than 37°C. At the same time, the soaking time should not be too long, preferably no more than 15 minutes, because long-term soaking may cause dehydration and rapid drop in body temperature in children.
3. Use the fan with caution
After a night on a hot day, the child\’s body temperature is still there the next morning and they still suffer from insomnia symptoms. At this time, many parents will choose to use fans to cool down. But be careful with this cooling method, because although the wind blown by the fan can make people feel cool, it will make people\’s mouth dry and cause muscle twitching.
4. Iron clothes correctly
When a child has a fever, it is very necessary for parents to change their clothes. However, many parents do not pay attention when ironing clothes, which makes the clothes worn by children when they have an initial fever appear to be too hot or cooked, which in turn affects the cooling effect. When ironing clothes correctly, you should choose the appropriate temperature and time to avoid excessive temperature damage to the clothes and affect the comfort of the child.
Physical cooling is a relatively simple and effective cooling method, but when using it, parents need to pay attention to operating it under moderate conditions, and cool down appropriately based on the child\’s physical condition. At the same time, it should also be noted that physical cooling is not the fundamental way to treat fever. Children should be guided to rest properly, drink more water, and receive medical treatment from a doctor.
