If your child's temperature is above 100.4 degrees F, a variety of methods can be used to reduce the fever. The goal is to help heat leave the child's body without causing the child to shiver or have goose bumps. Shivering actually causes the temperature to go up. A fever can be brought down in the following ways:
- Dress your child in thin pajamas, shorts, underwear, or diapers. It is normal to want to bundle the child, but bundling will increase the temperature.
- Cover your child with only a sheet or leave him uncovered. Do not cover with blankets until the temperature returns to normal.
- Make sure the room gets lots of moving air. Small fans may be used to keep air moving.
- Give your child lots of fluids. Fluids are needed to help get rid of infection and replace the fluids that are lost through the skin during a fever.
