Today's first time parenting tip - Keep cool and treat a fever naturally

Your eleven month infant's temperature hits 102. You panic. What could it be? You'd like to think it's teething, but you're just not sure. It might be something worse.

Everything else seems to be fine. No change in behavior. Bowel movements are normal. Fevers are the bodies natural defense mechanism against infection. Ideally, they should be allowed to run their course without medication. If the fever spikes or comes with seizures, vomiting or other nasty symptoms, you should get medical help immediately.

But what if your infant is just running a little hot and you want to keep it down without Tylenol? Here are some things you can try:

• Put your baby in a lukewarm bath. During the winter, make sure the air temperature is at least 72 degrees so they don't get chilled coming out of the water


• Dress your baby in a light layer of clothing. If they get too cold, add another layer and subtract layers to make them comfortable


• Make sure they drink lots of fluids. If they don't want to drink, this could be a sign of something else, and you might want to call your doctor.


• Give them a teething ring from the freezer. A fever can be caused by teething. A cool ring will help them feel more comfortable and ease their gums

How do you treat a fever naturally?

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