Can the baby be bathed when he has a fever?

Fever or fever 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 is attacking the body. This is a response from your immune system. Sometimes parents are very worried when they find out that their baby has a fever.

Indeed, special handling is needed to relieve fever in infants. One thing that is usually done to relieve fever in babies is to bathe in warm water. However, is it okay for the baby to take a bath when he has a fever? Is it true that taking a shower can reduce fever?

Is it okay for the baby to take a bath when he has a fever?

Actually, no one forbids babies from bathing when they have a fever. Even previous experts recommend that babies take a bath when they have a fever. However, not for now. If necessary, a baby with a fever may be washed and may not be bathed.

Babies with fever can be bathed on the condition that the water used is warm water. Do not bathe a baby with cold water because this will make the baby shiver. The water shouldn't be too hot either. Water that is too hot can irritate the baby's skin and can also make the baby shiver after bathing.

If the baby looks shivering when being bathed, it's best to immediately lift the baby from the tub and put him in warm (but not too thick and too many layers) clothes. Do not let the baby take a bath for a long time until the baby chills when he has a fever. Shivering will only increase the baby's body temperature, not help lower it. 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 to do.

Can bathing reduce fever in babies?

Although in the past people believed that bathing could help reduce a hot baby's body temperature, this is not the best way to do it. Babies may shiver while bathing. To prevent this, you should first give fever-reducing drugs to the baby before the baby takes a warm bath, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Consult your doctor or read the instructions to find out what dose to give your baby.

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

When should a baby with fever be brought to the doctor immediately?

If the baby is very young, whose immune system is still immature, it's best to take the baby to the doctor immediately if the baby starts having a fever. Don't try to bathe the baby. A fever in a very young baby can be very worrying. You may not be able to treat baby fever on your own at home.

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

• Infants younger than 3 months: a body temperature of 38 ° C or more
• Infants 3-6 months of age: a body temperature of 38.3 ° C or more
• Infants older than 6 months: body temperature of 39.4 ° C or more

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