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Thursday, January 10, 2008

Natural Remedies for Lowering a Fever

(Note: You can read this article on Lowering a Fever on my new blog, dkMommy Spot.)


I recently blogged about how to reduce a fever for your child after vaccinations, but what if your child has a fever due to a cold or flu? There are some great natural remedies to safely lower fevers in those cases too. One of the easiest ways is with herbal tea.



There are several you can try, but one of the most effective would be catnip tea. It's a little bitter, so if your baby is over a year old you can add a little honey. Or make the tea with catnip and lemon balm to make it more palatable. If you're nursing, you can drink the tea yourself and the benefits will pass through the breastmilk shortly after drinking it. I usually steep about a teaspoon of tea in a mug of hot but not boiling water for about 10 - 15 minutes. You can administer a dropperful every 15 minutes until the fever starts to come down, then increase the dosage to 1/4 cup every one to two hours. After the temperature is normal, continue giving 1/4 cup of tea 3 - 4 times a day for a few more days to help support recuperation.


Remember, though, that having a fever is not always a bad thing. It's the body's natural defense against viruses, so you don't always need to fight it. If the fever is 103 degrees or higher, call your doctor right away. But if it's 101 or less, it can often be managed with plenty of fluids. (Warm fluids help to encourage sweating, which also lowers a temperature. Older children may enjoy ginger tea, which although spicy, has a wonderful warming effect.) As always, if anything at all raises the alarm in your parental radar, call your doctor regardless. Don't be afraid of sounding silly or of asking too many questions. A good pediatrician will be more than willing to help you.




4 comments:

Carla said...

Thank you for the information! I love going with natural remedies! Keep up the good work! :)

Anonymous said...

That's great information. We are Canadians living in Germany where our kids are given cold herbal teas to drink at kindergarten. I have to learn as much as I can about how to use each blend and when.

Unknown said...

This article has been included in the latest edition of Mom's Blogging Carnival being hosted by angelawd

Anonymous said...

hi, I like using things that are natural but i've never liked the different teas. Black Elderberry was recommended to me to help boost the immune system and so stave off colds and flu. I tried it (as did my family) and it has worked. It's better than things like echinacea because children under 12 can use it too. Hope this is helpful!?