What is the appropriate water temperature for physical cooling?

Fever in children is a very common disease. Whether the child is infected by a virus or catches a cold, it may cause the baby to have symptoms of fever. When a child has a fever, if the parents cannot take him to the hospital for treatment in time, then they must first perform physical cooling on the child to prevent the child from continuing to have a fever. So, what temperature of water is more suitable for physical cooling? The following is some relevant knowledge for you.

1. How much water should be used for physical fever reduction

If your baby has a fever, when using warm water to wipe him to reduce the fever physically, it is best to use warm water of about 38-40 degrees, which is about the same as the baby's body temperature.

Tips:

Soak a small towel in water until it is wet, take it out and wring it out slightly until there are no drips, then focus on scrubbing the baby's neck, armpits, and thighs. The cooling effect will be more obvious.

2. There are several ways to physically cool down your baby

1. Drink more water or milk

When a baby has a fever, the body consumes water. It is estimated that for every 1°C increase in body temperature, 10% of the water in the human body evaporates. In addition, drinking more water can speed up sweating and urination, promote the excretion of toxins and metabolic waste in the body, and help the child recover as soon as possible. Therefore, you should feed warm water in small amounts and multiple times, or give an appropriate amount of oral rehydration salts to allow the body to sweat or urinate to help cool down and avoid dehydration.

Note: You can give your baby freshly squeezed juice, but bottled juice, fruit milk, etc. are high in sugar and osmotic pressure, which will increase the gastrointestinal burden on children, so they are not recommended.

2. Wear less and cover less

Wear less clothes and cover less quilts to allow the baby to dissipate heat naturally.

3. Foot bath

Control the water temperature so as not to scald the child. Soak for more than 15-20 minutes to allow the baby to sweat and cool down.

4. Wipe your body with warm water and take a warm bath

You can use warm water equivalent to body temperature to wipe the head, neck, limbs, armpits, groin and other areas where large blood vessels pass to dissipate heat and reduce body temperature.

3. How to decide whether your baby should take antipyretics

1. If your body temperature is below 38.5℃, you are energetic and in good spirits, and there is no need to use antipyretic drugs.

2. If the body temperature exceeds 38.5℃, the face is hot, the patient is irritable, and in a bad mood, antipyretic drugs should be given immediately.

3. If you have had a high fever convulsion, you should take antipyretics even if the temperature does not reach 38.5℃.

Notice:

1. If your baby has a fever accompanied by symptoms such as difficulty breathing, severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or if he cries incessantly as if in pain, you should go to the hospital immediately.

2. If your body temperature is too high or you have symptoms such as convulsions, you should do physical cooling, take antipyretics, and seek medical attention promptly.