Can taking a warm bath reduce fever?

Fever is a common condition in our lives, mainly caused by not paying attention to keeping warm due to weather changes. In this case, many people will try to cure the fever by staying in a quilt to force out sweat, and some people also think that taking a warm bath can also reduce fever. However, this method of cooling down cannot completely reduce fever, and fever should be reduced through medication.

When a child has a fever, parents are usually afraid to give the baby a bath for fear that the child will catch a cold, which would make the illness worse. However, experts at Maria Hospital say that this is a common misunderstanding.

Experts explain that giving a child with a fever a warm bath is actually a cooling measure. Because bathing can clean the skin, prevent blockage of sweat glands, and help the body dissipate heat. As long as the method is correct, it can not only reduce the body temperature by 0.5℃~1℃, but also calm down children who seem irritable due to fever and help them fall asleep peacefully.

However, there are some issues that you should pay attention to when bathing your child. First of all, close the doors and windows, and adjust the indoor temperature to around 25 degrees Celsius; the water temperature for bathing is generally 2 to 3 degrees lower than body temperature; the bathing time should not be too long, generally 5 to 10 minutes, and you can bathe several times a day; after bathing, wipe off the water on your body in time, wrap it with a towel, and put on clothes to avoid catching a cold. In addition, during the bathing process, parents should closely observe the child's complexion, breathing, and spirit. If any problems arise, they should stop immediately.

Experts also pointed out that if a child has a high fever of over 38.5 degrees Celsius and has chills, cold limbs, and dizziness, it is not advisable to give him a bath. Because children at this age are more sensitive to cold and hot stimuli, their blood vessels and muscles are in a contracted state. If they are given a bath, the capillaries throughout their body will expand, and the blood supply to the brain may be affected. It is easy to have acute cerebral ischemia and hypoxia, leading to collapse or even shock.

In addition to bathing, experts say that you can also take a warm water bath, which is also helpful in dissipating body heat. When the gas evaporates from the body surface, it will absorb body heat and help children cool down.