The correct way to reduce fever by rubbing alcohol on the body

Fever is a common thing in life. The weather has become very cold recently, and many children's physical constitution has become weak. They will catch a cold and fever if they are not careful. However, parents have no other good fever-reducing methods except wiping their children's bodies with alcohol. In fact, it should be noted that wiping with alcohol has a desirable effect on reducing fever, and many people do have good insights, but not all patients with fever can be wiped with alcohol.

◆It is not advisable to wipe the body with alcohol to reduce fever. Children under 2 years old should not use it.

The alcohol concentration used for sponge bath is relatively high. For example, due to reasons such as excessive dosage, improper sponge bathing method, or too long sponge bathing time, excessive alcohol is absorbed from the skin into the blood, which may cause acute alcohol poisoning.

In addition, some people choose to wipe their bodies with medical alcohol. The main reason for using medical alcohol to cool down is that it has a low boiling point. It will take away the patient's body heat during the evaporation process, thereby temporarily lowering the temperature. However, it is not recommended to wipe children directly with medical alcohol. Because medical alcohol contains ethanol, if it is applied directly and repeatedly over a large area, children may become allergic to alcohol and cause many adverse reactions. At the same time, alcohol can quickly take away heat, making children prone to shivering.

It should be emphasized that wiping with alcohol is only suitable for patients with high fever without chills or sweating. When sweating is unimpeded, it indicates that the body temperature has begun to drop and this method is not suitable. Alcohol is a irritant, so it is best not to use this method on children under 2 years old.

◆When do you need to reduce the temperature when you have a fever?

No cooling measures are necessary when the body temperature is < 38°C

When the body temperature measured through the rectum or ear canal does not exceed 38°C, the baby is active as usual, and has a good appetite and mental state, there is no need to take antipyretic measures, just strengthen observation.

Physical cooling when temperature > 38°C

When the body temperature measured at the anus or ear canal exceeds 38.5℃ or the armpit temperature exceeds 38℃, most babies will feel uncomfortable. At this time, physical cooling methods are needed, such as wearing less clothes, covering less quilts, and using a warm towel to wipe the baby's head, face, neck, arms, calves, etc.

Physical cooling + drug cooling when body temperature > 38.5℃

When the baby's body temperature measured by the anus or ear canal exceeds 39℃, and the armpit temperature exceeds 38.5℃, it is generally necessary to take antipyretics while physically cooling down.

Tips: Recommend several physical cooling methods

When the body temperature is below 38.5℃ and the mental state is still good, do not rush to use antipyretics. Instead, use appropriate physical cooling methods.

1. Drink plenty of water

Fever is a process in which 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.

Bottled juice, fruit milk, etc. are high in sugar and osmotic pressure, which will increase the gastrointestinal burden on children and are not recommended.