How to Comfort a Child with Fever

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If you are a parent, you have probably experienced finding your child flushed and sweaty. You put your hand on your child’s forehead and it feels warm. A quick check with a thermometer confirms a fever. You may be unsure what to do next, and probably a little concerned.

As a mom, I have learned that a fever is usually a symptom of an infection and in most cases, it’s fairly harmless and will go away on its own in about 3 days.

In my experience, you should observe your child rather than rely on just the thermometer before you decide what action to take. If your child is still happily playing and eating, you may not need to take any action and let the fever run its course. However, if your child is uncomfortable and obviously feels unwell, you will want to help them get more comfortable.

You may find that fever reducers such as acetaminophen (found in Children’s Tylenol® ) or ibuprofen (found in Children’s Motrin®) may help to make your child more comfortable. Fever reduction may not be the end goal, but these medications may go far towards relieving the aches and pains that often come with a fever.

Both Children’s Tylenol® and Children’s Motrin® provide the same fast and effective relief from fever and pain, but they work differently to provide relief as they contain different active ingredients.

Children’s Tylenol® is your best first-line treatment for fever and pain as it is gentle on little tummies that may be suffering from an upset tummy and is effective in providing relief for pain and fever.

Children’s Motrin® on the other hand lasts longer, providing relief for up to 8 hours to Children’s Tylenol®’s 4-6 hours. This might make Children’s Motrin® a better choice for keeping your child comfortable overnight. It may irritate your child’s stomach if they are not eating well and already have a sensitive tummy though.

This helpful infographic lays out the differences between Children’s Tylenol® and Children’s Motrin® in an easy-to-understand format.

You may have heard that alternating doses of Children’s Tylenol^® and Children’s Motrin^® may be an even more effective way to provide relief from pain and fever. This should only be done after consulting with your family doctor for advice on timing and dosage.

It’s a great idea to have both Children’s Tylenol^® and Children’s Motrin^® in your medicine cabinet so that you always have the medication most appropriate for your child’s needs on hand. You can stock up on both products and save with this coupon (Save $5.00 when you buy any 1 Children’s Tylenol^® and 1 Children’s Motrin^®.)

There are other actions you can take to make your child more comfortable.

• Lower the room temperature slightly and dress them in light clothing with only a light blanket.
• Be sure to offer plenty of clear fluids.
• You will also want to remember that a sleeping child is a comfortable child, so do not be tempted to wake your child in order to give them their next dose of Children’s Tylenol^® or Children’s Motrin^®. Wait for them to wake on their own.

What are your tips for providing comfort?

Disclosure: This post has been generously sponsored by the makers of Children’s Tylenol® but the opinions expressed are my own.

Elizabeth Lampman

Elizabeth Lampman is a coffee-fuelled Mom of 2 girls and lives in Hamilton, Ontario. She enjoys travelling, developing easy recipes, crafting, taking on diy projects, travelling and saving money!