The medicines you reach for the moment a fever hits your children may come with side effects in the long term.
Children have a weaker immune system than adults. So, replacing that medication with natural Essentials oil remedies is good. [1]
Every child gets a fever from time to time. However, it usually doesn’t indicate any serious health issue.
The temperature itself causes no harm and may be a good thing. Because getting a fever is often the body’s way of fighting infections. [2]
However, when your baby wakes in the middle of the night all flushed, hot, and sweaty, it’s normal to be overwhelmed by the situation.
Your kids can recover from fever faster with home remedies using essential oils.
Keep reading to find out more about:
- What is a fever?
- What causes a fever?
- When is a fever an indication of something serious?
- Essential oils for relieving fever of children
What Is a Fever?
A fever is a body temperature above the normal temperature of 98.6 F (37 C). However, a child is usually not considered to have a fever until the temperature is 100.4 F (38 C) and above. [3]
The rising body temperatures in fevers kill off many disease-producing organisms. This is why doctors normally do not treat low fevers. [4]
However, you may need to see your doctor to be sure if other troubling symptoms of other diseases accompany your kid’s fever. Because there can be unwanted consequences, particularly for children. [5]
The adverse effects of fevers can include delirium and convulsions in children. If your baby has a fever, it demands immediate home treatment and medical attention. [6]
Home treatment possibilities include cool baths or sponging to reduce your kid’s fever while seeking medical help.
A fever may come with any infection or illness. Staying alert is necessary.
RELATED: How to Get Rid of a Fever: 11 Effective Home Remedies
What Causes Fevers?
Your child gets a fever when their body’s internal “thermostat” raises the body temperature above normal.
The thermostat is located in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. [7]
Children have a body temperature usually around 98.6°F/37°C. The hypothalamus sends messages to the child’s body to keep it that way. [8]
Sometimes, the hypothalamus in your kid will “reset” their body to a higher temperature to respond to an infection, illness, or other cause. [9]
Some issues that cause fever in kids include
Infection: Infection or other illness usually causes fever. The fever helps the child’s body fight infections because it stimulates natural defense mechanisms.
Overdressing: Newborns can get fevers in a hot environment as infants do not regulate their body temperature like older kids. However, fevers in newborns usually indicate a serious infection. This is why doctors should check every infant who is even overdressed if they get a fever. [10]
Immunizations: Children sometimes get a low-grade fever after they get vaccinated.
Sometimes, teething can cause a slight fever but not higher than 100°F (37.8°C).
When Is a Fever a Sign of Something Serious?
If your child is an infant three months or younger and has a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, you must call your doctor or take the infant to the emergency department immediately. It may be an indication of a potentially serious infection.[9]
In healthy kids, all fevers don’t need to be treated. But high fever can make a child uncomfortable or make problems like dehydration worse.
If your kid has a temperature lower than 102°F (38.9°C), they may not need medicine unless uncomfortable.[7]
The fever is probably not that serious if your child:
- looks well when their temperature comes down
- is still interested in playing
- has a normal skin color
- is eating and drinking well
- is alert and smiling at you
Best Essential Oils for Relieving Fever in Children
Essential oils can be a great substitute for common fever medicine. Here is why it works on your kids:
- EO assists the defense mechanism of the child’s body
- Essential oils help control and alleviate symptoms of fever
- Drinking diaphoretic teas like ginger, elderflower, or yarrow to help induce sweating and increase blood flow
- They help the body eliminate toxins
- Essential oils help pull heat away from the child’s body and offer quick relief while still allowing it to fight off infection and invaders.
- Echinacea or tincture supports immunity [11]
Here are some essential oils for your kid’s fever and how to use these essential oils:
1. Ginger Oil
Ginger is a spice with potent rhizomes or underground roots with outstanding therapeutic benefits. For generations, ginger has been popular for its medical uses. In addition, ginger oil has soothing and warming properties that make it useful in everyday life.
This oil comes from ginger roots by steam distillation. The ginger essential oil has the highest amount of gingerol, which is the therapeutic property of ginger. [10]
Ginger essential oil’s earthy and warm nature makes it perfect for massaging your kid. In addition, because of its soothing properties, this oil can help reduce nausea in your fever-induced kid when taken internally.
According to research, ginger oil has hepatoprotective or liver-protecting effects. You have already known that perhaps alcohol damages the liver most acutely. Hence, ginger oil can restore your liver to a normal state. [11]
RELATED: 10 Health Benefits of Ginger Oil That You Should Know About
2. Lavender Oil
Lavender essential oil is one of the most popular and versatile aromatic oils. It has a floral scent that makes it a people’s favorite. This oil originates from the lavender flowers by steam distillation. [12]
For thousands of years, people have used lavender essential oils for medicinal purposes. [12]
Lavender oil can be an excellent stress reliever for your child as it is rich in sedative, antidepressant, and anti-anxiety properties.
Lavender oil can help your child fall asleep because the aroma helps with insomnia and hypersensitivity. [12]
Use this fantastic essential oil to give your child some pain relief with a high fever.
RELATED: 11 Health Benefits of Lavender Oil That You Should Know
3. Cedarwood Oil
Cedarwood essential oil is very comforting and reassuring; It possesses a wood-like pleasant scent.
Cedarwood oil is obtained from the steam distillation of wood pieces of the cedar wood tree. This oil has some antifungal and antibacterial properties in it. It is also a natural and non-toxic remedy for fever.
Cedarwood oil works as an antiseptic for your child’s lungs and helps relieve coughs such as kennel cough. This herbal oil stimulates the blood circulation of your child. [13]
4. Peppermint Oil
Peppermint essential oil is famous for its variety of uses. No wonder this oil is a necessity in many people’s medicine cabinets.
Peppermint essential oil is mostly used for freshening breaths, but it does much more. For example, you can use it to soothe stomach issues, indigestion, and nausea.
This oil perks the senses up in your child, and it can cool stressed muscles because of the menthol. [14]
Fortunately, it can also help to clear congestion and headaches that may come with fevers.
This oil has a carminative property to relieve flatulence or abdominal pain in your child. In addition, this oil can be an expectorant to get rid of mucus.
Peppermint oil reduces fevers that are more common with the flu. It can come along with colds as well.
RELATED: 12 Uses and Health Benefits of Peppermint Oil
5. Lemongrass Oil
For generations, people have used lemongrass oil to remedy circulatory issues, headaches, digestive disturbances, behavioral problems, compromised immunity, etc. It was also used as a nervous system sedative and an infection fighter.
This oil is known as fever grass because it can bring down a fever. This specific remedy is even more useful when combined with black pepper.
Lemongrass essential oil is an excellent treatment for your child with a high fever. This oil has antiseptic, antifungal, and many other helpful properties.
Using lemongrass oil in a child with a fever will tone up their health and boost their immune system. [15]
RELATED: 10 Ways Lemon Oil Can Benefit your Health
6. Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus essential oil has anti-viral and antibacterial healing properties. In addition, inhaling the overpowering aroma of this oil helps to loosen phlegm and alleviate congestion that often comes with the common cold, flu, or even the more severe conditions such as bronchitis.
Eucalyptus essential oil is usually combined with other oils like peppermint and lavender. When you use it to reduce your child’s fever, mix it with lavender oil and use it as a compress. [16]
Bottom Line
Before you use essential oils on your kid, diluting them with vegetable oil is always best. Or it might be too strong for the child.
Keep essential oils out of your children’s reach. If they ever ingest any essential oil, give your child an oil-soluble liquid like milk, cream, or half & half.
Call your local poison control center right after or seek emergency medical attention. Just some drops of pure essential oil shouldn’t be life-threatening for your baby, but for protection, it is best to take these precautions.
READ NEXT: 13 Benefits of Aromatherapy for Health and Wellness (Proven!)
