Fever Panic! (What should I do?)

Dear all, My 1m23d son has a fever since 12/4/24 morning at about 6am. It was as high as 38.6 armpit temp. My wife got a little panic and ask to send him to the hospital. I tell her to calm down and I tried kangaroo care my baby till his next feed. *We muslim believe that skin to skin with child's father can cure minor fever or temperature hike for a baby.* But after his next feed, his temperature maintained at 38.6. So I decided to send my son to children emergency for further checks. After some checks, my son was diagnosed with RSV, urine infection and a cough. So he stayed for 3 days under nurses and doctor care. He got some medicine to help with his infections too. So after his stay in the hospital, his temperature was back to 37.1 through the whole day and night. Doctor discharged him but advice us that day 5, his temperature might spike again if not properly taken care off and advice us to return back to the hospital if it cannot be managed. So now his temperature only spike at night and well maintained in the morning/afternoon. I got some advices coming from the old tradision ways like sponging ice water at his armpit, damp room temperature water on his forehead, to the new modern ways like cool fever every part of his body. Both of these methods do not encourage to bathe my son because it will spike his temperature. I also made my personal researched where now it's stated that it's best to bathe my son with lukewarm water with lemon if any to stabilized his body temperature. Get him in a light clothing and let him rest. What I am looking for is the best way to treat my son because I don't wish to see him this weak and restless. He seems lethargic. I miss my dose of happiness. His smiles and his little giggles he always make.

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What I did when my baby had fever is to spam fever patches all over. Forehead, neck, back, chest and armpits. Change the patches regularly. Wipe down baby, dress baby in cooling/airy tops with booties, try not to wrap baby (Reduce the fan speed, no aircon, open windows to circulate the area). Ive never really done sponge bath for baby so I can’t advise on whether that will work. If baby is on formula, dilute the formula in the meantime (lesser scoops than usual, water same). If on bm, just continue as per norm. Infants don’t really have much medicines to take so I can’t advise on that. Hope your LO gets well soon!

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8mo ago

Will take note. Thanks!