Ever since she was a baby, Alice has gotten high fevers. With temps often reaching 105, I’ve learned a lot about how to handle Alice’s fevers over the past seven years.
Aside from my pediatrician, my most important tool in managing Alice’s fever is an accurate thermometer. So when Braun asked me to help parents feel prepared this flu season, I knew I would have no problem sharing my top tips – especially when Alice just so happened to have a little fever on the day I was taking pictures.
Talking to Moms about Fevers
In a recent survey conducted by Braun c ẽomparing behaviors and attitudes of 1,000 Gen X moms (currently aged 37-52) and Millennial moms (currently aged 20-36), when caring for their sick child, Braun found that 74 percent of Gen X and Millennial moms said they were either extremely or very concerned about fever for their children. Despite their generational differences, three out of four Gen X and Millennial moms list pediatric fever as their number one concern when caring for their sick children, far above other symptoms of illness, including vomiting, diarrhea, chills, coughing and headache.
Even after handling Alice’s high fevers for years, I still ride an emotional roller coaster every time I see her coming down with one. (And – yes – I can usually look at her eyes and know when one is coming.)
Apparently I’m not alone on that roller coaster. The Braun survey reveals all moms, regardless of their experience and age, ride an emotional rollercoaster when it comes to caring for their sick child, at first feeling nervous (64%), anxious (64%), and protective (93%) prior to taking their temperature.
Luckily, they also found that taking their kid’s temperature quickly eases those concerns by making them feel informed (67%), responsible (64%), prepared (59%) and in control (52%).
With all of this in mind, I’m sharing my best fever survival hacks. Kids are going to get sick. They’re going to get fevers (even if you bathe them in disinfectant and refuse to let them leave the house.) Here are my best tips for how to handle those fevers when they happen.