“How to help a child sleep who has a fever?”

The most obvious answer is to lower the fever with Tylenol. I would not use any sleep medication.

Of course, knowing/treating the cause of the fever is important. Fever is the body's natural response to an infection and, as such, is helpful in the healing process. However, if the child is uncomfortable, you will want to relieve that discomfort. The OTC products to treat pain and decrease fever are acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil). If it is pain that is keeping your child awake, either of these will help and are relatively safe on an occasional basis. If s/he cannot sleep for some other reason, then there may be other options, but one would have to know the reason to recommend the best approach.

Shelley C. Springer, MD, MBA, MSc, JD, FAAP