It might seem like a no-brainer to use a cold wet sponge or flannel to cool kids down when they’re roasting hot with a fever.

But experts heavily warn against it.

Recently, Dr Christabel Akinola shared a cautionary tale on Instagram about a mum who sponged her child with cold water from the fridge when she noticed he was burning up.

The parent apparently sponged his chest, back, neck and head, the doctor explained. The boy then shivered violently and stopped moving – he was then rushed to hospital.

“Do you know that you should not use cold water for tepid sponging during a fever?” said Dr Akinola, adding that this is because “using cold water causes blood vessels in the skin to constrict, trapping hot blood in the core, preventing heat loss and worsening the fever”.

She said the sudden temperature contrast “can trigger a seizure or even collapse the cardiovascular system”.

Is this true?

You see it in films and your parents’ generation might’ve relied on this method, too. However HuffPost UK spoke to two GPs who confirmed that cool water sponging is never recommended.

The NHS website also advises parents not to sponge children down to cool them and a fever in children leaflet from NHS North Tees and Hartlepool goes one step........

© HuffPost