The lack of a clear effect of the addition of tepid sponging to antipyretic medications in the treatment of children with fever suggests that other physical treatments might be of similarly limited use. Removing clothing is less effective than treatments including paracetamol, and where the two interventions are used together it is likely that most of the benefit will be derived from the effect of the paracetamol. Use of other physical methods, such as fans, in the absence of antipyretic medication might be similarly ineffective.