Fast fermentation with high temp

I just brewed a Pumpkin Ale yesterday and the fermentation started out like gangbusters but 24 hours later it stopped. I was reading through some of the threads here and it seems like I have the fermenter temp too high. It's around 78 deg. What do I do now? I read many tips on how to lower the temp. If I can lower the temp will it restart fermenting? I have not checked the gravity - should I do that?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Higher temps=faster fermentation and production of other by-products. Lowering the temps won't hurt but it might actually be mostly done fermenting. The yeast is still doing its thing but the most active fermentation might be done. Leave it alone for at least a week...two wouldn't hurt. Then take a gravity reading.

I followed your advice and let it sit for 2 weeks in the primary. Using the wet t-shirt/bucket of water trick I was able to get the temp down to an acceptable 70 deg. I racked it to the secondary this weekend and checked the gravity and it's pretty much where it should be. It tasted pretty good also. I ended up adding some additional spices to the secondary since the spice flavor was very faint. Now we'll give it a few weeks in the secondary and then I'll check the taste again to see if it has retained the spice level that I want.

Thanks for the advice!