How long do I leave it before I call the doctor (or, Why do these things always happen on a weekend?)

[PrettyCandles]

3yo ds2 is 72h into a weird illness. He seems fine in general, but 2-4 times a day he complains of aches in various places and suddenly develops a fever of 39+. Calpol doesn't touch the fever, but ibuprofen brings it down. Every afternoon, during a temperature spike, he falls asleep very suddenly, sometimes mid-sentence. Yesterday I think he may have had a febrile convulsion.

So do I wait until Monday, and go to the dr if there's no improvement? Do I call OOH dr now? In between fever spikes you'd hardly know there was anything wrong. I can just see us spending a minging afternoon at the OOH clinic, dr finds nothing wrong, then ds's temp spikes as soon as we get home. Plus dd's birthday party is tomorrow and ds2's nursery outing is on Monday!

[Hassled]

Have you tried NHS Direct? Is he eating and drinking normally? TBH I think I'd leave it and see a standard GP on Monday, but you should get proper advice.

[waitingforbedtime]

If you think he had a febrile convulsion he needs seen asap imo

[lolaismyfavouriteandmybest]

I think my dd (3) has the same thing! Symptoms very similar except no convulsions. We took her to doc on thurs and were told it was probobly a virus , and to bring her in again if she didn't get better. They didn't give a time frame and she's no better 72h on... Was just on here trying to get an idea how long I should give it.

[littleshinyone]

If the febrile convulsion happened yesterday, there's very little that will be done in hospital other than explain and reassure- which is often exactly what you need- at our trust children with a good story for infection(the temperatures) and their possible first febrile fit but generaally not too bad in themselves would be observed for up to 24h, but no tests like blood tests done (a good thing really!).

So long as your child seems ok- ish, is weeing an ok amount and generally miserable-but-ok (being off their food is ok, just keep up with fluids) i would see the GP on monday- any concerns at all beyond this, take em in.

Keep on with both paracetamol and brufen regularly so they've got something at good levels in their blood stream to help all the time.

If you do go in, remember to take toys and something to entertain yourself- often long waits at the weekend! last thing you want is for them to be bored too!!

this is good...

[PrettyCandles]

Thanks for responding. He doesn't seem consistently ill enough to worry me, and there was nothing worrying about him after he had woken from the possible feb conv. I am not even entirely sure it was a feb conv.

And nobody has said "Look out! That's the begining of Xyz Disease!"

So I think I shall continue as I have been doing.

Ah the fun of being a parent.