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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

How high of fever for baby until you head to A&E?

36 replies

Uwila · 15/03/2006 21:20

My 9 1/2 month old DS has a cold (runny nose) and a fever of 38-40 deg. C. I'm sort of toying with a trip to A&E if it goes up again. It's down to 37.6 now. But, what are they going to do when I get there? Give him paracetemol? Put him in a luke warn bath? Nothing? Send me home? So, I'm sort of inclined to think he's better off at home where at least he'll get some sleep.

Has anyone been to A&E with a baby with a high fever? If so, what did they do when you got there?

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Blandmum · 15/03/2006 21:22

I think they would send you home with a fever of 37.6.

Dd spiked fevers of 40 when she had flu, but they came down with calpol and tepid bathing.

LaylaandSethsmum · 15/03/2006 21:22

Have you tried paracetamol yet? If not i'd give him some see how his temp goes over next 4 hours, if its down to 37.6 now then it should keep coming down with paracetamol. If you give it and temp remains up over 39 degrees then i would ring NHS direct hTH

hunkermunker · 15/03/2006 21:24

Give him the maximum dose of paracetamol and nurofen and see how he is then.

I'd only take him to casualty if you can't get the temp down or if you're worried about him (rash, listless, high-pitched cry, etc).

littlemissbossy · 15/03/2006 21:26

Paracetamol, tepid bath, hardly any clothing on, turn the heating off etc and give it an hour. If it goes back up, take him to A&E. I did with my DS when he was a similar age - they gave him a pessary - sorry yuck - but it did the trick and brought his temperature down quickly and they let him go home after a couple of hours. HTH

Uwila · 15/03/2006 21:28

Haven't got any nurofen. Nanny gave him paracetemol at 7:00 and put him to bed in growbad. Temp. wast 39. So I took the grow bad off and prayed some water in his head. Temp went down to 37. I meant that I might head to A&E if it went up to or over 40. I'm quite happy with 37 something.

But, really I wonder what they would do that I can't do at home. Is there any point in going and exposing him to yet more germs?

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Uwila · 15/03/2006 21:30

Oh, no rashes or any other signs of meningitis. Light doesn't bother him. He is easy to wake up. Not limp. Not irritable. In fact he is in remarkably good spirits for a baby boy with a fever.

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littlemissbossy · 15/03/2006 21:31

No, don't rush to hospital unless you have to
The concern that docs have, and I don't want to worry you AT ALL, is that young children can have convulsions when they have a high temperature
Just keep his environment and him as cool as poss and keep checking him regularly

hunkermunker · 15/03/2006 21:33

His temp's likely to spike at around midnight - something to do with circadian rhythm.

DS1's used to do that - he had horrible temps when teething. Never took him to A&E but did ring NHS Direct a couple of times in the small hours.

Uwila · 15/03/2006 21:36

Circadium rhythm?

Planning to stay up until midnight myself to give him another paracetemol dose.

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hunkermunker · 15/03/2006 21:37

Just the body's natural highs and lows over 24 hours.

Dottydot · 15/03/2006 21:38

I phoned NHS direct when ds2's temperature hit 40 and they didn't seem bothered - just the usual advice of paracetamol and tepid flannel (not cold) to sponge him down with. It didn't get any higher but I probably would have taken him somewhere if it had...

littlemissbossy · 15/03/2006 21:39

Uwila, I didn't know what that was either! LOL I just googled it because I didn't want to seem thick - apparently your circadian rhythm is effected by temperature (Hunker must be really clever!!)

crazydazy · 15/03/2006 21:40

DD has a convulsion once because of a high temperature, was pretty scary.

Uwila · 15/03/2006 21:47

Crazydazy, how high was his fever?

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Uwila · 15/03/2006 21:48

Just went in and put my hand on his forhead. Stills feels a bit warm, but not hot like it was when it was 39. So I think the removal of the growbag did the trick. And I'm sure the paracetemol helped too.

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MrsRecycle · 15/03/2006 21:49

Oh Uwila sorry to hear this - poor thing. Give him a hug from me. In my experience they will strip him off, give him some calpol, wait for it to take effect and then discharge you with a bottle of calpol. They might try and do a urine sample but even if it has ketones in it (sign of dehydration) they won't do anything. That's why I was totally amazed when they admitted dd1 in February but she did have a temperature of 104 along with chest pains but then ds is too young to tell you about them.

The paramedic that came to dd1 said that you should seek Doctor's advice if, after 4 days of administering calpol, the temperature isn't responding.

crazydazy · 15/03/2006 21:50

Well we were in Spain at the time and I think this contributed to the fever too. I didn't take her temperature but she'd had calpol to bring it down but it didn't help.

MrsRecycle · 15/03/2006 21:50

Uwila - glad it's gone down a bit - have you got a wet flannel to put on his forehead? I always find that works.

Mud · 15/03/2006 21:51

a fever over 39.9 that does not go down within 30 minutes of calpol and nurofen. send someone out to get nurofne becuas you can use both. keep him in nappy only and do not do cold wter or flannels. can put a fan on him

Uwila · 15/03/2006 21:51

He's not dehydrated. He had a 6 1/2 oz bottle of formula after dinner.

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crazydazy · 15/03/2006 21:53

It is very worrying when they are babies as they cannot give you any indication as to how bad they feel.

Thats why I'm glad mine are older now and can tell me when they feel bad - I still worry when they have a fever though.

Its a good sign if your LO doesn't seem so hot now Uwila.

MrsRecycle · 15/03/2006 21:53

Oh that's good - proves his body is fighting this bug.

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Uwila · 15/03/2006 21:55

Hope you don't get it MrsRecycle!

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MrsRecycle · 15/03/2006 21:59

Don't worry about me - this baba's going to have immunity from every virus around at the moment - I seem to be surrounded by ill people but not ill myself. DD2 has got a cold at the moment and has nearly lost her voice (yeahhhhh!).

Just make sure that ds gets better - poor thing. Oh one thing - does he always those georgeous rosy red cheeks? I was just thinking that he might have slapped cheek syndrome. DD1 had it around the same age as him.

Uwila · 15/03/2006 22:06

Eh? Slapped cheek syndrome? Maybe if DD slapped him.

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