Fluctuating temperature for 6 days - normal?

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DD has been ill since Saturday night. Started with croup (cough, wheeze, high temp, runny nose), that had eased by Monday night.

Tuesday she was much perkier but still had temp (we are talking between 38.3 & 39.7 over these 3 days).

Wednesday temp was down to 37.7 but she vomited and was very still, pale & sleepy. Took to the doc. Doc said chest was clear, ears clear probably virus, either developed from croup or caught it because she was run down.

Hasn't vomited since Weds morning.

Yesterday she was perky again but temp did go back up to 38.8 towards early evening. Temp went down to 36.5 during the night & was back up to 37.7. Just checked her temp again & it's 38.3...

She is still happy, playing, but throughout this week she has been off her food - eats a bit but not her usual gobble it all down. Still coughing.

So, do I just leave it because she seems happy in herself, or call the doc to see what he thinks about the temp? DH thinks leave it & says we could always take her to OOH tomorrow if need be.

[dikkertjedap]

Generally speaking they say that three days of temperature without any alarm bells is probably a virus and hence no need to go and see the GP.

In your case it seems to have been three days, then a day with basically no fever (Wed) and then fever again. This could be a secondary infection, which could be bacterial and which in that case may need treatment.

So if she still has fever tonight I would go to OOH/A&E tomorrow. The problem with doctors saying that a chest is clear is that in between 50 to 75% of cases they are wrong but simply cannot hear it, an X-ray is the only sure way of diagnosing potential pneumonia (which your DD might not have at all of course but which could explain persistent high temperature and cough). Children with pneumonia are not always really ill, sometimes then only comes when it is very advanced.

You don't say how old your DD is and whether you are giving calpol/calprofen and how the temperature respond to that. Often it is a good sign if the temperature comes down with calpol and calprofen and a warning signal if it does not come down or only very little very slowly.

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thanks for the reply dikkert. Temp went up to 38.6 so decided to just call the doctor to see what they said, he said to bring her in in case she needed antibiotics for anything.

Chest clear (although reading your stars about 50-75% bring wrong is very worrying), throat ok but ears quite red. So he has given anti biotics for me to give her on Sunday if she's still no better. If she gets worse (temp &/or behaviour) I'm to take her to OOH.

She is 3 years old, Calpol brings the temp down to the 37s. At the beginning of the week calpol wasn't doing much but nurofen was, last couple of days calpol has done the trick when I've given it to her.

I didn't know that children could have pneumonia & not appear ill.

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*stats not stars