Recurrent fevers

[KathyBeale]

My son is six and regularly has two or three days where he has a high temperature and is generally 'unwell'. It always follows the same pattern - a day where he's really whingey for no real reason, then a couple of days of being sleepy and listless and spiking a high temperature. Always above 39degs, but often 40degs or higher. Calpol doesn't really have much effect, but it does come down slowly with ibuprofen.

He's currently in the grip of another episode and I've just counted up - it's his seventh this year. I took him to the doctor last time and she just said it was normal when kids are at school, but my other son has never been ill as frequently.

Just wondered if anyone else has experience of this? Is it normal? Or should I be going back to the GP? My husband says it's not worth going to the doctor, my parents are nagging (and nagging and nagging) me to go back...

[Rey2020]

Did you ever get to the bottom of this, my son has the same issue but he's 3. Would be good hear about how your son is doing now?

[Witchend]

Ds had the same situation, but when he was 8yo, he had some sort of post viral illness that lasted around 6 months of exhaustion. Since then, until last year (he's 13yo now) he would miss half the spring term because he'd get a day at school, temp would spike, he'd vomit=off school for 2 days. Day back at school then temp would spike... This would be from December to March.
Thankfully he seemed to grow out of it last year, so I'm hopeful he'll be okay next term.

[AliceMcK]

If it’s not coming down with calpol and happening a lot I’d be pushing to see a dr again.

This happened to my DD, one Dr fobbed it off over several visits but then reluctantly agreed to refer her to the hospital. A nurse practitioner told me I was doing the right thing if I didn’t feel right about it. Finally seeing another GP when she had an infection he said to me if we hadn’t already been referred he would have insisted on doing it.

After a year, lots of tests, even several A&E trips with both paramedics, nurses & Dr all witnessing her going rapidly down hill for no reason. She started to just feel better. The paediatrician said some children just get sick more than others.

If your concerned I’d definitely push for them to look further into it.

[Rey2020]

It does come down with calpol but happens every month, sometimes even sooner. Doctors don't think there's anything wrong but I don't know anyone else's kids that just get unexplained fevers so often. The strange part was he had about 5 fevers during the lockdown period when we weren't even going out.

[Rey2020]

Thanks for your advice, I will push to get him checked out. Glad your daughter is better now