Experiences of children with corona

[Balloonsandpirates]

Hi all, my 3 year old has suspected coronavirus (temp and cough). We’re on day 12 of her running a fever- it’s not constant, usually happens in the morning, then calpol sorts it out till the next day. It feels like it’s never going to end, she never seems better (or, thankfully, worse). Anyone else’s kids had it? What’s their experience of it been?

[Fi1982]

Have you called 111? My daughter (nearly 3) had a low-grade fever (37.7-38) for five days and 111 suggested I get an out of hours GP appt or take her to our local A&E. The HCP I spoke to said that when a fever has been going on for 5+ days, there is a chance that the illness is bacterial and may require antibiotics.

My DD had a bad chesty wet cough as well as the fever, so the out of hours GP gave her antibiotics in case it was pneumonia (he said it’s hard to differentiate between pneumonia and bronchitis when there’s a high temperature and hard to find the pneumonia lung ‘crackle’, so wanted to be safe and decrease our chances of ending up in hospital in these critical times). Her temp was back to normal within two days, and her cough subsided considerably within a week.

I would definitely ring 111 if I were you, better safe than sorry with little ‘uns.

[Balloonsandpirates]

Thanks so much for your reply, the worry has been driving me crazy! My DD is the exact same- wet chesty cough. I’ve had her checked over at a children’s hospital twice (that’s where we were sent by 111 and GP) but have been sent home both times with no meds.

She’s otherwise absolutely fine, playing happily, eating and drinking fine. Just occasionally a bit breathless, occasional cough and this weird once a day temp. I’ll give it 24 hours and if no improvement will call 111 again. I just desperately want her to be better so I can stop worrying- and also so we can go out!!

[Jellybean27]

Hope you get your little one sorted and is better soon!

[Tonkerbea]

My 2.5 year old might have had it, a week of coughing and temperature spikes after his nap/ evening.

Around day 8/9 he was breathless and I was worried, but he turned a corner and shook it off.

I hope your DD feels better soon

[DaffodilsDaffodils]

Wishing your DCs a speedy recovery xx

[Keepdistance]

Maybe gives multivitamin if you dont already.
Usually temps ate low morning and high evening.

[Morechocmorechoc]

I would advise you stop the calpol. The temperature is what will kill off the infection. Hard to watch them struggle with a temperature, but much quicker to recover.

[PenelopeGunterheim]

I don’t obviously know for definite that it was CV but DD(8) woke up with a sore throat and gravelly voice. By tea-time had a slightly high temp and the next day a very persistent dry cough started. Temp lasted 3 days but with calpol she was up and about as normal. Cough lasted exactly 14 days but what was very odd is she slept well and never coughed during the night.

DS(15) started exactly 14 days after DD feeling weak, achy and lost sense of taste. Higher temp than DD and clearly felt worse than she did. This lasted 2 days and then he felt fine but cough started. Very persistent for about 6 days then gone.

[Pippapotomus]

I'm fairly certain it was what my son had in February. He had a week with a fever, he was so wiped out by it. Calpol would bring it down then it would rocket back up. His gp told us to alternate Calpol and the ibuprofen one. He also had a constant, unproductive, dry cough. That took over a month to go. He is type 1 diabetic and it made his blood glucose rocket. For 3 weeks we had all his insulin almost doubled to try to control it. We were sent to A&E for a chest xray and other tests, but wasn't tested for covid as at that point only people who had travelled from China or Italy were being checked. He was given antibiotics and a blue inhaler.

I then had the same, but milder and a shortness of breath for a few weeks. His sister had a high temp for a night, then a cough for a fortnight.

[Piixxiiee]

My ds 4 has suspected vivid, high temperature for 7 days calpol made no difference- 111 told us we were safer at home but usually would have had him in or an ambulance out. Video calls with gp a few times and finally used ibuprofen which worked to bring temp down for a while- that let him recover and eat a bit which started his slow recovery.
Good luck!

[Balloonsandpirates]

Thanks all, really reassuring to hear other experiences of it, I don’t know anyone with kids who has had it (or at least thought they did) so had nothing to base it on.

I ditched the calpol today @Morechocmorechoc for that very reason!

Wishing anyone who has it a very speedy recovery

[Fi1982]

Hmm, not great that they sent you home with nothing that second time @Balloonsandpirates ☹️ I don’t take DD in to hospital or GP lightly, but when she’s had something persistent, they tend to give us 5-7 days of antibiotics. The rule seems to be that if the fever lasts longer than 3/4 days, it could be bacterial and require meds. A couple of times they’ve taken urine samples to rule out UTIs, which can cause prolonged fever.

I would definitely get on to 111 again tomorrow if there’s no change, and stress to the doctor that you would like to try antibiotics, I think a fortnight with a fever warrants some action really!

Good luck and let us know how it goes ☺️

[Balloonsandpirates]

Thanks @Fi1982, I will definitely call tomorrow 🙂

[Morechocmorechoc]

Yeah if it isnt gone in a couple more days once you've let the temp fight it, then sounds like you def need antibiotics as prob bacterial. If your gp does phone appointments you may find they will prescribe over the phone considering then length of time and no obvious symptoms.