Any GPs or doctors around? Very high temp in a child and no other symptoms

[dustiseverywhere]

My DS10 came down with a temp this evening of 39.7, which I tested after a couple of hours of him saying he was cold.

No other symptoms at all; No sore throat, no swollen tonsils or redness or spots in mouth or roof of mouth, no pain anywhere, he has what look very much like six insect bites on his bum, and they blanch with the glass test and remain so after several tests. We have had mozzies in the house this week and I was bitten too. He has No other spots or rash and no muscle pain. He ate a small dinner and had two large glasses of water.

I have tested his wee and the top one on the Reagant strips is purple and this apparently means signs of infection. Can anyone tell me does this mean an infection somewhere in the body, or a UTI? I have the strips for me (long term health issues) but am not medically trained.

I have given calpol and ibuprofen and his temp dropped over two hours to 37.9

I put him to bed, he said he felt horrible. And he fell straight asleep.

My plan is to check him a couple of times tonight.

Has anyone kids had any viruses this week that start with a high temp and nothing else, or is a UTI my prime suspect?

Did you check his heart rate? Is he a child that generally has temperature peeks?

Ring 111. People on the internet could be anyone

Ring 111.
They might get you an out of hours appt for tonight or the morning.

I'm not medically trained, but nothing about your post would worry me. So he's had a high temperature for a few hours this evening and he feels a bit under the weather. A UTI would be far more apparent than a temperature, and if it's a virus, there's nothing you can do to cure it beyond test and fluids. He's drinking and eating. Put the tests away, they're not helping. He probably feels horrible because you've made him feel like he should. We're at the time of year when colds and viruses are doing the rounds at school and kids are tired and run down as they get used to a faster paced school year.

a temperature will make him feel awful - that said that amount of medication should have brought it down

My ds 7 gets urine infections quite regularly and this would be typical symptoms. Can become delirious so I'd ring out of hours tomorrow at latest. Hope he gets better soon.

A high temperature is the body’s response to fighting off a virus or infection.
It sounds like your DS is coming down with something. The temperature is probably the first sign and he may well deveop more symptoms by morning, a sore throat, runny nose or UTI for example.
If you’re worried give 111 a call op, but if calpol and nurofen are actively bringing his temperature down and he is comfortable then maybe just keep an eye on him for now.

Heart beat is normal.

I'm not the type to panic normally, I am feeling quite fragile due to my own health hence my posting for reassurance I guess. He's very sweaty now but temp is now 36.7

Is it leukocytes that your urine dipsticks are showing as positive? (That's the top one on the ones I use and turns purple if positive). If so then possibly does indicate an infection, although on their own without nitrites or blood might just be a contaminated sample. If he's still unwell tomorrow you could check another sample and if positive hand a sample to the gp to test, or call 111 for an ooh appointment if you're worried about him. Could all just be a virus as well but if you're worried about a uti worth getting it checked.

My dc had this 3 weeks ago. Very high temperatures for 3 days that would come down with calpol. On day 4 he woke with a really bad cold and cough. So I think the fever was the start of that. It seems to be doing the rounds where I live and lots of people at both my children's school and my work have had the same virus. So maybe he has the start of something. I wouldn't be worried if he has no other symptoms and would just keep an eye over the next few day. Saying that though I'm not a doctor so if you feel worried you should get him checked out.

Water infections can be really serious for boys. Id ring 111 for advice.

Temp back to normal then.

Im a vet nurse so do lots of urine tests using dipstick tests. We dont usually take much notice of that top one. Im not sure why but apparently its not very accurate.

Is it leukocytes that your urine dipsticks are showing as positive?

Yes it is, it's purple which is the one all the way across to the right on the chart when you compare it with normal

I’m not medical, but my DS’ first sign of illness is a high temp- has been up to 41 degrees (horrifyingly, we went to hospital on those occasions). When he was very little anything from HFM or tonsillitis, to a sniffle could whizz his temp up.

Advice is that if it’s coming down with antipyretics (Calpol, ibuprofen) and there are no red flags for sepsis, manage at home.

Hand foot and mouth can present on the buttocks, interestingly ... have you thought it could be that ?

Sorry** manage at home unless other worrying symptoms.

My DD2 has had temps not coming down with medication which have been a red flag to have her seen. Even on those occasions, she has not been seen as emergency and it has turned out to be a bug. Always worth calling 111, but with a lucid child and a temp responding to meds, I don’t think there is too much to worry about. Big hugs though. I get get horror every time mine get a temp!

Hi - are the strips in sealed single use packs or a plastic jar? If single use (and in date) they should be reliable. If a jar - how long has it been open? After a short time (I think it's a month) the strips degrade and are no longer reliable - also the leucocytes should be read at 120 seconds (2 minutes) and not later as they turn purple when left longer. If still positive - take a sample to the GP on Monday.

Temperature - sign of infection, viral or bacterial. There is no correlation between the height or a temperature and the severity of an illness. There is also no medical need to force it down with paracetamol/ibuprofen , although it may make the child feel better (see NICE guidelines of temperature control in children) as they are both painkillers as well as antipyretics.

The purple means there are leukocytes present in his urine which is a type of white blood cell. Usually the body would produce white blood cells in the presence of infection. What about the 2nd box down? is there any trace of pink at all?

I would be calling 111. Thats a high temp and you are always better to play it cautious with your kid.

Great sign that it's coming down with paracetamol and ibuprofen

Hi - are the strips in sealed single use packs or a plastic jar? If single use (and in date) they should be reliable. If a jar - how long has it been open? After a short time (I think it's a month) the strips degrade and are no longer reliable - also the leucocytes should be read at 120 seconds (2 minutes) and not later as they turn purple when left longer. If still positive - take a sample to the GP on Monday.

That's v interesting and I did not know that. They are in a jar and it's been open for about a year! And also it was about ten minutes later that I got round to reading it. So I shall discount that test entirely!

Can you bring him to the doctor?

Temperature - sign of infection, viral or bacterial. There is no correlation between the height or a temperature and the severity of an illness

I also did not know this. So this means that a child with a mild illness can have a higher temp than a child with a serious illness?

The purple means there are leukocytes present in his urine which is a type of white blood cell. Usually the body would produce white blood cells in the presence of infection. What about the 2nd box down? is there any trace of pink at all?

No it was normal

Hi -yes and frequently they do.

The NICE guidelines available here: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg160

are really worth reading.

They put to bed a few fever 'fears' using evidence.

1.6.1.1 Antipyretic agents do not prevent febrile convulsions and should not be used specifically for this purpose. [2007]

1.6.3.2 Do not use antipyretic agents (paracetamol and ibuprofen) with the sole aim of reducing body temperature in children with fever. [new 2013]

Can you bring him to the doctor

I have the fear that many of us do of having to attend an A and E dept on a Saturday evening. Which would be the place to head to as the GP is closed. And of course you then think "we will sit there for hours and hours and they will send us home as it's only a high temp with no other symptoms"....and as a chemotherapy patient I would be bound to catch something there, plus I have dirrohea right now so keep dashing to the toilet.

Hence me posting here for a little reassurance I guess

Hi. Sorry to hear that your son is poorly. I have a chronic bladder and bowel condition so like you I keep a tub of the urine dipsticks test strips at home to check if think I have an infection or if it's a flare up. My dipsticks had nearly 2years date on the, so they do last if you keep it sealed up and out of sunlight. You hold the sticks in the sample for about 5seconds and then read the result after about a minute. For me I have been told that leukocytes on there own mean there is inflammation but if you have nitrates as well then it's an infection. Obviously these things aren't 100% reliable but they give you a general idea. I know that for me if it's only leukocytes then it's probably a flare up and don't need to go to the doctors. Obviously if you're worried and he doesn't get better or you feel he's getting worse then phone 111. Hope he feels better soon.