Please someone reassure me - sepsis

[Letsallscreamatthesistene]

My 15mo has had a fever of over 38 all day, goes down slightly with calpol but then straight back up again. His breathing is quicker than usual. Hes quite sleepy, but not confused. He has a bright red rash on the base of his thumb and what looks like heat rash all over his back. I have an appointment at a peads urgent treatment centre in 30mins. Im terrified. Please reassure me.

Ive packed an over night bag in case

Hope they can reassure you. My DS had a horrible virus at a similar age - huge spike in temp, listless, cold hands etc It really scared us. 45minutes later at children’s A&E he’d had calpol and neurofen and suddenly he perked right up! But the temp did last several days afterwards. Doctors were lovely and we felt we had still made the right choice to go in as they can become so poorly at that age and can’t really tell you what’s wrong. Fingers crossed for you that is is ‘just’ something viral.

Sepsis is very difficult to diagnose. My 22mo son had it recently. He’d been asleep almost constantly for 2 days, fevers up to 39.5 that improved with calpol, on the third day we were admitted to hospital so youre absolutely heading to the right place. With my sons fevers he would have this mottle that came on in his hands and feet when his fever was on its way up.
If sepsis is suspected they will grow blood cultures, so they would take a sample, give a general anti biotic and wait for 2 days for the cultures to grow and poss change anti biotic. My son had 4 different ones before it was right (rare type of bacteria). This was a month ago, 2 weeks in hospital and he’s back to his usual happy self now.
Fingers crossed it all goes well, I know how stressful this is

Good to be sure.

38° isn’t terribly high so should be ok. (My son got to 42.5 with sepsis and it was a completely different sort of “ill” from normal, if that makes sense).

Hope all is ok. I am so scared of sepsis as it’s hard to diagnose.

Does the rash disappear under a glass?

Lots of viruses cause rashes OP, it's quite common, but best to check it out as you're doing. Hope everything goes well.

I wonder if it is scarletina? That gives a strange rash on the thumbs/hands.

Hopefully you’re nearly at the appointment now, OP.

Any news, OP?

Got back from the urgent treatment centre about 30mins ago. He developed a really hoarse cry whilst we were there. Apparently he has a very inflammed throat and ears. We have some antibiotics for him, and we are to team that up with calpol or ibuprufen. Hopefully he'll be ok.

Hope he gets well soon.

Hope he feels better soon bless him.