Concerned Mum!

[LouBlue1507]

Hi Ladies

Not strictly AIBU but I don't know what to do

My DD is 5 months and not very well. She's very teary and hot. She has a temp of 38.4C which hasn't gone done after 2 doses of calpol!

What do I do? She's hasn't been sick and there's no obvious illness e.g. Rash, ear pulling etc.

She's in a sleeping bag in bed now with just a long sleeve vest on underneath, no blanket. Is that too much? Too little?

I'm at a loss and feel like crying

I didnt mean to concern anyone. But i dodnt wrote that although the title of the post does suggest the mum is concerned

You don't need to panic about calling 111 it's there for people to refer to when they are unsure about symptoms.
Telling a concerned parent of such a young baby with a temp they shouldn't seek minimal medical advise is irresponsible.

bake it depends what method is being used to take the temperature. Most people take their babies temperatures underarm which sits at a 0.5-1 degree lower than actual core temperature which would make this babies temperature very high indeed.

We've had this (teething related we found out). Regular feeds, keeping her in the right clothes, feel her chest and see how she feels to touch.

We were told no baths or showers as it could make her worse.

How is she in herself? How are her cries? doctor said trust your instinct and if she's fine, eating and drinking, doing good nappies and generally OK in herself then it's OK.

You can also switch out the drugs. So calpol now and then 2 hrs later ibuprofen and repeat.

Tepid sponging is fine as long as temp doesn't go below 38 degrees.

Hope she's getting better op? Don't hesitate to get help if you are worried trust your instincts.

OP I would personally phone 111 and get a professional medical opinion rather than letting people off the internet diagnose your baby!

But if you are interested in the medical opinion of us, internet posters (I am not a doctor or nurse), the thing that worries me most is this... "She's just lying there half asleep, letting out little groans."

www.netdoctor.co.uk/parenting/baby-and-toddler/advice/a25994/how-to-know-how-sick-your-child-is/

"If they have trouble breathing

This is known medically as respiratory distress, and could be a sign of a significant chest infection or blockage in the airway. It shows up as sucking-in of the chest wall, under or in between the ribs, and sometimes also a sucking-in of the neck. Babies may show flaring of the nostrils, and young children may also make a groaning noise when they breathe out – called 'grunting'."

Totally your call but I would take professional medical advice over random internet strangers any day of the week, and twice on Mondays (it's Monday today!).

It is worrying but it is always best to see if there is actually anything to worry about.

If OP is panicked 111 will put her mind at ease.
It's the conflicting advice that concerns me, following the wrong advice could be even more harmful than whatever the illness is, it's sensible in that instance to get correct information.

I would definatly call 111 as I agree with italian and the little groans which equally could be snores but it's never a mistake to seek medical advice

Look. A child of that age with symptoms as described warrants medical advice. They can deteriorate very quickly unlike older children and adults. 111 is a service that is there to be used and for this instance use it please!

No medical professional will chastise you for doing that, it is perfectly warranted and justified.

End off!

Keep the calpol and ibuprofen ticking over (keep a record I always get confused after a day or so!) and use those pipettes as my kids suck the medicine even when sleeping
Definitely ring 111 and keep an eye on wet nappies and drinking. Try to get a wee sample if you can if it continues - doctor surgeries have a wee bag for girls

How are things now, OP? I would ring 111 for advice, or your OOH GP. Our system here is you ring your normal surgery & are transferred to a switchboard for OOH, give the details and either a doctor rings back and talks you through it over the phone or a receptionist rings and tells you to come in to be seen. I must admit the groans worried me, my DS did this at around the same age and it was tonsillitis, although he presented no other symptoms until much later - it was just a fever & groaning at first. If you are worried, seek advice. Let us know how things progress. Lots of us have been there and know how worrying it is when they're so little.

I hate it when posters chastise people for trying to 'diagnose over the Internet'...the op wasn't asking anyone to diagnose, she was asking other parents what they would advise doing in this situation. Likewise, people replying to the op weren't attempting to diagnose, just offering advice. The op was given lots of useful advice which has helped and reassured her. The baby's temp is now slightly raised but not worryingly so and the op knows she can phone 111 if she's still concerned later on.

Sometimes when you're facing something for the first time, like your baby having a temperature, you just need to ask others for advice. Forums like this can be a great source of advice.

Hope she has a good night, op.

That temp isn't too high. I'd just monitor her. Calpol is crap with fevers. Ibuprofen is best. I'd be more worried if it wasn't dipping after ibuprofen.

As others have already pointed out ignoring symptoms like continued high temperatures despite paracetamol and grunting in a young baby can be dangerous. It's not something you should hang around and wait on because someone on the Internet thinks it's fine.

Ffs.

I haven't chastised anyone, I know people are trying to help I haven't had a go at anyone or accused anyone of trying to diagnose.
I've just said there is conflicting advice (which is to be expected) and it's just better to get proper information under those circumstances. What's so wrong with that?

Hi OP, we took DD2 to hospital the other night on the advice of 111. She was high temp, very sleepy, not drinking, and eventually just as we were going to A&E had a rash that was not fading under a glass. The hospital gave her a large dose if calpol and Brufen based on her weight that brought the temp right down, which made her feel well enough to start drinking water. The rash was viral. They didn't mind seeing her at all.
I think a moderate fever on its own doesn't give them much to worry about, but when it has accompanying symptoms then a doctor visit is necessary. Always phone 111 if your concerned.

Oh and the doctor said that calpol and brufen don't work well if they are dehydrated, so she needs to keep drinking.

ohdearducks I was referring to the post above which starts
OP I would personally phone 111 and get a professional medical opinion rather than let people off the Internet diagnose your baby.

I think advising the op to ring 111 if she's worried is sound advice. It's the whole 'don't ask Internet strangers to diagnose' line which I dislike. It's spouted on mumsnet time and time again and in this case the op wasn't asking for a diagnosis, just advice on what to do.

Luke warm baths / tepid sponges aren't recommended anymore (I'll try to find the link)

Nurofen works better on my kids for temperature than Calpol. And you can use them in tandem.

ScarlettDarling I think trying to dissuade anyone from calling 111 is a form of diagnosing. It is saying I don't think the child sounds'ill enough' for you to ring 111. Now can anyone do that unless they are diagnosing?

You can offer advice of what you would do.

But encouraging a vulnerable person to not seek help seems utterly unnecessary to me.

The OP is vulnerable because she is worried, she has said "I'm at a loss and feel like crying" and she is asking a bunch of people on the internet. Loads of people have said call 111, I think really this is the best advice.

I have no idea in these circumstances why any parent would not, really; or why anyone (who has not actually seen the baby) would advise not to call!

That temp isn't really that high - do you know what her normal resting temp is as some babies are just a bit hotter than others!

I'd take her sleeping bag off and maybe put a thin blanket on instead. To be honest with a baby that young I'd do the ooh trip too - that might say it's nothing and put your mind at rest or they might give antibiotics but you'll feel much less anxious if someone looks at her. I can never sleep when they're ill so you might not get any sleep anyway - might as well get her seen. She'll be fine, you do get more used to high temps and viruses after a few years (and nursery) and it becomes less worrying.

Scarlett "It's the whole 'don't ask Internet strangers to diagnose' line which I dislike."

I have explained what I think is diagnosing. It is not saying give Calpol or take off a long sleeved top. It is saying you do not need a medical opinion. And I stick by that opinion.

@Scarlett- Sorry, I assumed and I shouldn't have. Apologies

Please call 111.

My LO (3 months) had a temp of 38.1 and was 'groaning' a few weeks ago. It turned out he had sepsis. He's fine now, but only because we caught it early.

The whole point of 111 is that they can assess symptoms and advise without taking up time and resources from the emergency services.

I'm not sure why there are posters suggesting you don't call!! What harm can it do?

Was her temp of 38.4 taken underarm? If yes her actual core temp could be above 39.