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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how to treat a 10mo with a temp of 40.2

401 replies

Whoevenknowswhattodo · 26/02/2019 23:04

Shamelessly posted here for traffic Blush

Ds2 is 10months. He hasn't been unwell, not even snotty . Yesterday afternoon at lunchtime he wouldn't eat which is unlike him. Cried and crashed out and slept most of the day and night. He had a temp of 38-39.5 all day despite regular Calpol and ibuprofen.
Today he's been the same, eating and drinking okay but sleeping longer than normal and high temps.
Still doesn't appear poorly. Isn't upset just raging hot.
He had Calpol at 6pm. Ibu at 8pm. Just been to check on him at 10.30pm before i went to bed and temp is highest yet at 40.2.
He had gone to bed happy and in a babygrow with no vest or sleeping bag.

Is a temp alone worth doing anything about
If they're not seeming poorly / rashy/ upset?

I've given him more Calpol at 10.30 but he's maxed out on his doses now for both meds in a 24hr period so I'm at a loss

My plan is currently stay awake till 11.30 Then go and check temp again to see if it's coming down. Does this sound the right thing to do?

OP posts:
blueshoes · 27/02/2019 19:14

If you have to wait overnight before seeing the GP again, what I would do is sleep with the baby close by and periodically sponge his forehead and hands with a damp cloth throughout the night. The water is just room temperature but evaporation off the hot forehead and hands was helpful to bring down the temperature without waking the baby. It was easy for me to do this for my dc because I used to co-sleep. It was effective to bring down the temperature and more often than not, the fever would be ok by the morning.

With my dcs, it was often teething that caused the temperature spikes but best to see the GP again. Good luck with it. You are doing just fine.

keepforgettingmyusername · 27/02/2019 19:16

God people on this thread are so OTT. I'd have done the same as you OP you do try to
keep them at home where they recover best if it's viral. But I'm glad you're taking the next step now. Hope everything is ok.

Chimmychunga · 27/02/2019 19:16

Oh poor OP. Sending you positive vibes and hope little man feels better soon. I hope you are seen quickly at A+E.

Kittykat93 · 27/02/2019 19:22

Some people have been truly horrid on this thread. Hope your boy is ok op Thanks I did post a frustrated message earlier when you hadn't called the gp or 111 but you're doing all you can now and people are still sticking the boot in, which is horrible and unfair.

HennaLights · 27/02/2019 19:24

If child is running a high temp for over even 12 hours, and it's not coming down despite regular meds, clothes stripped off and cool flannel applied, you should absolutely get to your closest A&E.

Even if baby seems content! A friend of mine had a similar scenario with her baby and it turned out to be a very rare form of meningitis.

Good grief!

avocuddl · 27/02/2019 19:37

Hope you're seen quickly!

Narya · 27/02/2019 19:39

Agree with others you're getting a rough ride on here OP.

111 sent us to OOH GP a few weeks ago when DS 12mo had a temp of 40.6 that wouldn't come down. GP gave him a thorough check but was unconcerned about the temp in itself as he was eating, drinking, weeing, pooing etc as normal. And he was alert and breathing normally. Temp came down over the course of the next day.

Totally appreciate others have had awful experiences with feverish babies, but we were definitely told that a high temp alone in an otherwise normally-acting child is not an A&E job (past 6 months old anyway).

JellycatElfie · 27/02/2019 19:52

There’s so many so called experts on this thread. As well as people too willing to share horror stories! Follow the nhs advice for treating temperatures:
do not undress your child or sponge them down to cool them – fever is a natural and healthy response to infection
The OP sounds a brilliant mom who has consistently done what she thought was best for her child! I hope you don’t have to wait too long and whatever it is, he’s sorted soon.

Prequelle · 27/02/2019 19:54

There's healthcare professionals in the thread including an a&e doctor. Who all said to seek help. Not fanny around taking temps for hours on end. But I'm glad the OP has done what she feels right and I hope her child is going to be okay.

JellycatElfie · 27/02/2019 19:55

I’m a health care professional. I would’ve taken my child sooner - however it’s done with now and posting that she ‘should have done this’ 24 hours later when she’s sat in a and e with a sick child ain’t helping anybody.

Prequelle · 27/02/2019 19:55

And fever was an evolutionary response as we had a limited safeguard against infection. It carries risks which we can now mitigate with modern medicine. We should be avoiding febrile seizures and sustained pyrexia.

JellycatElfie · 27/02/2019 19:57

Actually nice guidelines recommend only treating temps when the child is distressed.

Faster · 27/02/2019 19:58

Hopes you’re both doing ok op

Prequelle · 27/02/2019 20:00

All the guidance I have read and that we followed on paeds triage was that sustained pyrexia should be managed. This has been going on for 2 days according to earlier in the thread.

Anyway like I said, OP and her son are getting helo now so let's hope they're okay.

Original poster
Whoevenknowswhattodo · 27/02/2019 20:08

4 kids in front of us.
Thanks for the lovely messages I'll update once he has been seen

OP posts:
QueenofmyPrinces · 27/02/2019 20:12

Good luck OP - you’ve always done what you thought was the best for your son and that’s all any of us can do.

I hope you aren’t there too long and an answer can be found Flowers

Prequelle · 27/02/2019 20:12

Hope you're seen quickly!

Schuyler · 27/02/2019 20:13

@HennaLights The NHS website says “do not undress your child or sponge them down to cool them – fever is a natural and healthy response to infection”

OP hope your little one is ok. The incorrect and contradictory advice given by laypeople is exactly why it’s not sensible to post an acute health concern online. That said, I hope he’s getting medical attention now. Flowers

Schuyler · 27/02/2019 20:14

We cross posted. Glad you’re there. Take care.

GottenGottenGotten · 27/02/2019 20:17

Good luck op!

unicorncow · 27/02/2019 20:20

Hope your little boy is better soon

fermezzlabouche · 27/02/2019 20:20

Just read through this post and wanted to say hope you're both okay especially little one.

SinkGirl · 27/02/2019 20:25

OP, I totally understand - I posted in a parenting group I’m in a couple of weeks ago when I was up in the middle of the night and my son had a high temp with no other symptoms. I just couldn’t imagine taking him to A&E at 1am because he had a temp but was otherwise fine. The NHS information I read didn’t imply I needed to go or call 111 - meds weren’t bringing it down quickly, but it was up and down so it wasn’t sustained for days, it was totally random.

I’m glad you’re getting him checked out and after seeing what my son was like I can understand why you were reluctant to take him in to A&E last night, but you’re doing the right thing now. Hopefully like it was for us, it’s just this horrid virus.

In fact, I contributed to a thread about this sort of bug a couple of weeks ago and no one was behaving like some of the people here.

MRex · 27/02/2019 20:29

I hope A&E are able to help at least diagnose what's causing his fever so that he can be treated or you reduce worries OP.

ohfourfoxache · 27/02/2019 20:33

Hope you get seen quickly. I’d be VERY suspicious that he’s got an infection somewhere tbh, and I really feel that you’ve done the right thing getting him to A&E