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

[Whoevenknowswhattodo]

Shamelessly posted here for traffic

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, you need to get a urine sample - ideally in a sample pot but if not then any sterile container will do - then go back to GP surgery and insist on a dip test, and preferably a second opinion from a different GP. Ask what they have checked and what the measurements are. Write them down. If GP is not concerned and hasn't found anything ask what could be causing the fever.

Glad he’s happy and had a bite to eat - that’s a good sign - doesn’t sound like he would
Need to go to the Emergency Department right at this moment as others have suggested. Things do change very quickly with children though. I think continuing to monitor sounds sensible - you’re doing a great job

You are obviously - and rightly so - not reassured by the GP today or why else are you still posting here?

It’s another hour before your baby can have any form of medication to treat their temp yet it’s already classed as high if it’s at 38
Children can seem to perk up,then go downhill rapidly.

You need to get to the bottom of this temperature, and as others have said it is not teething that causes a temp.

Nobody will see you a fraud. You are his mother and his ultimate advocate and safe keeper.
A&E might not be too bad at the moment. I, along with others it seems, would urge you to take him if for no other reason than to finish the assessment that your shamobolic GP barely started.

Shambolic even

I hope your baby is ok OP.

Mine had similar symptoms and we called 111 and saw GP and it was put down to some kind of viral infection. It cleared up completely in about 3 days luckily.

....but he has seen a doctor already today who wasn't concerned

But you are his mother and you are concerned.

Don’t let a lazy, half-arsed GP stop you from listening to your mother’s instinct.

The fact of the matter is that if you were happy and satisfied bt your GP’s conclusions then you wouldn’t still be posting on here. It is clear to us all that you are still worried, and rightly so, and so go to A&E.

Why are you letting one doctor’s crap assessment of your son stopping you from seeking another much-needed medical opinion?

My daughter had this it was a Urinary tract infection. Can't believe the doc didn't do a Urinary test it's straight forward you just sit them on your lap naked with a bowl between your legs ready to catch the wee. I would get the sample then take it straight to hospital via 111 or back to the GP if they can test it straight away.

I will add though on the other side of the coin we have taken DD to a paediatrician who has given totally different diagnosis to GP so like anything you do need to use judgement

To be clear- in every case we went to A&E within 24 hours of seeing a GP, and every time we went, a consultant was a) horrified at the low standard of GP care and b) in relation to my son reassured me they would rather see 100 poorly babies who they can send home with reassurance, than not see 1 that dies of something preventable.

@thesheepofwallstreet really!
Sorry but that's ridiculous.

My son (who I am very capable of looking after) has a temperature. I've spoken to 111 twice today. He has seen a gp who has confirmed he is not gravely ill.

I'm very sorry that I've not legged it to the nearest a&e saying "the advice of mumsnet is to ignore the advice of the doctor, who mumsnet advised me to go and see in the first place! Therefore please can another doctor look at my happy smily child immediately!"

After watching my MIL die in a&e less than a year ago, I am very sceptical about taking a baby in for this.

Do you not watch the tv adverts? I can't find a single nhs leaflet that says fever alone states a&e.

He has NO OTHER SYMPTOMS APART from a temperature.

Sure I'm worried about him because I'm his mum! And he's not 100%!

But ffs calling me a troll and saying how silly i am...

Cross posted but even so, I just don't see how I am being irresponsible.

Let us know what 111 says. Another option is to ring GP office and say you have concerns could you see another GP or have a urine test done.

Despite what other posters have said I understand you not rushing off to a&e she the GP wasn't worried. Tbh though if your gut is telling you somethings wrong I would just go in. As posters above have said if theres nothing wrong they can send you home reassured and they won't mind. It's people coming into a&e with colds and Injuries related to drunken accidents or with cuts and bruises that they could treat at home that are the problem, not parents with babies with unexplained fevers.

Honestly OP I would take him to A&E and I don't generally worry about fever unless there are other worrying symptoms and I'm as blase as you can get about temperatures. Fever is an immune response which makes the human body a very inhospitable place for viruses and bacteria. My immune system is a beast according to my GP, I've spiked some terrifying fevers but always felt ok with them and never ended up getting ill which apparently means I have a very strong immune response to most things but your son has a couple of red flags.

Firstly this has been ongoing for what, 2 days? Bit longer? It hasn't reduced significantly at all so clearly his immune system is having a bastard of a job fighting something off. If it were me with it I'd stop the meds and let it continue to rise until the little fuckers toast but with a baby you can't do that.

Secondly what would concern me most is that calpol and the like aren't helping. Yeah ok, I'm the first to say let a fever burn, its doing a job but my only condition is that it CAN be controlled. A fever that high that can't be brought down with medication would worry me especially in one so young.

Follow your gut.......

You are his mum. And he HAS seen a medical professional.

If you are really concerned I would phone back surgery and see if you can see another Dr.

To me that should be your 1st route.

If he deteriorates then of course rush to A&E.

My DS has had similar symptoms before and it has been viral for him and cleared up in his own.

On the one occasion he ‘may’ have had a urine infection it was because he seemed to be in pain urinating.

His temp does seem a bit better controlled today by the sounds of it.

Just keep monitoring him and don’t hesitate to get further medical advice if needed.

Disclaimer - I am only a mum. I have no medical training

Should also mention when dS has had similar symptoms his temp has never been uncontrolled. He has had unexplained high temps though

Gosh op this is a tough thread.

I’ve worked in paeds and we defo don’t mind seeing kids with temps over 38 despite calpol and brufen. Would be very appropriate to go to a and e in that situation.

But we also really value mum’s gut instinct so I would listen to yours.

In terms of your Gp - if throat was defo on the red side they’re not being hugely unreasonable - viral urtis much more common than utis. I personally love a wee urine check as I tolerate uncertainty a little bit less than the next person. However having said that it’s difficult to trust urine dips in children his age, so would need to get sent to lab anyway, so no quick answers.

Did your Gp listen to front of chest? If so they checked his heart rate by listening rather than feeling. They can also check rate of breathing by looking and listening. It is very unusual for Gp practices to have the equipment to check oxygen sats in babies. It would not be part of normal examination in Gp.

So your Gp might not have been quite as rubbish as everyone here thinks!

Then again they might have been - but it’s all down to how you feel and how your son looks to you. If your gut is telling you to get seen again, do it. If your wee one if smiling, drinking, weeing and playing and you’re happy with the advice your dr gave you, then see how you go.

OP.

I hope very much that your son is fine. He may well be. He most likely will be.

But I’ve seen many many people die in A&E, in horrible fashions that you really really don’t want to imagine. And not once have I looked at my sick kid and thought “well his brain isn’t hanging out of his skull, and I’ve seen THAT so I reckon anything less than that is fine”.

Your logic is flawed.

And maybe don’t post here for advice that you’re going to ignore in future- even when its overwhelmingly one way. It’s a waste of everyone’s time and actually rather upsetting.

TheSheepofWallSt you are just scaremongering now. The op posted for advice, most of us said 111 and eventually that's what she did. 111 Said see a GP and that's what she did. She is still a bit worried so is phoning 111 again. Not exactly completely ignoring advice and let's face it none of us have seen her son or know him like she does.

Funbun32
👍

I have taken to my two to gp lots, 9 times out of 10 in reassured with their evaluation. there have been two notable incidents when my gut instinct hasn't been happy with what the gp.

First was when ds was three weeks and I then took him to a&e. Turns out he DID have sepsis. So my gut instinct was right.

Second time was dd when she was 3 and she ended up being kept in for 3 days for a horrendous bout of tonsilitis so I was again correct to week a second opinion.

If your instinct isn't happy the follow it.

As many others have said, always trust your gut. My LO was eating good, smiley and alert but felt a little hot. Mentioned this to doctor that afternoon and they said he seemed fine. By the evening, his temp wasn't coming down so called 111. Ended up in the hospital for 3 days on antibiotics. Turns out he had a UTI, currently going through tests to rule out reflux. It might not be anything but I'd always rather look back to think "glad we took him in" not "wish we had taken him in sooner" hope your LO is better soon x

@janetforpresident

I’m sorry- what’s scaremongering to say that her son is very likely fine but why take the risk, as per my previous post? All of my experience says that GP care in the UK is hit and miss, and that most paediatricians I know find unexplained fevers that are poorly controlled worrying.

The OP is obviously still concerned as still posting- so why keep procrastinating when she could’ve gone, been reassured or received treatment, and come back home in the time this has taken?

The mind boggles.

One thing worth bearing in mind is he may have no symptoms you can detect but that doesn't mean he has no symptoms. Maybe his throat is slightly sore, there is a bit of a sting when he wees or his head has been aching a bit - not enough to make him howl with misery but a symptom all the same that he's got no way of telling you about.

A temperature still over 39 even after medication is definitely one to get checked out so it's good that you've had him seen and I hope he continues to improve.