To call 111

[Yellowpolkadot]

Dd has had a bit of a temp for a few days now, it’s been lingering in the mid to high 37’s, this evening it is heading up and having just checked it’s 38.5. She’s had calpol. She’s 11months (9.5 months corrected) and has been really sleepy all evening. DH thinks we should watch and wait, I’m more keen to get some advice. Thoughts? And at what point would you call?

Call. Advice is what they're there for.

However, do be prepared to be sent an ambulance and have to spend the next four hours at A&E with the poor little DD, if they think it deserves that attention. 38.5 after calpol (which drops the temp) is pretty high...

Another vote to call (and I'd call now). Listen to your instinct. It's always better to err on the side of caution with babies.

No matter how long it's been going on, with that temp and not dropping with Calpol I would call them.

DS had a temperature that high after Calpol with chicken pox a few weeks ago. He was 7 months at the time, and the fever passed eventually.

However, you know your DD, and my GP always says to go with my instinct. If your instinct is saying ring 111 then ring 111

Is your DD difficult to wake (you mentioned she's drowsy)? There's a lot of things to look out for here:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/fever-in-children/

• list of things

If your instinct is saying 111, call them. Advise is what they’re there for and I’m sure that no hcp would be annoyed by a parent seeking medical advise for there poorly baby.

Call. But be prepared they'll most likely send an ambulance as they'll put it as unable to stay awake. But still please call we'd prefer to send an ambulance to a child unneeded than not send one that was needed.

Yes I'd call too, hope she's much better very soon

My DS had asthma as a baby - when babies have an ‘attack’ they are quiet and drowsy. It could just be the fever or something more - better to err on the side of caution. 111 might be able to get you a late OOO appt tonight so you’re not waiting around. Hope it’s nothing to worry about

Call them, please. It's always worth it. We had this last August, they sent an ambulance, DS had a febrile convulsion in the ambulance. I was so grateful for us being in the ambulance at that time, I've no idea what I'd have done had it happened at home. It turned out to be viral tonsillitis.
Have you tried giving ibuprofen rather than calpol? It works much better at bringing DSs temps down and keeping them down.

This is why every parent should do a first aid course!

Febrile convulsions are harmless. Some babies and toddlers have them when their temperature gets too high. Open up all baby grows, take off nappy, put baby somewhere safe, where they won’t hurt themselves, and wait.

Contact your local NCT or St John Ambulance group for first aid course details.

@thelastgoldeneagle we are both first aid trained but it’s when to make the call (especially when it’s your own child, for some reason we are both more reluctant to call for our own child vs when we are caring for the children of others 🤷🏻‍♀️)

Sound advice, thank you, we’ve given her some ibuprofen and are waiting 20 mins, if there’s no change I’m calling

How is she today, @yellowpolkadot?

I hope DD is now feeling better and you managed to have an ok night with her. My son was a very ill baby from 11 months onward and I always suggest to any parents to use ibuprofen as first port of call. DS would regularly get temp's over 38.5, and the only thing that brought it down was ibuprofen. With calpol topped up in between if needed.

For fevers always try ibuprofen first- it's much better at bringing high temps down- but as others have said above, always trust your instincts and play it safe x