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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Does my child really need to go to out of hours?

86 replies

Pop2017 · 13/01/2020 18:54

Posting here for traffic. DD came out of school and the teacher said she seemed tired all day. Brought her home and she’s boiling hot despite saying she feels cold. Checked her temp which was very high at 39.5. Immediately gave her calpol and it started decreasing pretty soon. By 5pm it was 38, still high but down. Keeping an eye on her, plenty of fluids etc watching films. Neither children want to eat tonight but thankfully drinking.

I must add DS has had a fever and a sickness bug at the weekend so the likelihood is that she’s brewing that.

OH is at work and he must have texted his mum to say we are poorly. She’s rang me up in a panic saying I should get DD to out of hours. Seems a b it ott. Yes she has a fever but she knows DS was also poorly so like caught that and her fever is coming down and she’s drinking so thought out of hours wasn’t needed.

Now mil has got me in a panic. Neither of mine really get poorly that often but have obviously had temperatures etc and I’ve always managed it at home with calpol etc etc.

Aibu that she doesn’t need to go??! She’s clearly caught what Ds had. I’m not 100 percent.

My
Mums the same. Every sniffle she would rush them off to the doctors.

Is it an older generation thing? When I was kid my
Mum took Me to the doctors for absolutely everything. Even things she could have treated at home.

OP posts:

Jenala · 13/01/2020 20:27

Everyone saying 39.5 is really high... it's not that high? It's just a fever? 40+ is starting to get worrying and only then really if meds don't bring it down/they have other worrying symptoms. No wonder there's a wait for the doctors if people are dragging their kids to the doctor with every high temperature. It's normal. It's now your body fights infection. What do you expect the doctor to do?

I wouldn't take her if the temp has come down with Calpol, she is having fluids and isn't having any other dodgy symptoms.

CurlsandCurves · 13/01/2020 20:29

No, I’d be looking at how the child is in themselves and judge from there. I’ve never owned a thermometer, just always used my hand and kept a good eye on my poorly kids. Thankfully high temps have been rare, but I think checking numbers would just ramp up my worry.

Hope your lo is feeling brighter soon.

Gruffalosandbuffalos · 13/01/2020 20:31

My 3 year old had a fever over Xmas and his temp was spiking at 41 degrees. I rang 111 who told me to treat the child not the temperature and that I didn’t need to see anyone as he wasn’t too unwell.

Redonion123 · 13/01/2020 20:31

I wouldn’t at 39 unless there were other symptoms.

Thefaceofboe · 13/01/2020 20:34

How old is your dd? Keep her fluids up and calpol when needed. If she gets worse I’d take her

Emmelina · 13/01/2020 20:36

I’d do calpol and fluids for now, lots of rest, sick bucket by the bed. While the temperature is high it did come down to a reasonable level. Obviously if it gets much worse and doesn’t come down I might call for advice, but for now wait and see.

FREEM · 13/01/2020 20:39

no i wouldn't. temp.not coming down and not drinking yes but not for this.
No wonder viruses spread if people tske kids alto out of hours for nothing

BecauseReasons · 13/01/2020 20:42

Just a fever? No. Are there any other concerning symptoms? Can she touch her chest with her chin?

separatebeds · 13/01/2020 20:57

Sounds like you have it under control. No need for the Dr unless things change.

My MIL always asks if I am taking the children the doctor if they are unwell - she is a real flapper. Not sure if its a generation thing as my mum doesn't do this and I know women of my age who are always going to the Dr for antibiotics for coughs and colds.

AlwaysThinkingOfNames · 13/01/2020 20:59

No. Fever in children is a normal reaction to illness.
With no other symptoms, I would watch and wait

Drabarni · 13/01/2020 21:02

It's not an age thing at all. I wouldn't have taken two of ours with this temp, but living so far from a hospital with ds2 with such bad asthma, I'd be informing the hospital myself.
We had all the gear at home, so could obviously treat him ourselves and take him in. Ours are 28, 25 (my poorly one) and 16.
I'm no youngster It was not the done thing to waste the doctors time,
Although up to 10 days in hospital with a normal birth was lovely. I had 3 with ds1.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 13/01/2020 21:02

A temperature in itself is an immune reaction, the body fighting the bug. If Calpol (or calprpfen i find better) will bring it down, and the child is drinking etc I think ok. If it was a very young baby of course more worrying but this is a school age child who can tell you how they feel

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 13/01/2020 21:03

Ps mines had temps over 39 several times. Some children can spike a higher fever than others.

legalseagull · 13/01/2020 21:04

My toddler gets a fever if she so much as sneezes. Nursery always call me in a flap saying she's 38.whatever. For her, that's nothing and I know she'll be fine. She's gone over 40 a few times and 111 have put me through to doctors who are never concerned providing calpol brings it down.

madeyemoodysmum · 13/01/2020 21:12

38 isn't very high. Just keep her meds up so she doesn't spike again and keep an eye but if she is responding to you. Drinking and maybe eating a little. no rashes I wouldn't be over concerned.

TheOrigRightsofwomen · 13/01/2020 21:16

You know your child better than anyone.

If it were either of mine I would not have taken to OOH for a high temp at this stage. They have both got very, very hot (delirious) with fever BUT it has always gone down the next day after a horrid night.

For others it would cause alarm.

namechangenewness · 13/01/2020 21:16

I'll be honest, we don't own a thermometer. I would assume that it's the sickness bug and would just keep an eye.

Savingshoes · 13/01/2020 21:21

It's the high fever WITH cold feet that I would be uncomfortable with.

rosydreams · 13/01/2020 21:22

tea is good ,but generally you don't need to see a doctor unless it go's back up to 40.Give her light bedding and light pjs ,rest,cuddles, tv,calpol and fluids thats it

thisisthetime · 13/01/2020 21:24

A temperature is how your body fights an infection so it's actually a good thing. I don't even give calpol unless it goes much over 40 for my dc or unless they are in pain or distressed by the temperature.

You definitely don't need out of hours for the temperature alone. Keep a close eye on how she is eating, drinking, responding, any pain, difficulty urinating etc. If she becomes floppy, less responsive or is unable to keep liquids down then I would take her straight in.

A&e and out of hours must be fit to bursting with people there just for a temperature, no offence to you op but your mil is overreacting unless there are other more severe symptoms.

Straycatstrut · 13/01/2020 21:26

Calpol & Brufen. Stripped down and lucozade juice for the electrolytes if she has a bug coming. That's what helps my eldest who gets temps of up to 41 like others have mentioned here. He also gets a heat rash - I don't think this is very common though.

When he was my only child I didn't how to handle it. When he was about two he literally started hallucinating and shaking at one point - making no sense - I was terrified, I thought he was having a seizure so I called 999! (Don't drive) ambulance took 4 hours to arrive, and the paramedic took one look at him and was extremely unsympathetic "it's a virus" these are classic symptoms of fever blah blah. He was my first child and no one had warned me of hallucinating, rashes and shaking coming when they get a fever. Obviously I now know children can react differently to fevers, and some children spike higher than others more easily it seems.

pigoons · 13/01/2020 21:28

My mum freaked like this too when DS had an extremely high temp over Christmas and was asking why were weren't at the Drs. Pointed out there was probably v little else they could do as we were already giving meds which were managing the fever OK.

Best advice I got was from out of hours when DS had a v high temp a few years ago but temp wasn't coming down with meds and he was lethargic / being sick. They said temp on it's own doesn't mean anything it is how the child is presenting / the symptoms that are important

everythingthelighttouches · 13/01/2020 21:31

God no.

She’s school age, a bit off her food but not completely flaked out, still drinking, the temperature is responding to medicine, there is a reason for it.

Look at the child not the thermometer! If she seems really really unwell, that is the time to go to A&E/ walk in etc.

I would personally try to get the temp down further by alternating paracetamol with ibuprofen every 3 hours.

Cremebrule · 13/01/2020 21:31

Often it’s the speed of the temperature rise and not the temp in itself that is the issue. My little one was hospitalised with a fever of 39.5 as she wasn’t coping with the underlying infection. She was turning blue, getting rigours etc which are flags for intervention. My eldest has been poorly but manageable with higher fevers. I think you get an idea if there is something else going on by how the child is in themselves. You can always ring 111 if you’re unsure.

orangejuicer · 13/01/2020 21:34

How's she doing OP?

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