My 2 year old has a temp of 38.6, please advise

[Osiras]

I cannot for want of trying get through on 111 for advice. Doctors closed.

I may be overreacting, if so then please do say.

He's 2 and autistic, he can't communicate how he feels but has been a bit grumpy and been off his food for the past 2 days (very unlike him). He has eaten very small amounts.

He came and laid on my lap on the sofa and he is burning hot to touch. I stripped him down, tried to give him Calpol (which he spat out) and offered him juice which he refused.

He isn't drowsy and seems ok in himself other than being off his food. He's currently playing on his tablet babbling away.

There may have been covid in the house last month (I was unwell) but no test so no confirmation.

He's never had a temperature like this before so I'm panicking.

I 6nderstsnd the worry about a temperature in these difficult time but have guidance changed so much in the last decade?

When I was a kid, parents never worked about a temp unless it went above 40. Even then, it was considered dangerous unless it got closer to 41.

When my kids were little, a temp of 38.6, even 39 wouldn't have worried me at all and indeed, it happened many times with various infections. It never crossed my mind to seek medical advice and oy took my ds once when he had a fever of around 39.5 for 5 days in are and a lot of coughing (and was still fine, doctor did nothing).

Even before Covid19, I was reading regularly parents advised to seek help for a fever of over 38. I think it's 111 guidance, but why? Kids get fevers regularly, and 38 is a low temperature. What has changed in 15 years?

In any case oP, I hope your ds is better and it is just a normal virus. My GP also said that I most likely had Covid19 from my symptoms but my neighbour GP said that what's they tell most people with a fever, a cough or some breathlessness when ultimately they really don't know and only testing would confirm it.

My son had a febrile convulsion. We were told by the consultant at the hospital that it’s not how high the temperature is that causes it, but how fast it goes up or down. So you can also have a febrile convulsion when your temp drops. So it’s not necessary to keep a temperature down due to worries about febrile convulsions. I was worried it was my fault about the convulsion because I hadn’t given calpol soon enough. But he said that there’s no evidence that giving calpol prevents a convulsion. It’s more important to look at how your child seems. Are they drink and weeing. And seem alert enough.

Hi all,

I've managed to get his temp down to 37 with a second dose of ibuprofen and I'm waiting for my own GP to call me back in the next hour or two.

He's still not eating but he's taking plenty of juice. He's very pale with the flushed face still but he's up and mobile, just very whiny. No shortness of breath.

I'm hoping the GP can arrange for him to be tested because DH will likely lose his job if he says he has to self isolate for another 14 days which is what 111 have said we must do. He took the 14 days off for me when I wasn't well, then two weeks unpaid leave and the boss was pressuring him to return so he's due back tomorrow.

I'll let you know what the GP says

I wasn't keen on giving him the ibuprofen personally because of the conflicting advice but the clinician said I absolutely must because the benefit of reducing the fever outweighs everything else. They were worried about a febrile convulsion last night so insisted he must have it. I can see others here are being advised to give ibuprofen too.

How long has your DH been working for his employer? If it's more than 2 years they can't just dismiss him for this 🙄

We always find ibuprofen has been much more effective than paracetamol at bringing down DS's fevers (which have been much higher at 39-40+ so for anything under 39 we don't stress too much).

He has been there since September, so not very long. The boss isn't approachable in the slightest and is very zero tolerance when it comes to time off.

He reluctantly agreed to two weeks unpaid leave after we had to isolate as a family for 14 days, but made it clear he wants him back in on 23rd.

Well his boss sounds like an arse.
Shame it's not a good time to look for other work!
I always think it's a good idea to join a trade union just in case... might be worth your DH considering. Obviously you have to join before there's an issue, they can't help if you join after being dismissed for example.

Your son won't be tested, NHS staff aren't even been tested - patients in hospital get tested but not those well enough to stay at home.

You won't get your ds tested I don't think

Hope he's better soon

I'm not optimistic about him getting a test either, but I'll ask on the off chance.

It puts us in a very difficult position with DH's work as although I can WFM he cannot.

DS seems perfectly fine now, he refused his breakfast but was happily taking crisps and chocolate buttons

I'm alot less worried now that the temperature has gone down

I've just spoken to my GP who says he doesn't think I should be worried about coronavirus because (and I quote)

"It doesn't affect children in that way"

Meaning high fever.

That goes against everything else I've been told and heard from other parents with children who are suspected of having it, and is the opposite of what NHS 111 said.

I haven't a clue what to think now, but DS seems fine so hopefully it was just a blip and he doesn't have that.

Really glad your DS is doing better and sorry to hear that your DH's boss is such an arsehole.

I would listen to the nhs doctor not your gp-they sound rubbish

noone really is getting a test unless they are frontline keyworkers atm

hope little one is better soon

Op how is he?

And the other little one of a keyworker- I think a dd in hospital m, how is she?

He has been alot better today thanks for asking, just as well really because the battery has just died on the thermometer this afternoon so I've had to order more.

He felt a slightly hot during the early evening but not as bad as last night. He's still a bit grumpy and tired so he's sleeping a bit more.

Still refusing his meals but has eaten little bits like fruit and crackers which is promising. Plenty of juice.

A neighbour picked up some calpol incase his fever goes back up so I can avoid the ibuprofen.

Hopefully the high fever helped to kill it off and he's going to continue to improve with no repeats of last night (wishful thinking?)

Hope the other little ones with suspected covid are doing well

That's brilliant 😊
Glad he's a little better!

Did you take temp under his armpit or orally?

Glad he's doing better!

Under the armpit, he has sensory issues so he won't tolerate anything being put into his mouth

Ok then his temp was 39.1 - 39.6. You need to add on 0.5 degrees celsius to 1 degree for underarm temp taking. Either way high for a 2 year old so it's a really good sign that he's doing better x

@Aveisenim where is this guidance from? When we are in hospital they often take my son’s temp under his arm and never have suggested adding on anything

@KTD27

It is to do with the core temperature of the body. You will get a different reading depending how you take the temperature. In general a rectal temperature is closest to the body's true core temperature, an oral measurement is about 0.5 degrees lower and an axial (armpit) reading is 1 degree lower.

So to find someone's actual temperature you add on to the reading - a reading of 37 under the armpit indicates a core temperature of 38.

That said - it is probable that nurses who are accustomed to taking temperatures all the time won't bother converting, but will simply record a temp as read but noting where it is taken - so an oral temp of 37.5 - and will know that indicates a moderate fever.

Huh - lost my post.

I think most health practitioners now use ear thermometers on children, which gives a reading similar to the rectal temperature, and thus wouldn't need to be altered at all.

Could he cope with an ear thermometer? Because if so I strongly urge you to get one so that you can feel far more confident with knowing whether his temperature is something to worry about. Corona aside, it’s highly likely to not be the only time he gets a fever.

Braun ThermoScan 7 Ear Thermometer with Age Precision - Black Edition, IRT6520B www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KVNC3SW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8hbOEbGWH6BMC?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

There's a few websites, looks like there's even been threads on here by the look of it and I explained I was accounting for the temp difference with a medical professional and they confirmed it with me when I've been ill recently. Looks like I was 'offo' slightly as it's farenheit for 0.5 to 1 degree. 0.3 - 0.6 for celsius.

saidsupport.org/what-is-the-most-accurate-way-to-take-a-temperature-is-oral-temporal-ear-or-rectal-best/

www.cigna.com/individuals-families/health-wellness/hw/medical-topics/fever-temperatures-tw9223

myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=tw9223

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/739907-Do-you-have-to-add-degrees-to-an-underarm-digital

@Aveisenim thanks! That’s interesting to know