AIBU to think 38 temp every afternoon isn't normal? Gp useless!

[Dennisreynoldsduster]

DC had a virus and ended up in hospital for a night a month and a half ago. He had a fever, it came down and was normal for a few days, then (because we were told to keep tabs on him for a week) it started going up in the afternoons. Always the same time. Up to 38, would come down on its own without calpol.
He's a hot boy, we've never had a reading in the 36 bracket unless it's the early hours of the morning but surely this must mean he still has an underlying infection somewhere?

He's well, apart from some teeth coming through, and eating (pickier at lunchtime for some reason now) fine, drinking liquids, wet and dirty nappies (teething nappies are such a joy), he's playing, chattering, shouting, up to all kinds of mischief.

Because he's fine in himself, GP not even slightly interested, just said put the thermometer down and go on how he feels. But I'm only using the thermometer because with the kiss test he feels hot!

I'm a bit annoyed that the GP hasn't even seen him, and worried he could have a UTI even though the GP said because his nappies don't smell funny and he's not struggling to pass urine, it won't be that.

Am I being too PFB? I am prone to anxiety - health anxiety in particular - so I do find it hard to navigate instinct/irrational and rational reactions. DH thinks if GP says all fine, it's fine but I just can't see how 38 is normal - it's a fever!

He's had two covid PCR tests during this, plus the one at hospital, and all negative so it's not that, and GP knows all tests were negative so I thought he might see him now and check his ears/chest/throat etc.

I meant teeth not teeth’s Autocorrect fail

Maybe I need to get help for my anxiety again :( I felt like I was doing the right thing by monitoring it but it seems I'm being very OTT. I just feel so panicky about it.

I don't mean to dripfeed but I had a fair amount of pregnancy loss before him, including having to have a late termination due to medical defects and I think this is where it all stems from. I'm constantly petrified he's going to get seriously ill and I won't realise until it's too late.

My DS has always run hot. He has sensory issues and could never tolerate the texture of calpol, so we struggled to keep his temp down when he was younger. I had a rule that if it went above 40 then we would go to the walk in. Even then, he'd look under the weather but not massively ill and in need of a&e. I wouldn't worry too much if he seems ok in himself, it's when he's off and hot that you should be concerned.

Is that the only thing?

I'm asking because ds had some sort of illness when he was 8yo where every afternoon his temperature came up, he vomited and he was really tired. I'd pick him up from school before lunch and he'd fall asleep in the car on the way home, level of tiredness.

This went on for about 3-4 months. The GP was concerned, but the tiredness mostly, so he had a number of tests from bloodtests through to MRI (due to headaches) and nothing was pulled up. We're several years down the line now, and I don't think it was anything more than post viral.

We were taking his temperature a few times a day at one point because the paediatrician wanted to see if there was a pattern. It didn't really bother ds at all-in fact he got quite interested himself in seeing his temperature go up and down. (and he's also fascinated by blood tests too )

Oh Dennis it’s completely understandable, but honestly, you do need to talk to someone about this focus because it’s going to dominate the utter utter joy that you are missing with your little fella and you will bitterly regret wasting your precious time with him.

With him…as in missing the enjoyment in him as a person, growing up happy and heathy not wasting your time on this negative upsetting focus.

Some babies and toddlers get temperatures quite randomly, it’s a body response to all sorts and they are often fine in themselves. I agree it’s nothing to worry about. Put the thermometer away there’s no need to check this frequently unless they are actually ill. Ear and forehead thermometers are crap anyway - I always get two different readings depending on which ear.
Besides, aren’t you still supposed to get a Covid test with a temp? Did the gp advise about that?

Thank you. I am obsessing about it, I've felt upset all week and just dread seeing the number on the thermometer but it also feels like a weird kind of safety net to check? I don't know if that makes sense.

@MargaretThursday yes it's the only thing. He's not tired or sick or anything. Upset nappies a bit but that was when he was very drooly and a new tooth popped through. Off his food a little bit but only at lunchtime and in a fussy way (as in won't eat an omelette but will eat rice cakes and a yogurt and any other beige baby junk!) and eats plenty at breakfast, snack and dinner.

@Rosesareyellow yes he's had two covid tests during the duration of this happening both negative.

Hey OP the digital reading ones held towards the forehead or neck are the best ones for accurate reading for baby age, in ear isnt as accurate. That being said a temp of 38 wouldn’t give you entry to my DD nursey ans would get you (ie DD) sent home for a PCR test and self isolate. Deffo worth further investigation for me

I would definitely go back to go and get him checked for a uti (think they are more common in girls but imagine boys also get them) , get ears checked and I can't stress this enough, a good look at his tonsils and throat. Not all tonsillitis is viral and from bitter experience the bacterial type is absolutely awful and doesn't go away on it's own.. you can even try and look yourself with a torch, tonsillitis looks like white/yellow streaks on the tonsils and causes continuous temps. I don't think you are being ott, you can never be too careful with children and either way by going back you'll get some reassurance.

My temperature is often

A paediatrician once told me that I shouldn’t worry about a temperature of 38 in a baby, as they are usually hotter than adults.

@Ahnowcomon would he have more symptoms with tonsilitis? He won't let me near his mouth because of his teething

I think I will call tomorrow and try to get a sample (fun) for a UTI check and see if the doctor will check him over just to put my mind at rest but the last couple of times I've spoken to them they said he doesn't need to be seen

@Summersunshine3 thanks, I was told by a nurse that forehead ones are inaccurate and just measure skin temp and that ear is more accurate!

Just to say that my DS also runs hot and easily flushed. We had a couple of phone calls from nursery shortly after he started as they were concerned but we reassured them and they got to know what being well / out of sorts looks like for him.

Our eldest spiked a fever every day around 7pm for what felt like months. GP said no worries about giving her one dose of Calpol a day if needed, judged by whether she was uncomfortable rather than just the fever in itself. We assumed teething but you might as well just say babyhood.

I think it's completely normal parenting to notice and worry if your child is spiking a fever for days or weeks on end, particularly when they've been hospitalised recently. You don't need to berate yourself OP. Pre-covid our GPs would always see babies if parents were worried.

I think I'll try and look at his tonsils later on as if they don't look right, then the GP might see us at least

Yes in general pretty lethargic and unwell , totally off milk and food. May well not have it but I always get gp to have a look as it's always accompanied by a fever that is reoccurring in my experience. Definitely go back to gp and I think you are being a great mum , best of luck op

This can happen for a while after a virus. After Covid I kept spiking a low grade temperature for weeks. I was probably a good 3 months after the event until it stopped happening. I’d feel temperaturey too, and temp would be around 38. It was very common on the long Covid groups. I suspect any virus could do this. I wonder if the immune system gets a bit over sensitive.
Having said that, 38 is much less for a young child than an adult. They run hotter. If he’s well in himself I’d step away from the thermometer for a bit. If he’s unwell at all, then I’d get him re checked. But not on a raise to 38 alone when it’s each afternoon. Temperature is always higher as the day goes on, in everybody.

Why are you adding a degree on to the underarm measurement?

I work on a children's ward and we use underarm thermometers because the ear thermometers can easily be badly positioned so there is less user error with the underarm one. I've never heard of adding on a degree to a underarm temperature reading.

38 isn't a concern if the child is well in themselves.

I thought that's what you were supposed to do because underarm measures one degree cooler than your actual temperature

No thats not true. Underarm thermometers are accurate.

Sorry for your losses, no wonder you are anxious. Don't let it be an obsession.
Agree with put the thermometer away now and go by if he seems ok. If you are concerned again you can use it but try to reason it out first. Don't let him get dehydrated. Do you have health visitor you can check with? Get out in the sun, have a nice time. You will know if he is poorly.

Is his temperature the same in each ear? I run a degree hotter in my one ear, I have narrow passages and have had a very waxy ear on that side all my life. I suffer from regular ear infections and glue ear. My normal temp is 36.9 my other ear is always 37.9-38.5 when I am well with no infection. Higher when it is infected.

My kids were exactly the same, so entirely normal here.

Temp always rose slightly in the eve to 38. Not ill, just normal for them.

If your child is otherwise well and behaving normally then nothing to worry about. Would you be worried if you weren’t measuring the temp so often?