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.

Your thermometer quite possible needs recalibrated. Say it was .2 degrees hotter than the true reading then his lower temperature might be closer to 36.9 and highest around 37.7 which I would not count as a fever. If he is not unwell, passing urine, bowels are moving, eating and drinking and happy in himself then I think you need to stop checking his temperature. I understand 100% why you are anxious around his health but the constant checking of temperature isn't helping you feel safe/stopping the anxiety. If anything its making you more anxious.

@Bellringer thank you, my health visitor always says to speak to the GP

@bunnytheegghunter no one ear is sometimes hotter. So on one side it might be 37.3 and the other side will be 37.9 for example
However it has been 38 in both sometimes as well

No, if I hadn't been checking his temperature I wouldn't have thought anything was wrong other than teething. He was upset with teething but only briefly and teething gel and calpol set him right on those days

I think you’re being a bit over anxious. It could very well be the temperature monitor itself that measures a bit high - have you tried it in your own ear? A much better indicator would be how your child is in himself, is he feeling ill, lethargic, irritable? It’s been warm recently, and teething is another thing. With kindness, because I had a tendency to be this way with ds when he was little, I think you need to chill out a bit and see how things go.

Measures a normal temp for me and DH

I think you need to seek help about your anxiety. You don't want your son to grow up to have the same worries - it seems to be really affecting you.

You need to stop trying to find a problem with him if he appears well, is eating, drinking, peeing, pooing and playing. Looking at his tonsils will tell you nothing. If he is well in himself with a bit of a sore throat, all they will advise is plenty fluids and calpol if he seems out of sorts. A temperature in a well child does not need treatment beyond calpol, and really you should only give calpol with a low grade fever if they also seem unwell.

You don't want to end up like the boy who cried wolf with the GP practice, calling and calling about a well child. Try to be calm- you said yourself he seems well apart from some teething. Try to focus on that, stop taking his temperature unless he seems unwell, and seek some help for your health anxiety. If you think he is sore teething, you can give him calpol.

I never used a thermometer, just common sense. If the child is taking fluids and otherwise normal, let it be.

I haven't pestered the GP, I've phoned twice about it, but you're right.

I just wasnt sure if I should push to get him seen so they can check his ears, throat and chest etc. But it sounds like I'm being OTT as he is mostly eating well, playing, chatting, sleeping, wet and dirty nappies. No rashes apart from his usual eczema.

If he had tonsillitis or an ear infection he’d be obviously unwell and miserable. Please stop taking his temperature unless he seems unwell.

I can see I'm being a bit over the top. I think I will maybe phone GP to discuss my anxiety.

I've given DH the thermometer as he will be sensible and take his temp if he seems unwell. I just need to try and keep myself calm about it.

Thanks for your kindness and advice. It's very much appreciated.

He sounds as if he presents well in every way. Children don't generally if they have a fever/infection for any length of time. Stop taking his temp, unless he feels really hot- ask someone else's opinion on that if it helps at first. Play and be glad he obviously feels well. Anxiety is an awful thing to have. I imagine his hospitalisation has not helped. Are you receiving support for that?

The hospital definitely triggered it again. I'm not getting any help at the moment, no, so perhaps I need to phone the GP for me :-/

I had a friend with health anxiety. Her kid go endless antibiotics for everything over the years.

I’m trying very hard not to be like that, he’s only had antibiotics once in his life so far

I had a friend with health anxiety. Her kid go endless antibiotics for everything over the years.

Parents can’t prescribe anti-biotics though, no matter how severe their health anxiety. A doctor should still make a responsible decision on when to prescribe them.

My daughter got chicken pox aged 18 months. After that she’d get these random fevers. It would be every 10 days.

It took 2 years and multiple hospitalisations and after I saw a private dr she was found to have PFAPA. It’s quite rare. Our big big hospital only has 3 children right now with a diagnosis. My child included.

PFAPA can be started through a small infection. I’d have a google.

However. During my time with so many fevers. She had over 100 in a 2 year period. I saw many many many drs

But we actually saw a specialist fever dr after her diagnosis with her immunologist. He said that it’s a really good thing to have a fever. Only to give them medication if they appeared in a lot of discomfort. Occasionally her temp would go up to 41. Which he said was the cut off. As in if it got to 41. Then go to hospital. As with a very high temp it starts to damage organs. However anything up to that point was fine. (Obviously he means this opinion for my child. Don’t take this advice for your own child). But a fever is heating up the body as to kill whatever it needs too.

38 isn’t too high. My child runs at 37.8 normally and nothing up to 39 worries me really. I don’t give calpol for that temp. My child actually doesn’t get sick with her fevers. Unless they go over 40. At which point they feel pretty grim. Plus otherwise we’d be giving her paracetamol all the time and paracetamol is a hepatic drug. Which means it affects the liver. So it’s not a good drug to keep using. Especially every week or even every month.

If your worried push for another dr.

Have you posted about this before? I remember a sinister thread a few weeks back where someone was obsessing over a raised temp.

Why are you taking your child's temp all the time if they are fine and have no symptoms of being unwell?

SIMILAR not sinister what an autocorrect

[quote Dennisreynoldsduster]@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[/quote]
There’s a special type they can give babies. There’s a bag type thing that can be stuck over their gentials. So that you can catch the urine

Another way is to pop some cotton balls into his nappy and then pop them into the sample bottle. Though some gps don’t like to use that method. So best to speak to them about w good way to collect the urine. The other way is to just hang around with a sample bottle x

www.webmd.com/first-aid/normal-body-temperature

Please see the above link (is in F rather than C, but you can either convert or note general principle.

Normal varies from person to person and babies and children run hotter, 38 is high, but within the normal range of some children.

Fever is a symptom of an underlying disease and if your child has no other symptoms, I would follow your doctor’s advice and put down the thermometer.

I hate to see three pages of a mum's feelings that something 'not normal' is happening with her baby being minimised, and her being told it's all in her head, it's her anxiety etc. She's taking his temperature as she feels something isn't quite right. The temperature reading is confirming that something isn't quite right. And no it's absolutely not normal to spike a temperature of over 38 every day. OP, it's probably teething but if you feel something is 'off' then don't be afraid to go back to the GP. It's their job.

@Funfortheroad

I hate to see three pages of a mum's feelings that something 'not normal' is happening with her baby being minimised, and her being told it's all in her head, it's her anxiety etc. She's taking his temperature as she feels something isn't quite right. The temperature reading is confirming that something isn't quite right. And no it's absolutely not normal to spike a temperature of over 38 every day. OP, it's probably teething but if you feel something is 'off' then don't be afraid to go back to the GP. It's their job.

I agree

Mother’s instinct is the best thing we have as a mother. I’ve never known it to be wrong often. Gut instinct is what you need to listen too

My youngest runs hot. We had a couple of weeks of nursery sending her home, before they figured it out too and simply started ignoring the thermometer.

The problem is I can’t trust my instincts because of my anxiety. I ALWAYS think something is terribly wrong, whether it’s a sniffle or a cough or whatever.

DH has just done it to humour me and I think I’ve been taking it wrong. I’ve been putting it in the ear facing down and the instructions say to point towards the opposite temple, which gives a significantly lower reading, otherwise it can press against the ear canal wall

I don’t know if that would register higher but that probably means he hasn’t been as high as I’ve thought if that’s the case

@Lucifersladylove

Body temperature isn’t the same for everyone. If he runs hot anyway it could well be that this is normal for him. Body temperature does rise in the afternoon typically. If he looks well then i would agree with your gp that he’s fine.

This

My temperature tends to run low - with those temperature guns in lockdown, I frequently had to go into lockdown to access places, including the dentist.

I do understand your concern though.
Maybe just keep track of it, and ask your GP to verify if needs be - and discuss with them in advance.