Worried about my 3 year old

[Raindropstorm]

He’s had a temp for 4 days now, started Sunday…he’s got a very , very snotty nose and a wet cough. We’ve done covid tests, all negative, so I’m assuming it’s a different virus.
The temp will go down once he’s been given nurofen or calpol and then he’s full of beans running around and playing again, then as the medicine is starting to wear off, he starts becoming lethargic and showing more signs of illness again.
He’s sneezing a lot and coughing throughout the night so that’s keeping him awake a lot as he can’t breathe out of his nose properly and I’m assuming the mucous is dripping down the back of his throat.
Any ideas what we can do next? Do we need to contact 111? We’re meant to be going away on Saturday, first time of seeing my family in nearly 2 years, I know the covid test is negative, but I still don’t feel right taking him away if he’s this unwell.

Temperature is 37.5 at the moment, highest it’s been is 37.9 yesterday, but this is using an infrared head scan gun thermometer, not an oral or ear one as we don’t own those.

Sounds like a typical very heavy cold, especially if he's running round full of beans before the medicine wears off.

I wouldn't bother with 111 (but that's just me) and see how he is on Saturday.

I used to give mine plenty of pillows at night to try and stop the mucus running down the backs of their throats.

Doesn't sound too serious but you could take him to GP in case it's something that needs antibiotics to give it a kick.

I would take him to the gp. He's fighting something, could be an infection that needs antibiotics.

One of the main problems is that we can’t get a GP appointment around here, it’s a nightmare. You’re meant to call at 8am but by then all the slots are already gone, it’s crazy.

NHS a website says to see a GP a after 5 days of a fever. The infra red thermometers often give a lower temp reading.

Have you done a PCR test or just Lateral flow ones. If you haven't done a PCR, I would advise you do to be sure.

Whatever it is viral and he does NOT need antibiotics.
Keep him home- regular paracetamol and brufen (not together) and fluids.
I certainly don't think he need to be seen by a GP- I'd keep him away from anyone right now

@Pissinthepottyplease that’s what I suspected, how much lower do they normally show? So if his is showing 37.9, what is it really?

@EducatingArti Yes PCR

That’s not a very high temperature and it’s not one that would worry me. The important thing is it comes down and in between he is fine. Try not to focus on the number and look at how he is, is he drinking, weeing, happy?

You can prop up the mattress to help with the coughing/snot and get one of those calpol plug ins for the room. Any signs of trouble breathing then I would get him seen. There are a lot of respiratory type viruses going around at the minute a bit earlier than usual as children are mixing again. Also, don’t feel you have to give something to treat a temperature if he’s happy in himself, you don’t really need to. If it were me I would ride it out as it just sounds like a virus but don’t be put off getting him checked if you feel you need to.

I would just ride it out. To me that's not a very high temp at all. Also if it comes down with calool etc and he's fine then I wouldn't worry. Sounds like a bad cold and not much else. Have you asked if anything hurts e.g. a sore throat etc?

I don’t know the difference but 37.9 is not worryingly high - it’s just a sign that his immune system is fighting an infection which is a good thing.