Would a temp of 40.4 freak you out for toddler ?

[hookline]

Some people would go to hospital for this kind of temperature.

My boy is 18 months and has had a temperature all day ( no other obvious symptoms).

Temperature was around 38-38.5 all day. I've been giving him paracetamol and ibuprofen. He's been lethargic when his fever was high but when the medicine kicked in, he'd be pretty happy.

Since this evening it's risen quite dramatically to 40.4 just now ( he did sleep on me so it made him hotter ).

He was wrenching a bit earlier, but no vomiting.

I have him medicine an hour ago, but temp has just risen ( but was also sleeping on me ). Anyway it went up to 40.4. I've now taken off his very thin top. His temperature is now 40.

Is a high temperature like this a reason to take them to a and e?

I think if it responds to medication it's probably ok.

Or am I being too relaxed about it ?

This !
OP you cake for advice and the advice is take your dc to hospital

My DS was admitted to hospital with a similar temp at a similar age. It went up over 41 and they seemed to get pretty worried. He was completely out of it. Talking nonsense. Ended up being a urine infection

There's a good guide here to help pick up any symptoms that would indicate a need to be seen tonight:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/self-help-guides/self-help-guide-fever-in-babies/

Personally speaking I wouldn't be concerned by fever alone, it's a natural response to infection and certainly now it's around 39-40C it's fairly typical. Encouraging fluids and paracetamol/ibuprofen for any distress would be my goto with a few checks overnight. There's been a few occasions where my kids have been upto low 40s but they were managing pretty well otherwise and recovered well without any treatment beyond self care.

If you as the parent are looking at them thinking "I'm really concerned they don't look right to me, this seems like more than a typical infection" then just goto A&E for a review don't waste time with 111.

If however they seem typically unwell like you would expect with a good going fever, that they are taking fluids, going to the toilet, acting as you would if you had a fever of 39C, then this is pretty reassuring in itself. 111 is there as an option, but ultimately you're talking to someone who is not clinical, who will pretty much just ask you the questions that are from the above link, however essentially for medicolegal reasons they will then tell you to goto A&E to be on the safeside... Or worse they will suggest "we'll send you an ambulance to check them out, knowing that this will take 1-3 hours, then most services have a blanket policy that any patient under 2 years old for which the parents have enough concern to call for/accept an ambulance must be transported to hospital.

I would call 111 with a temp of 40. My child had had temps between 40 - 41 before and been ok but I've taken them to the GP each time. I was told it's not necessarily an issue in itself but to keep an eye out for other symptoms. I think trust your instincts.

call 111. They’ll send a paramedic out or ask you to come in to hospital probanky

So whenever my DC have been unwell, I've been told that it's perfectly normal for them to be lethargic while their temperature is high. If they're then happy playing etc when they're temp has come down through mediation, there's no reason to worry, apparently.

I will take him. But I think I've just been around the block so many times and heard stuff from so many docs that I don't get as worried as I should perhaps.

Same thing with coming down of the temperature. Many docs have said it's fine, even if the temp comes down just by a degree from the medication.

40.4 is very high!

I'm old and use fahrenheit - which I think is actually easier to understand when it comes to worrying about what is a concern? I was always taught:

101 - it's just begun
102 - got the flu
103 - can hardly see
104 - on the floor
105 - just alive
106 - crossing the Styx
107 - up in heaven

So google tells me that 40.4 is 104.72 fahrenheit which is obviously worrying. Small children do have a naturally higher temperature than adults, and as you say - sleeping in blankets can raise it slightly - but I always found the above rhyme a useful guide as to when I should be seeking help.

39 is more like 102 so he's poorly but maybe less of a concern.

As PPs have said - always say ring 111 if you are concerned. Hope he's OK.

My DD always hit 40 any time she was ill as a baby, she's just always been a hot child. The doctors have always said they don't worry too much about the number and look at the child.

I always have to fight against my natural impulse to “not make a fuss”, but I had an occasion last year where I followed the phone advice of a doc in the family, who said to cool child down gradually etc, and held off calling 111. I really wish now that I’d acted sooner to get my child help and that has made me be much more likely to push for my child to be seen by a medical professional. I really hope your son is better very soon and by tomorrow this all feels like an overreaction.

How is he in himself? I always treat the child....not focus on the number. (I also don't own a thermometer! I really should as I'm a nurse). But a rise in temperature is the body trying to fight the infection. And I normally give medication (paracetamol and or/ibuprofen) to help with symptoms as fevers make you feel awful.

If he's not improving with meds I would ring 111 and get him checked over. Just keep him in his cotton pyjamas, you are fab
The febrile convulsions happen when the temperature is rising fast.

Hope he feels better soon, I normally have a low threshold with little ones and if they aren't improving with home management then I would get him seen

Don't know why it says you are fab in the middle of that 🤣

My kids…eldest child in particular frequently gets a temp over 40 degrees when unwell. Usually from tonsillitis. I’ve had differing responses from gps/doctors in response to this. Some have wanted to take a look at her and others have said to ride it out at home. My youngest hallucinated with a temp over 40 a couple of months back and I called 111 as I got such a fright. As her temp was coming down they didn’t seem too concerned and she was fine once her temp came down with meds

His temp is 38.7 now. So coming down quite nicely.

I've found his temps respond better to paracetamol. DD temps respond better to ibubrofen.

I just fell asleep. I will call 111.

It's perfectly normal to be grumpy/tired wanting to sleep when anyone has a fever. This is often known as lethargic in a non-clinical setting.

Clinical lethargy is different to this, the concerning lethargy is when it's difficult to keep someone awake, there completely floppy and uninterested in anything. The two are not the same thing.

https://www.what0-18.nhs.uk/professionals/paramedics/safety-netting-documents-parents/fever-children-under-5-years

Temp of 39-40C, especially if on the way down is a completely normal finding in illness. Once a child is over 3 months old fever doesn't even factor into sepsis guidelines at all.

@SleepyRich that's really interesting, thanks for clarifying.

I would always say to the docs that he's lethargic and just wants to sleep and not play whilst he has a high temp, but when it comes down, he's himself and happy. The doc always say this is fine. Which is reassuring.

I think high temp like this can be indicative of tonsillitis. He's not coughing and no runny nose, so I think it's either his ears or his throat.

I wouldn’t personally be too concerned as it’s coming down and your child is well when the medicine has kicked in.

I’m a nurse and like the other nurse said, we treat the child and not the number.

Sometimes at work we leave children with high temperatures if they are otherwise okay because temperatures are the body’s natural defence to disease and so it’s better to actually let the fever do it’s job. If the child shows signs of being unwell, for example, lethargy, reluctance to eat/drink, increased heart rate etc then we will give them some paracetamol or ibuprofen to make them feel more comfortable.

You know your child best though OP so go with your gut instinct, but for an otherwise healthy child, a fever that comes down with paracetamol / ibuprofen (and it can take well over an hour for a temperature to start to decrease) wouldn’t be enough to make me be prepared for a 6 hour wait in A&E in the middle of the night 😬

If you feel there is something “off” though then absolutely call 111, even if it’s just for reassurance and whatever the outcome is, I hope your little boy recovers soon.

Wrong thread - sorry!

When mine clocked at 40 in hospital, they were treated with ice. Was years ago though. Very dangerous

It isn't the degree of fever that is concerning - more the speed with which it rises (not very fast in this case as it sounds like the child has been hot all day) and how the child is. In young children, it isn't uncommon to get fevers this high, even with a viral infection. If the child is behaving as you would expect with that degree of fever (sleepy is fine as long as they wake up appropriately) and the fever is coming down with paracetamol and/or ibuprofen (even if slowly), there's no need to rush to ED, particularly if the child picks up as the fever comes down.

Fever is a totally normal response to infection (viral infection as well) and it's not even recommended to give medication unless the child is miserable with it - apparently it interferes with the body's ability to fight off infection.

And definitely don't use ice or cold baths to bring it down - bringing it down too quickly is just as harmful as it rising too quickly in terms of febrile convulsions

You said you would call 111 like 1.5 hours ago.

STOP POSTING ON HERE for medical advice and CALL 111.

This is your child's safety.

Better to be safe than sorry.

Think sepsis every time for me, been lots and lots in the news about it recently especially at only 18m and so little.
Could be viral, but also might not be.
Always worth getting checked. X

Is your child going to the loo or plenty of wet nappies?

As I was told by my GP that if your child has a high fever & hasn't been to the loo within 24 then there's something seriously wrong & you need to get down to A&E.

We are here now in a and e. It went up again and just didn't come down. Still 40 now. Hope he'll be alright. Horrendous storm was scary to face too. Hopefully they'll check him properly, now we are here.

A and E is deserted tonight

He vomited when we arrived at the hospital