To ask for tips to bring down babies fever?

[BabyFever246]

9.5 month old baby. Suddenly came down with 39.6 degree fever yesterday. Took to A&E as very lethargic and sleepy and mottling also. They can't find anything underlying so they said viral and sent us home with instructions to give paracetamol and ibuprofen to keep fever under control. I did ask them what if we can't bring it down and they just shrugged and said it should work and isn't a problem unless presents other symptoms (non-blanching rash, seizures, vomitting/dehydration, discharge etc), which baby is not showing any signs of. They're eating and drinking, taking breast milk. But they're just really really hot.

But at best the para and ibru cycling takes it down to 38.5. I'm currently rocking my poor baby that's back up to over 39 degrees that can't have more ibuprofen for another hour, and had calpol only an hour ago. Already in nothing but a nappy in a fairly chilly room. Looked up kool'n'soothe patches etc and all for over 1yo.

Anyone got any tips?

Hand hold - it’s so hard when they are ill, especially at night. But remember that a fever is not itself the illness, it is the body’s natural way of fighting the illness, and it’s normal for little kids to have fevers for three or four days at a time when they get a virus. That’s what their body is doing right now, and today the advice is generally not to try to reduce a normal fever (see the NHS page), as it prolongs the illness by preventing the body from fighting it. Of course call 111 if you are worried or something changes.

Sorry they are unwell. I followed the above advice,then having had him at the gp and a&e with temperature the first thing they do is strip them so their wee hearts aren't working too hard. Pretty sure the advice is to lower it slowly. For example take off the babygrow but keep vest on and use a cellular blanket around feet. I would also ring gp first thing. If not due a feed cool water might help? Im.not in England so don't know how 111 works but if you ring them would they get you an appointment?

No other suggestions to be honest, sounds like you're doing everything. If you're worried I'd call the GP when they open. (The great thing about GPs is children usually get better just by booking an appointment.) hope you're doing okay.

Just one layer of clothing.

Fan in the room, circulating the room, not directly on baby.

How often are you giving medication?

I would alternate 4 hourly, so

At 6am paracetamol
10am brufen
2pm paracetamol

So she's having something every 4 hours, Brufen is 8 hourly and still within dose limits x

Yes, was stripped down to nappy in A&E (well not even nappy as wanted a urine sample). Put a babygrow on to take them home but off again when home and been nappy only since. Also happy laughing, smiling and playing while in A&E but I had pictures and videos as I know often happens and they could see temp obv was still super high.

They've had breast milk on demand and juice also. They weren't keen on water when first went down so been adding fruit juice to tempt to drink more. DH was away with work but is en route home now. I'm also terrified to sleep with baby like this, and had a bad run of nights anyway with teething so hopefully back soon to take over so I can have even a little bit of sleep and maybe I'll be less neurotic, I've now been awake over 24 hours courtesy of 5am wake up yesterday and I'm back at work.

Hospital said could give both every 6 hours so been trying to cycle so one given every 3 hours. Was a bit late with last calpol as baby was finally sleeping somewhat soundly, but only an hour.

What I've done in these circumstances is a long warm bath that gradually brings their temperature down. It allows everyone to get some sleep. But a fever temperature is basically what kills the virus.

Is it just a temperature? Is baby actually distressed or uncomfortable?

I always just left mine, only calpol if they were actively unhappy- paediatrician in the family agreed. Temperature is just their immune system working, when small my 2 always went up to 40c but would often shoot back to normal in a day or 2. Often with no other symptoms or obvious reason.

Just let them sleep it off, bfing when they wanted and keeping an eye. Your body will be adding warmth if you're rocking them.

Did a&e weigh them? They always weigh my wee boy and then adjust medicine,can sometimes mean they get a bit more.

As the hospital recommended, alternate ibuprofen and Calpol every x hour according to the patient leaflet. There is nothing else to do but wait and give loads of milk/fluids.

Handhold as I have been in that position with our first when he was 7 months old, also ended up at a&e after 5 days of high fever. It was the longest week ever but they were right, and it just went away.

Iburofen should only be given 3 times in 24 hours.

You should give them at staggered times so they don’t wear off at the same time.

Baby cries hysterically unless held/rocked. Always has been a high needs baby and still hasn't slept more than 2 hours at a time since born. Tonight has woken at least every 30 min crying and doesn't stop until I cuddle/rock again. Only stays asleep when asleep on me, and once we get within an hour of next ibru dose awake that whole time crying until it takes effect.

Our son would indeed sleep on/with us when sick (still now at 2.8, it's the only time he does).
During the day, I would put a mat + blankets and big cushions/pillow on the floor of the living room so I could put him down safely for a bit when he was asleep.

For the fever, I found with both my kids that ibuprofen was always the most effective and the quickest to act. So I would keep it to bring fever down when it was particularly high or before sleep, and use Calpol as "maintenance".

Hospital confirmed for age and weight 4 times was what they would recommend, confirmed by NHS website (https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/ibuprofen-for-children/how-and-when-to-give-ibuprofen-for-children/) as 9.5 months can have 2.5mL up to 4 times.

I'm trying to stagger so given one every 3 hours. E.g. 12am ibru, 3am para, 6am ibru, 9am para. Paracetamol doesn't seem to help much, it's the ibuprofen that seems to cool down to around 38.5 but only lasts 3-4 hours.

I used to give my DC baths, normal temperature, then added cold water and kept them in there with a Luke warm/cold flannel over head. One of my Sons paracetamol didn’t work at all, so he could only have ibuprofen.

You’re doing a good job with keeping on top of the meds - it can be a minefield when hospital tell us different to what’s on the box for parents to follow but they are able to amend dose to allow for weight of child or frequency as boxes always recommend lowest dose and longest frequency but BNF (drugs bible used by pharmacists and Drs) will also give details of safe maximum doses (I’m ex paediatric nurse by background so come across this before!). I also find ibuprofen more effective for bringing down a fever than paracetamol which I tend to keep for pain (but one of my twins hates the taste of ibuprofen so have to use just paracetamol instead!)

Did the Drs use LO weight to calculate individualised doses or just recommend using age related doses? You could try speaking to GP about whether doses can be increased based on weight.

Hopefully LO will start to feel better today and you’ll get a chance to rest once DH is home and can tag team with you!

They just said could do 4 doses not 3. I was concerned since it said 3-4 and he's quite light for how tall he is that it was really close to max dose. So I looked in BNF myself and calculated based on his weight 360 mg a day. 4 x 2.5mL doses is 200mg so well within safe range. To be clear I'm absolutely not giving him more than the 4 x 2.5 mL doses, it just made me more comfortable I wouldn't accidentally overdose him by giving what they recommended!

Would your child suck on an ice pop?

I don't think this is recommended any more.

As PP's have said a fever is a the bodies way of fighting off the virus and inducing temperature change is just messing with the bodies natural reaction.

That said I'd be very concerned that maximum doses of both Calpol and Nurofen are not bringing the temperature down.

@BabyFever246 I assume baby is drinking fluid and having wet nappies?

If you have another bad night I'd be seeking medical advice again.

Yes, drinking water and taking breastmilk feeds, eating decent amount of solid food, producing wet and dirty nappies. It's just this fever!

A bit better today so far, since about 10am it's been bouncing between 38 and 38.5. Last night and yesterday it was between 38.5 and 40. Seems much less lethargic, still clingy and whining but better in himself 🤞 DH arrived home and I got a couple hours sleep myself also 😅