AIBU? 4 day Fever and I’m panicking

[CaffeineChaosandCuddles]

My daughter is on day 4 of a fever. It’s been anywhere from 37.6-39.5. Calpol / nurofen ALWAYS brings it down ( not to normal, but it reduces )

she’s negative for Flu A, B & Covid

Today she’s only needed one lot of Calpol which brought a temp of 38.0 to around the 37.5 mark, which I’m happy with, but yesterday afternoon it snot up again to 39.5 so I feel incredibly anxious and on edge.

shes seen a GP, said her chest was clear and said tonsillitis immediately after looking in her throat, and gave her antibiotics - but stated it could be viral, but antibiotics are to be taken incase it’s bacterial.

her symptoms are/have been:

• coughing
• snotty ( more today )
• headaches ( gone today )
• lack of appetite ( which seems to be back today, ate a fruit salad for breakfast, pizza at lunch and is now asking for a hot chocolate )

I suffer with terrible health anxiety since my son was born extremely premature and was on life support 18 months ago.

my eldest is very rarely sick, so to see her ill- my mind races to like a child hood cancer, like leuk because of the temps going up for 4 days now.

I spoke to the doctor last night and he didn’t really seem concerned. Can 4 days of temp simply be normal for a virus?! ( or bacterial, but me and husband are swaying towards virus because she’s been on the antibiotics for 72 hours now and other symptoms improving, the temp isn’t )

AIBU to catastrophise? thank you. X

Sounds just like a viral illness. Temperatures can be scary but I’ve always been told that it’s how the child is behaving (playing, eating, drinking, weeing and alert) that you need to focus on. A temperature is a very normal reaction to the body fighting an infection. I’m sure she’ll perk up in time for Christmas.

I think a good way to look at it is to think what you’d do if it was you.
if this was me, I’d possibly have still gone in to work. I wouldn’t have taken my temperature, nor tested for anything, nor gone to the doctor. I’d be in bed asking my kids to bring me some lemsip. And thats it.

I remember when my kids were small and I looked in the mirror and saw a massive rash all over my chest. My reaction was to think ‘fuck I can’t wear this top (v-neck)’ and switched to a round top and got on with my day. It was only later that day that I realised that would have not been my reaction had it been one of my children!

NHS guidance is to only see a Dr if the temp lasts longer than 5 days. So 4 days would be in the realms of normality.

Although I know of a child who had a 10day temp recently

Mine had the same, including being prescribed antibiotics ‘just in case’ because tonsillitis were a bit red and the fever was constantly over 39 degrees, even with calpol/ibuprofen it didn’t go below 38.7. Didn’t eat anything apart from sips of milk for two full days. But on day 4 he started to feel better and now 10 days later he’s fully recovered apart from a lingering cough. Sympathies, I also was beside myself with worries, but hopefully your little one will be on the mend soon!

..............her temp has raised to 38.4 again.. we are on the 4th day and she’s done well to not get a temp like this before, but I’m not sure if it’s normal to last 4 days +!

Well, you're wrong.
Everyone on this thread has told you it's completely normal.
You're not listening.
You've panicked and decided your child has leukaemia.
Please calm down.
I've had four DC and wouldn't have gone to the doctor if any of them had the symptoms your child has.

You're worrying for nothing. Do please stop taking the temp. It's unnecessary.

I haven't read through all the responses but my daughter has this currently and I'm certain she has tonsillitis. It's been about 4 days so far as well. The highest reading was 39.6. The fact the it does come down is a good sign. Try and distract yourself.

Lots of dc off at my school with exactly the same symptoms and taking a week for fever to settle

I hope she feels better soon

Goodness yes. Especially with tonsillitis. Mike have a temp for ages with it! Sounds like she is getting better in herself. My advice would be to only check her temp if she’s unwell with it. You’ll be able to feel it without the thermometer confirming it for you. Try to not worry too much. Is she’s happier, eating, drinking and generally looks well, see how she goes. And ignore the vipers on here giving you a hard time. Health anxiety is awful….. health anxiety over your child even more so. Especially after having a prem baby. Hugs op.

OP, kindly, you have posted about this before.

As a fellow health anxiety sufferer, I know how tough it can be. This isn't helping you, posting here. It's just feeding the cycle of seeking reassurance.

OP, kindly, you have posted about this before
Every day for a week.
You need to seek help for your health anxiety.

How does she seem in herself?

She's eating, is she playing / able to partake in every day things like watching TV, having a book read to her, go to toilet etc? All really positive signs.

My DC just had a virus and had temps for about 6 or 7 days. Didn't use a thermometer but could feel he was v hot. He's fine now.

My DC2 regularly got temps up to 41 when younger, it was scary as so high and he was so obviously unwell (fast breathing, unable to do anything except pant). But he was always fine in the end, it was just his temp was higher, and it means anything below 39.5 doesn't really worry me these days!

She seems slightly quieter than normal, but she’s wanting to read, write, draw, play, she was dancing earlier ( she doesn’t know what rest is )

she has eaten all her meals for the past 24 hours and she’s demanding a McDonald’s for dinner ( not the most nutritious I have to admit )

she’s just coughing a lot & she’s very snotty and having moments where I feel like she’s not 100% herself. She had a temp of 38.6 when she woke up at 07:30 and I gave her calpol, it settled it but it went up to 38.2 again 10 minutes ago, so I’ve given some more.

i can deal with coughs and colds, fevers worry me - especially 5 days on

What is it about fevers that worry you? It is the body’s clever way of fighting infection. Sorry she has been poorly.

I think I just think of things like childhood cancers, like why is it taking her body so long to recover from illness? NHS website says it takes 3/4 days and we are on 5 😭 I’m going to try and get a doctors appointment for tomorrow, but until then my health anxiety is high

Any chance of croup ? Sounds like my son who is suffering at the minute

How long has your son had fever before? My daughters had croup lots before and it doesn’t sound overly croupy, but she’s nearly 6 - so I wouldn’t have thought she’d bark as much as she did when she was 2/3. I’m not sure they’d even give her a steroid for it 🤷🏻‍♀️

It’s completely normal. I also google whatever I am concerned about plus NHS to I know it’s trust worthy advice.

You've already consulted the doctor @CaffeineChaosandCuddles

Everyone on this thread has told you that your daughter's condition is normal, and also to stop taking her temperature.

Your daughter hasn't got cancer or leukaemia. She has a viral illness and she's already eating better.

You clearly can't cope with coughs and colds.

Put the bloody thermometer down.

You're making yourself ill and you'll make your children ill.

You need help.

My daughter is like this when she has tonsillitis. It’s the only time she has a raging temperature that lasts 4-5 days. Even once she’s issued antibiotics (if it’s bacterial and she has white spots on her throat) it takes around 3 days for them to kick in and the temperature to start reducing.

But we are on day 5 😫

Stop
Taking
Her
Temperature

We’ve had plenty of coughs and colds in this house, especially with my 18 month old who was born prematurely on life support in respiratory distress with suspected sepsis. Sorry, I’ve got anxiety from PTSD for nearly loosing my son. I am seeking help for this, it’s slow and steady with mental health.

although, this doesn’t eliminate from the fact I’m worried about my 5 year old, having a fever for up to 39 for 5 days in a row

I
can
tell
by
being
near
her

she
is
a
radiator

You need to put that thermometer in the bin.

She's eating and drinking and demanding McDonald's!