Scared - what do you do when you LO has got a temp of 39 and won't take medicine??

[sunshine17]

My 2.2 year old temperature has gradually been increasing all day - it's now 39. I phoned NHS direct and the nurse said to get calpol in her through the night - waking her up if necessary.

She WILL NOT take medicine. The nurse said try and syringe it into her mouth and hold her nose so she swallows - I just tried this and most of it ended up in the bed. It's obviously very traumatic for her.

Does anyone have any bright ideas - I feel so bad for her and having to do this all night long fills me with dread as I've also got a 8 month old who wakes regulary.

She normally wakes during the night for a bottle of milk so I'll put some in there but I'm scared that if I don't get any in her her temp is getting to a dangerous level.

I'm gonna go and take it again now.

I've mixed ds's into melted ice cream before.

strip her down and have as few covers as you can get away with. Get a cloth with lukewarm water on it and wipe her down with it and let it air dry. Bribe with sweets if need be - ds has been on antibiotics and has been persuaded by some strawberry laces or a couple of starbursts. Thankfully he has finished the course now and we can cut back down on them again.

If you had access to an out of hours chemist you might be able to get some paracetamol suppositories. I had to use these for my son when he had his adenoids and tonsils removed but they were a brilliant and worked really quickly.

Syringe in her mouth from the side.

Offer her chocolate after Calpol.

You need to get that temperature down.

Do you have anyone with you? I find it is a 2 person job getting my DD to take medicine but as it needs to be done I just force it down.

One person holds child in a bear hug using head to keep her head against arm and unable to move. Second person gets syringe, squeezes cheeks so mouth opens, syringe in back of cheek, squirt and massage throat to make her swallow. It is hideous but necessary.

Calpol mixed in milk? Take her outside! Round the block in the buggy maybe? (It worked for us once, and doctor recommended doing it again if necessary)
Whatever it takes to get her temp down.
Also, I've found that baby nurofen is better than calpol, and you can even give both as they don't 'clash' (sorry, don't know medical terms!)
Check with your pharmacist though, I'm no expert!
Hope she's well soon.

Sorry, just re read and you've already thought of putting it in her milk. I second the bribery with chocolate/ice cream idea.

Medicine dummy? ( A Special dummy you pour medicine in and it had a syringe type plunger)

Always worked with mine as they still had a dummy at that age.

Bribe her with sweets/ chocolate.

Thanks guys. Luckily the nurofen is a smaller dose so might have a chance with that and I never knew they did paracetamol suppositories so if I can't get some tonight I'm going to get some for the future.

God I just hate it when they are ill.

put her in a bath at a temp one degree lower than her current temp. i.e if her temp is 39 get the bath temp at 38-keep her in there and as the water cools she should too

syringe the medicine in her mouth but aim it into her cheek - this did the trick for DS2 when he was in a&e last week with a chest infection - his temp was 39.5, the nurse gave him calpol and I was amazed she got it in so easily - he is usually a nightmare to take medicine. She said that there is a reflex to swallow when something is put into your cheek whereas if you just syringe the liquid straight to the back of the mouth the reflex is to spit it out. HTH

Like warm shower until she is cooler and/or put a fan on her ... learnt that one at A&E

Paracetamol suppositories are gret but get a scrip from the GP as they ar £16 for 10 120mg (which is the size for your lo iirc)

Paracetamol suppositories are gret but get a scrip from the GP as they ar £16 for 10 120mg (which is the size for your lo iirc)