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Children's health

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Original poster

Shit-it could be just a virus, right?

42 replies

winnybella · 18/12/2010 15:10

My friend just called me for advice (as a more experienced parent) and said her 14 mo has a fever of 39.7 (taken rectally) and is all weird/spaced out and has got freezing feet.She gave him a paracetamol and hour and a hlf ago and it didn't bring the fever down. She doesn't have ibuprofen at home.

I told her to call her doctor and/or go straight to A&E.

Still, it could just be a bug, right? I immediately thought about meningitis.

Shit.Did I give a good advice?

OP posts:
Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2010 15:12

.

OP posts:
Dansmommy · 18/12/2010 15:14

I think you gave the best advice...fingers crossed it's just a virus.

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 18/12/2010 15:14

well, it could be a virus
(my dd's temp always spikes really high even with mild viruses)

but in any case a temperature that high which doesn't respond to paracetamol is always a cause for concern. better to err on the side of caution. you did the responsible thing.

Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2010 15:14

Or should I tell her to go straight to A&E, whatever the doc says? Or would that be an overreaction?

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 18/12/2010 15:15

hope he is ok

Pancakeflipper · 18/12/2010 15:15

It's wise to get checked out. But there's a flu-bug knocking everyone over which starts as high temp, hurting head and limbs, loss of appetite then into cough and snot. Hopefully it's this virus and they will feel perkier in a few days time.

Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2010 15:15

It was the cold feet and him being all spaced out (he visited 2 weeks ago and had a fever, but was sort of ok with it) that made me worried.

OP posts:
activate · 18/12/2010 15:18

Why make the leap to meningitis

He has a fever

He is having a reaction to the fever - the spacing is a febrile reaction and the cold feet is a natural body mechanism to help fight as blood moves aways from extremities

He needs ibuprofen as well as paracetmal - if his temp doesn't come down after a good 40 minutes or so then yes A&E is a good idea

it could be anything so i wouldn't worry unduly - a urine infection could bring on a high temp

activate · 18/12/2010 15:19

it is not unusual for small children's temps to spike really high and approaching 40 (39.7 to 39.9) is the only time I've kept a really close eye on my children

but the temp not coming down with drugs is the bit to watch

iPaddle · 18/12/2010 15:20

It's a temperature. No need to panic.

Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2010 15:23

Yes, I was not worried about the temp in itself-just the fact it didn't come down with the paracetamol. I've never noticed freezing feet in my dcs when they had a fever, but good to know it can happen.

Ok, thank you, you calmed me doan a bit. I didn't make her panic, btw, she will be calling the doctor.

OP posts:
Elibean · 18/12/2010 17:29

My dds always have freezing hands and feet when their temps are shooting up. So do I. You did give good advice, wise not to take risks - but wouldn't unduly worry as all syptoms you describe are normal with fast rising high temp too.

IsItMeOr · 18/12/2010 17:37

The only other advice I would have given was to get some ibuprofen in, as some fevers just seem to respond better to paracetemol, and others to ibuprofen.

21 mo DS has had a number of fevers that high, but the only one which scared me was when he went all staring eyed and unresponsive. Fortunately the ibuprofen kicked in after about 10 minutes and he was right as rain after that.

Try not to worry. You gave good advice, and there is every likelihood that it isn't meningitis.

Does he have the rash? Or the stiff neck?

If not, it's probably something else. [Fingers crossed emoticon]

Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2010 18:48

So...

The OOH doc has been and diagnosed tonsillitis and said the vomiting and diarrhoea (she just told me about those) were caused by it. Prescribed ABs and lots of other meds.

Friend's DH( a surgeon) doesn't think it's tonsillitis as he can't see the white dots the doc claimed to see.

Friend says that fever came down with ibuprofen (to 38.2) but that ds is 'lifeless', just lays on her shoulder.

She asks me what should she do.

I am not a doctor, I don't know. I guess if my child was very lethargic after the fever came down, I would get him seen again. Dunno.
She's not sure whether she should give the ABs or go to A&E...I'm feeling a bit inadequate tbh

OP posts:
ThatVikRinA22 · 18/12/2010 18:56

actually op i think you gave good advice.

DS had severe pneumococcal meningitis and its not worth the risk, he had cold feet and a temp of well over 40, a call to a gp wont hurt.

his recovery took over two years and we nearly lost him. so i think you did the right thing.

Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2010 19:07

Your poor ds, Vicar.

Actually, I said in the post just above yours that the OOH diagnosed tonsillitis, but friend's dh who is a surgeon doesn't agree with it.

He's still lifeless and lethargic.

See, DD is on her 3rd day of fever, but it's pretty obvious that it's just a cold. If she was laying all limp even after fever came down I would worry.

OP posts:
IsItMeOr · 18/12/2010 19:07

Hang on a mo, are you saying that the child's father is a surgeon? Why doesn't he take a lead here?

Your friend is being very unfair placing this burden on you. She needs to trust her own instincts, as she knows her child and, as it turns out, is being selective in telling you what's actually going on (d&v).

All of these things happen quite commonly for littlies, just in response to "ordinary" bugs, but only an expert can tell the difference, i.e. the parent who knows the child and/or a qualified medical professional.

Honestly, I would be telling my friend to take her child to A&E if she's still worried and then butting out. You're taking too much on yourself.

herbietea · 18/12/2010 19:08

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herbietea · 18/12/2010 19:10

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iPaddle · 18/12/2010 19:13

God, she sounds irritating.

Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2010 19:17

Ah, you see her DH doesn't think it's anything serious.

My friend says she's never seen her ds like that.

He supposedly had a fever for a couple of days and today took a turn for worse iyswim.

Now I have no way of knowing whether she's panicking, or her DH is not taking it seriously just because he sews back people with cancers and after car crashes etc, so is desentized.

OP posts:
lisad123isasnuttyasaboxoffrogs · 18/12/2010 19:18

when i took DD2 last wonter with this type of bug, lifeless, being sick, huge temp, and cold feet they sent us straight round to A&E.
Kept in for the night and had loads of tests, but they never got to the bottom of it all and she picked up a few daays later.

IckleJess · 18/12/2010 19:19

If your friend is concerned then she should take her child to A&E. If her instinct is telling her that something is wrong then it most probably is.

I had Meningitis when I was young and to the pp who asked about a rash - please do not ever wait for a rash to appear if there are ever any suspicions of a child having meningitis. The rash is caused by septicaemia (blood poisoning) and by the time the rash is present it is often too late :( If anyone suspects their child may have meningitis then get it checked immediately as it can kill within hours, don't wait to tick off the 'typical' symptoms.

I hope your friend's little one is ok winnybella

IsItMeOr · 18/12/2010 19:21

Well, that is why we have the NHS, so that docs in A&E can decide whether friend or her DH is right.

Sounds like you're being asked to get in the middle or a marital dispute about parenting an ill child. Do you really need us to tell you why that's a bad idea for you to do?

IAmReallyFabNow · 18/12/2010 19:21

I would get another opinion tbh.

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