High fever and cough but no antibiotics. What now?

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I have had the 36 hours from hell. I took DD 16mths to casualty since she coughed nonstop for 3 hours last night. Would only stop when awake and temp was 39.5 and calpol did nothing and she couldn't keep down ibuprofen due to coughing.

since then now very snotty coughing (barking) but told not croup. Normal breathing and chirpy when ibupfofen kicks in but haven't managed to get temp less that 38 and thats with round the clock dosing on calpol (10ml 4 hourly) and ibuprofen (3ml 6 hourly).

All day she has only eaten 3 yogurts and drinks water. Refused everything else. Bottle of milk leaves her gagging even though she will drink it. She has had 3 runny nappies but I think it's the calpol as had nearly 60ml altogether.

Dr said viral as only clinical dign is red throat so have to ride it out but I am heartbroken to see her suffering. It's the coughing I can't handle and the high temp scares me although she seems ok with it but is so hot to touch and eyes are red.
Anyone had to deal with a virus like this in one sooo young. I would appreciate tips. She is stripped down and in cot sleeping but having coughing fits and still hot.

Aww bless her :(

It is awful to see them ill, DS has had many viral infections since he was 8 weeks old and it is awful but unfortunately other than what you are doing there isn't much that can be done.

Try and raise the head of the cot as that should help with the coughing.

I wouldn't worry about the not eating, when DS was last really ill at 12 months he didn't eat anything for a week when in hospital but they were happy as long as he was drinking plenty. If she has a sore throat its understandable she won't want to eat.

If you are worried then get a second opinion. Have they checked her urine to make sure there's no infection.

A temp is a sign that the body is fighting an infection and I don't medicate to reduce it. But if it's consistently high, does not respond properly to any measures and is continuing to make her very uncomfortable then you're right to push to find out what's causing it and tackle that.

Otherwise, keeping a child cool by natural measures like stripped down, fan in the room, cool drinks etc helps.

There are some bloody nasty viruses round atm. Don't be scared solely by the number on the thermometer too much but do take the time to look at dd and assess how you think she is.

Hi I am not sure if this will make you feel better but i went through exactly the same thing with my 22 month old twins last week. It really is a bug that is going round (and they were nice enough to pass it on to me!)

antibiotics wont work with a virus so thats why the doc couldnt give you anything. virus do have to run their course.
I think that you should carry on as you are doing maybe add in sitting in a nice steamy bathroom and make sure she drinks plenty of fluids to keep her throat nice and lubricated. ensure the room isnt too hot and if you have the radiators on keep bowls of water in the room to increase humidity and ensure the room isnt to dry.

It took my babies about 7 days to get better but we are still having the occaisional coughing fit.

Hope she gets better soon.xx

get thine child into a steamy bathroom. shower on hottest setting and keep her in there for a good long while.

that'll help the coughing. honey, lemon and glycerine very helpful also.

for temp, keep doing what you're doing as long as she's dealing well with it... keep comfortably cool and a cool (not icy cold) flannel to the head and neck is a good reliever if her temp is spiking. any unusual lethargy get her seen.

Try Vick, Olbas oil sprinkled on a wet towel on radiator, sometimes sitting in a steamy room can help with coughing - I put the shower on, usually.

Keep an eye on temperature, but remember it serves a purpose, to combat the virus. I use calpol and ibuprofen to make my kids more comfortable.

Phone NHS 24 if you get worried. But am sure everything will be fine, mine have a virus like this a couple of times a year

Thanks for advice. I think it's the confusion regarding high temps that gets me. Should I wake her fir meds if sleeping soundly and risk waking her?

Let her sleep. That's the best medicine you can give her.

Another vote for steamy bathrooms. Helped enormously with 16mth olds viral cough last week.

Let her sleep, if she is uncomfy she will tell you

Sorry to disagree with the 'let her sleep' option but waking 4 hourly gives you a chance to check she is responding as normal and to get fluids and anti fever meds down her. The alternative is the possibility of allowing the temp to rise very high, toddler is then waking uncomfortable, distressed, crying and will often vomit meds because of the high fever.

Once the worse of the virus is over then by all means let her sleep, but fevers last 2-3 days normally though the particular nasty doing the rounds goes on even longer.

PS Humidifiers seem to be good regarding the constant coughing that goes on.

I wouldn't wake just to medicate a temp either. If her room is not too hot and she's stripped off then the fact that she's able to sleep means she's probably comfortable enough. You can check rousability without waking completely and a press of your lips or hand to the forehead and/or back of neck will let you know how hot she's feeling.

i would wake with this virus as we have just had it and its been two weeks of on off hogh temp, and if you leave them the temp spikes up really high in the noght and they can be very unwell with it. if you keep on top of the dosig it makes them a lot more confortable. Keep and eye on any secodary nfection ans we have had one twin with a chest infection after this, and one without. Like i said it hangs around for up to to weeks, all of amilt ave had it and I was swabbed in the hospital. Its influenza B. High temp, cough etc.

I have just been given Antibiotics as gp wasn't sure if her swollen angry looking tonsils were due to the virus or secondary infection. My thing is now eating. When can I expect her to eat. It's been 48 and she will only have yogurt will drink milk then vomit it after coughing fit. Other than water nothing else. Really scared that she will wither away. Any tips on what food to offer. How long where your LOs off food. BTW temp spiking to 40 in the middle of night so will wake to medicate as now have to give ABs in the night too. This is horrible.

Yes it is horrible.

Have you tried warm blackcurrant squash? Honey in milk? Ice cream ? Mini milks? Toastfingers with butter? Melon?

Mine like very plain food when ill. As long as hydrated it's ok. Squash hydrates more effectively than plain water.

Temp of 40 is pretty high - I am always wary of febrile convulsions - even though supposedly medicating fevers doesnt help it sure makes me feel in better control .

Food is not the most important thing, its good fluid intake and output plus having plenty of wet nappies. I would go with little and often to avoid the vomiting effect. All the above, especially ice cream. Manuka honey in cammomile tea is nice and soothing. Really anything foodwise that slides down easily.