A temperature of 39.9 - that's high right?

[chicaguapa]

I posted yesterday about DS(6)'s cold. His temperature has been steadily climbing since then and he's been alternately having Caplpol and Nurofen, which has lowered it a bit. He's been awake in the night and has now woken up with a temperature of 39.9!!! He's not listless and is talkng to me ok, just feels very sorry for himself. I don't want to drag him out to the doctors when it's probably just his little body fighting a cold. But just wondering at what point I should probably ring them?

If the temp won't come down with calpol/nurofen, if the fever persisits for more than 5 days, if there are any other symptoms like swollen tonsils etc or more worrying ones like lethargy, rash etc.

If it's just a cold/flu, let him stay in bed and rest.
39.9 is high, but quite normal for children fighting an infection.

I wouldn't ring the GP unless the child becomes listless, floppy or has a convulsion. Make sure he isn't over dressed, vest & pants only. Please remember that neurofen must only be given three times in 24 hours.
Hope he is better soon.

there's a horrid virus doing the rounds. Ds, who is normally strong as an ox, had a temp above 39 for 3 days but was absolutely fine within himself (if that makes sense - just zonked from the high temp). He was off his food and had a headache. On the 4th day he woke up as if he'd never been unwell .

Both mine get v high temps (ds's hit 40.5C with this virus this time) so I am completely used to them (both dcs had convulsions as babies!).

If you are worried, I would call them but a high temperature in itself isn't an indicator of how unwell they are. Just keep an eye on him. The worrying thing is how quickly it can change from being ok to being quite poorly.

Hope he's alright and it's just a bug doing the rounds.

Thank you everyone. That's very reassuring. He's now been sick but temp has gone down to 38.5 with the Nurofen so all looking ok so far. Point noted about the Nurofen so I'm writing down what I've given and when to keep track.

DS has just started complaining about his neck hurting! I've phoned the GP and they've booked me in for a call from the duty GP at 11.30! DS is still ok though, lucid, no rash and he can bend his head forward, though he says it hurts. Temperature is 38.2 now.

Do I panic or am I overreacting already?

Don't panic. Could just be his glands. He's seeing the doc so no need to panic.

no you're not overreacting, always better to be on the safe side with symptoms like sore necks. Make sure his fluid intake is still ok given he's been sick and get the doctor to have a look at him.

He's drinking lots of water. He has said he wants to stop talking as it's hurting his neck. So that could be his glands, couldn't it?

Tbh I tend to err on the wrong side of caution and assume everything's ok. So it's good to have other opinions. It's a good job my MIL has just left to go home. She'd be panicking and not helping matters.

Maybe he has a sore throat and just doesn't know the difference between the words throat and neck yet?

Oh if he's 6 possibly not that! Sorry. Still you could ask him where in his neck it hurts, on the outside or the inside.

What did the doc say? I hope he's feeling a bit better now.

How is he now?

TBH, I would always get a fever as high as that checked out with my two..it really is very high.

Charlie, the height of the temperature doesn't give any indication of how ill a child is. A child can be seriously ill with a low grade fever and just have something like a common cold with a very high fever! If they are ok in themselves, then that's what is important.

chica, hope your son is feeling a bit better - let us know!

I know that Bubbleymummy, but I would def get a fever like that checked out, thats what the drs are there for.....

Hello. Thanks for asking how DS is. The GP phoned and wasn't concerned about the neck as DS could bend his head forward. He said to just keep an eye on him and take DS in if he started to get worse.

He's a bit brighter today, temperature down to 37.8 but he came in at 5.30am asking to watch tv in my bed. Though he's still complaining his neck hurts and he has a headache. And didn't eat his breakfast. But the main thing is I can see some improvement from yesterday.