Temp 38.3, not come down much with calpol - gp or ride it out?

[Bumperlicioso]

Dd1 is 3 and has had a barking cough for a couple of days. She seemed ok though and often gets a cough over the winter. But she has been sent home from nursery as she had a temp of 38.5. They gave her calpol and it has only come down to 38.3. She's ok, has eaten a little but lethargic.

Just wondering if I can ride it out or if it is a gp job? I'm loath to go to gp as dh at work till 7 and I will have to go at 6 with her and the baby for after surgery. And what with 2 lots of chicken pox and various illnesses and post baby issues I feel like I spend my life at the doctors.

tbh if she is fine in herself i would ride it out without seeing a gp

both of mine have had 40 degree fevers where they were lucid and ok, and 38 degree fevers where they were lethargic/miserable etc

try not to focus on just the fever, but the whole child

go with your gut, hth

Mine don't very often get a fever, but when they do, Calpol doesn't usually work, but ibuprofen does. Subject to your DD being OK in herself, if you go to your GP they'll likely tell you to give ibuprofen.

I've always been advised that if they run a fever for more than 2-3 days or one that doesn't lower with ibuprofen, then a GP visit is a good idea.

Otherwise NHS direct?

My 2 DDs have a similar thing ATM and we have only called the GP because DD1 had a febrile seizure and he told us to ride it out with 3 hours of alternating calpol and neurofen. If you ring and speak to the on duty GP they will more than likely give you advice without having to go in.

I

ooh a random 'I' where did that come from??

Thanks for the advice. I will try her with some ibruprofen. She is eating chocolate (anything goes when they are poorly!) so she can't be too bad :)

38.3 is a low grade fever. If it isn't making her uncomfortable then don't treat it and just let her body do what it needs to do. The fever is helping to fight the illness. NICE guidelines don't recommend trying to bring down a fever unless it is causing discomfort.