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Original poster

high fever 40.4

98 replies

PavlovtheCat · 27/03/2011 19:25

DS is 16 months. He has a high fever of 40.4. I am a bit worried.

He has had a fever for most of the last week (tuesday onwards) is teething, DD has had a temperature bug of some kind, lasted 3 days. I spoke to GP on friday, not worried, said bring him in monday if not better, give fluids, calpol/ibruprofen, normal stuff, said there is a bug around with high temp as symptoms. i have been giving him medicine which has mostly reduced temp but today it seems not to be holding it down.

He has a cough, had it all week, getting worse, but not croup like, more like tickly annoying cough, with some gagging. i think he has a sore throat. his breathing is quite shallow, i guess due to temp? And i have just noticed white spots on inside of his bottom lip. General crabbiness, malais, off food but drinking tons of water. No rash.

out of hours gp?

OP posts:
IngridBergmann · 27/03/2011 21:32

Well done Pavlov, go for it and good luck - good about the appointment. Ours do an appt system now and it's much better.

blinks · 27/03/2011 21:32

i would say sleepsuit and a couple of thin blankets so you can add/remove as you see fit, modom.

IngridBergmann · 27/03/2011 21:34

Oh crossed posts...well if it were me, and I;m guessing here but I would keep the nappy on and wrap him in a thin sheet which you can double up if he seems colder.
Tricky with car seat though. If clothes I'd still not do anything heavy - probably t shirt and loose jama trousers?

You're a GREAT mum, please don't be down on yourself!

ShowOfHands · 27/03/2011 21:34

I'd go with normal sleepsuit/pyjamas that are easy to pop open or unzip if necessary and a blanket (maybe two) so that you can wrap/cover him depending on the feel of him if there's a bit of a drive there and if your car's chilly. If he gets too cold too quickly his body will fight to raise his temp and this can make him feel rubbish and is actually where the convulsion risk is that people talk about (though please don't worry about this, it's unlikely).

ShowOfHands · 27/03/2011 21:35

Ha, x-posts and great minds. Potential to add/remove layers is what you want when taking from one temp to another (warm house, cold car, hot ooh etc).

IngridBergmann · 27/03/2011 21:35

Oh yes sleepsuit is fine.

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 27/03/2011 21:36

typically, he has the perfect pj's. but, they are currently drying on the airer! I will go have a look see what we have which is light and easy to put on him/take off.

OP posts:
Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 27/03/2011 21:37

oh yes. car is chilly. The sunroof is stuck half open (luckily at a slant not half way across). Sigh. I told DH to sort that...

OP posts:
ballstoit · 27/03/2011 21:39

Yep, would agree pyjamas/sleepsuit and a sheet to cover him if he's cold. Hope you get seen asap.

And you must be a great mum or you wouldnt be fretting and worrying so much about him.

ShowOfHands · 27/03/2011 21:41

I've just got back in and it's a bit nippy out but not freezing. You should be fine. Circulating air might even help him as long as he doesn't get too cold.

Shall we take bets on him perking up when he sees the doc? I like it when they do that. DD thinks seeing a doctor is a treat and breaks into smiles regardless of how crappy she's been for days beforehand.

Hope he's feeling much better soon. You are far from useless you know.

zonedout · 27/03/2011 21:47

agree with a regular cotton sleepsuit and a blanket (or two) or if it is really chilly outside even a light cardigan over his shoulders but probably not done up. don't want to freeze the poor little sausage. then a bloanket just over his legs in the car.

make sure you have a bottle of water and possibly even a banana for you in your bag just in case you end up longer than anticipated and in need of an energy boost. the stress and worry uses up a lot of energy.

zonedout · 27/03/2011 21:47

please excuse all my shameful typos this evening Blush

zonedout · 27/03/2011 21:51

oh and you are so not useless. the only reason i would have any idea on how to dress a poorly baby for a late night trip to the ooh in late march is because my ds2 is asthmatic as well as having suffered pneumonia and numerous other very high fever inducing infections involving many a late night trip in an ambulance or car, hence believing myself to be a bit of a wardrobe expert Grin

FourFortyFour · 27/03/2011 21:54

I hope you are seen quickly and he is soon well.

I thought it was just my children who slept with their bums in the air ShockGrin.

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 27/03/2011 22:47

still waiting for call from ooh gp (i called the oncall docs who take ooh calls, don't speak to the actual gp who you go to see, he is meant to be calling now). No idea when he is going to call, it has been ages.

AND. showofhands your bet. Well now I have made the call, and DH is home early from his night out. DS' temp has plummetted right down to 36.5! He is actually cold Hmm. So, i have put a light cotton footless suit on him, and put him in his own cot where he sleeps much better. He woke when i took his temp, and had a hissy fit, really really upset, and that hurt his throat, but he then settled and is sleeping calmly, breathing normally, just interspersed with a cough every 5-10mins. I am keeping an eye on that cough though, as it is becoming more frequent, or, maybe I am now noticing it more Hmm DD has the same cough, just woke up herself and asked for a drink, coughing. Poor lambs.

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pooka · 27/03/2011 22:53

DS2s temp had gone down from near 40 at the doctor's surgery to 36.5 by the time we got to A&E! Felt like a complete fraud - but cushioned by the fact that had been sent straight there from GP with covering letter. We were at A&E for 4 hours, and while had been more or less given go-ahead to go after 2 hours, by then his temp had gone up to nearly 39 again, so had to wait until they dosed him up again and it appeared to be working.

He definitely had croup. But then between Monday and Friday his temp was STILL erratic. Also he stopped eating solids - woudl put in mouth and then spit out rather than swallowing. Another trip to GP - and one of his ears really inflamed and his throat. Antibiotics. MAssively better by today.

Hope you get seen soon.

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 27/03/2011 23:03

pooka oh poor thing. scary that the temp can drop and raise so dramatically. He does have an erratic temp, did not even consider that until you said it, but thinking about it over the last week, it has been yes and definitely so today. I hope your lo makes a speedy recovery. DS is off food (apart from lemon drizzle cake funnily enough) just shakes his head at it and puts his hand up to push it away. He had breakfast ok - a weetabix which he ate all of, but not the toast he normally has too, no lunch, no tea. two bits of cake.

I don't know whether to call the ooh number again, make sure they have not forgotten us?

OP posts:
pooka · 27/03/2011 23:09

Oh ds2 is much much much better now. Not hot at all and eating loads today. He's 18 months and I had been about to get him down to 2 breastfeeds a day. And each time I ponder it, he gets a bug and I end up being relieved that at least he's getting something, and then starting the gradual cutting down all over again. I reckon he knows! :)

Hope your ds gets seen soon. There are a hell of a lot of bugs going around here. And while mostly viral - that's not to say that a secondary bacterial thingy wont get hold, like ds2 and the ears/throat. Definitely doing the right thing calling OOH.

I would ring again. It's late and you'll want to know whether a call is imminent or not.

MmeLindt · 27/03/2011 23:16

Have you heard from them yet? If they don't call, then ring them again to make sure you haven't been forgotten.

FourFortyFour · 28/03/2011 07:30

How is he this morning?

Sympathies from me as I have had very little sleep having been coughing all night and dd has just woken up still feeling sick.

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 28/03/2011 08:34

Morning ladies. They did not call Shock but, neither did i call back because i fell asleep Shock i woke at 3am, with DS fast asleep and temp 38.6, without meds as he was not allowed any more. It was cold, we kept the windows open in the house and his bedroom door open so he got a nice bit of air without being in a draft. He then came in with me at 3am, after drinking some water, had a bit of breastmilk (not really breastfed any more but has a little bit each day, not all days - i know not enough to satisfy him as he then wants water), then woke probably hourly wanting water. He then woke at 7am desperate for food - he has eaten slice of bread and some rice crispies. He is grumpy with his sister for touching the thermometer, and is running around playing and mostly happy, little more grizzly than normal.

His temp is 39.5 this morning and I am going straight in to see me own doc as soon as an appt is available, no later than 9:15am. He has has ibruprofren as soon as able. I think that is why he is feeling better.

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Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 28/03/2011 08:36

3:30am. he came in at 3:30am! i am sooooooo frazzled! So is DH, as he slept up with DD, who coughed and chattered to him the whole night. not sure who had it worse.

I am so late for work it is unreal, taking DS to doc, as DH won't remember to tell them everything.

OP posts:
Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 28/03/2011 08:40

ok, now he is screaming at the top of his lungs because DH has taken DD to school and locked the stair gate. His throat clearly isn't hurting that bad...

...nope, scrap that he is now distracted with Rory the Racing Car Grin

...nope, he is now on the floor with wiggling in the air crying.

He is definitely grumpy.

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MmeLindt · 28/03/2011 09:14

Oh, dear. Very up and down then. Hope the doc can help.

winnybella · 28/03/2011 09:18

Poor mite. It's good that he's full of energy, though. What did the doctor say?