Crap Mum Question - managing a temperature - I should probably know this

[SilentBoob]

3yo has a burning temperature. About 39 degrees. Have given him Calpol and he's asleep. He thinks he is cold and shivery and wants to sleep snuggled under a big fleecy blanket and duvet. I don't want him to get any hotter and have taken his blankets away. Right thing to do? Or should I let him snuggle in?

If he's till asleep without the blanket I'd say it's the right thing to do, but keep checking how warm he feels and if he feels cold put it back on.

You have done the right thing. You are fab mum
You can give brufen too, allow them to overlap each other. Paracetamol works for 4-6 hours, brufen works for up to 8 hours for temperature control.
Give him loads of nice cold drinks too.
poor lamb x

Paracetamol messes with your temp for about an hour after taking it and then helps a lot for the next two or three.
Just cover or uncover as required.

Thank you both. Am keeping an eye on him. He's a sweaty little cabbage even when he's not ill so he'll be positively swampy now.

Will check the cupboard for Brufen.

And yes re drinks.

I think it's just a cold breaking, poor little chap. Hopefully much better by tomorrow.

When i had flu a few years ago i felt freezing but was burning hot DH called Doctors and they said to take the extra blanket off I'd tried to cover myself with. I'd say take it off.

x-post. How do you mean messes with your temp startail?

Liskey - now I think about it, when I have been in A&E with various feverish children the nurses have stripped off clothes and blankets and done cold flannel baths to get them cooler despite screaming protests.

It's risk of fitting if they get too hot isn't it.

I was just doubting myself because I know when I'm cold and shivery I snuggle under a million duvets and damn the consequences. I didn't want to be making him more miserable for no reason.

You don't want him to shiver, but you don't want him to overheat. Loose clothing and if he wants to snuggle, under a loose cotton sheet will give him the feel of being covered, but avoid the heat of blankets. Gently keeping him cool and avoiding shivering (shivering makes the temp spike) is what you want.

Lots of fluids, air circulating in the room (fan on if you have one, but not directly on him), lots and lots of tlc. Hope he's better soon.

The risk of fitting isn't how hot they get but how quickly a temperature rises. They can fit at comparatively low temps if they've spiked there quickly. This is why you avoid cooling them too quickly or making them shiver.

If a child in hospital is deemed in serious need of cooling down then it might be different bu don't do cold flannel baths. A lukewarm bath is okay but cold sponging and shocking the system will cause shivering which is the body trying to heat up again. This up and down behaviour is what causes problems, the spike up causing the convulsions which can sometimes happen.

And obviously if it continues, see somebody to rule out a reason for the temp which isn't viral. Throat/ears cause quite high temps ime.

Thank you CZ.

He is now feeling a bit cool (though very hot feet) so have put him under a light blanket. He is very snotty and wheezy. Window open.

Forgot to say DD has had febrile seizures from high temps from both colds and an UTI - and she was stripped off on the ward and cool flannels - but not cold bath as they could cause a seizure (its the speed at which a temperature rises which can cause fits). So cool but not cold.

Hope he's feeling better soon.