Baby temp of 40

[Nc1468]

I picked my son (10 months) up from nursery at about midday and the staff told me he had a bit of a temp and he wasn't himself so to see how he got on. During the day he got worse and we ended up calling an ambulance and he's now been admitted to hospital.

They can't seem to find a cause for the temp like a urine infection or nasty ear infection and now they want to test for sepsis and I'm losing my mind 😭 they've just taken his temp and it's 40, just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar and can reassure me that it's gonna be okay??

I haven't, but I didn't want to read and run. I've been in hospital with a poorly baby before, and it's scary, so just wanted to give you a handhold.
You're in the right place. Hope he feels better soon.

Am up late and didn’t want to read and run - how scary for you! By way of reassurance, sepsis is a problem if it isn’t treated, but you’ve done all the right things and are in the right place. I really hope things resolve very soon. X

also a high temp in and of itself isn’t a bad thing, and sometimes you never find out what causes it.

One of mine ended up in hospital Xmas day one year with a temperature and there was no obvious cause.

You may find it comforting too as I did...I can remember the paediatrician telling me that a high temperature means there’s an infection or virus - but the level of temperature is NOT indicative of how serious the illness is.

You can have a temperature of 40 with a bad cold and a temperature of 38 with sepsis.

Fingers crossed he recovers quickly op xx

My sons had a temp of 40 a few times. He's had a lumbar puncture etc to rule out meningitis, turned out to be a UTI. another time it was 40 odd just before chickenpox spots appeared, then it was tonsillitis. His body just has a really high temp when he deals with infection.
You have to remember that your DS is in the best possible place for them to find out exactly what's wrong and help him.

Hope he's better soon x

Fingers crossed he's soon better x

We ended up in hospital when my daughter had a temp above 40 at a similar age. Later turned out she had hand, foot and mouth, so nothing particularly serious. Hope your baby is better soon.

@Sleeplessnights1234

My sons had a temp of 40 a few times. He's had a lumbar puncture etc to rule out meningitis, turned out to be a UTI. another time it was 40 odd just before chickenpox spots appeared, then it was tonsillitis. His body just has a really high temp when he deals with infection. You have to remember that your DS is in the best possible place for them to find out exactly what's wrong and help him.

My son had a lumbar puncture too. He had a febrile convulsion and after a blood test showed he was fighting an infection they wanted to rule out meningitis, turned out to be an ear infection, so try not to worry as a PP said the level of temperature doesnt mean its a more serious cause and 20 percent of all child admissions are febrile convulsions,

Hope your little one gets better soon

How is your baby? Hope you are ok &
have some answers?

Both my sons were In Hospital overnight with a temp over 40 which lasted for about 4
Days . Blood test also showed an infection in one and the other son had a non blanching rash. In the end we never found out what caused them both but overnight their obs went back to normal and were allowed home
Then we’re totally fine... was odd.

Hope all is good with your son.

Sorry everyone it's been a little manic!

Thanks for all your comments, were home now but he's still not himself, but sepsis test came back fine and no rashes etc so they think just a viral infection that should clear up in the next few days. Still so scary and he's hot and sleepy but hopefully going in the right direction xxx

You must be exhausted! I know you know this, but if you are worried or gut says something not right just go back - super tiny still at 10 months & you are best advocate. So if not waking or feeding in normal way or other red flags just go back!

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng143/resources/support-for-education-and-learning-educational-resource-traffic-light-table-pdf-6960664333

Hi, glad you're home! Both my DD's seem prone to high temperatures when ill - DD1 was sent to hospital when we went to the out of hours GP with a temp of 41 when she was about 14 months - we invested in a fancy thermometer after that! I think some children do just seem to get really high temperatures when they get poorly. Hope he perks up soon .

So hard to know what to do isn't it! He's still not himself so I've called the ward and just waiting for a doctor to call me back 😭

Hope your LO is ok & the ward is helpful.

They called back and said they weren't concerned and to see how he is tomorrow and Tuesday and if no better to take him back, which is reassuring but it's hard because I don't actually know what's wrong with him 😔 just want him to be back to normal causing mayhem xxx

Glad they ruled out sepsis. Can you clarify if they have had antibiotics? I thought that if sepsis was suspected it gets treated first whilst awaiting the test result. I wonder if the antibiotics given at the time have cleared up whatever it was he had and he just feels a little groggy still.

When you say hes no better. What do you mean exactly? running at 40 degree temperature or just not himself?

Dd got extremely high temps as a baby. Once in hospital when she wouldn’t drink they got her to take fluids from a big syringe and ibuprofen seems to work better so now I make sure it’s ibuprofen first and lots of fluids.

No they didn't give him any antibiotics, and his temp is much better but he's just not himself at all.

Yeah I've found the ibuprofen works better for him too xx

How is your son doing today? X

He's not been great throughout the day, but we've given him a bath and he's perked right up so fingers crossed! Thank you xxx

Oh OP, you have my sympathies! It is so scary when they're ill, especially when they pull stunts like that! I just wanted to echo the PP who said to trust your instincts. Also, if he isn't drinking and/or not making wet nappies, contact them again straightaway.