8 month old has v high temp and we're due to go on holiday tomorrow

[DisneyBaby]

Help, what should I do?
We booked a last minute holiday to go to Crete for a week from Saturday, 2 adults and our 8 month old baby girl.
But this evening our 8 month old has got a very high temperature 39.8. I have given Calpol and Nurofen alternating for the last 12 hours but it keeps creeping back up.
I'm pretty certain it's not covid, I think it's most likely teething related as she's been showing a lot of teething signs lately.
What should I do? We have 24 hours until we go on holiday? This would have been our first with our daughter.
Do we still go and hope it will pass quickly? Or cancel?
I could try and get some antibiotics from my GP last min today and still go?
What is the healthcare like in Crete, if we were to need it?
Would insurance pay out if we were to cancel? I booked flights, accom, and transfers all separate?😕

@DisneyBaby and quite right too!
This covid thing has driven people absolutely mad!!! She’s an 8 month old babe in arms for christ sake, not exactly going to be climbing all over people in the waiting room. Before covid, when everyone was normal, you would probably have been told to see how she was after another 12 hours or so and to definitely ensure she was seen by a medical professional if her temperature remained high. You will not have been called selfish for attending an out of hours gp service especially on advice of 111.

She could be ill for any number of reasons and at her age, she is most likely to have ingested a bug after crawling around or from having her hands in her mouth more due to teething. She may also have an ear infection which is really common in young children and causes those kinds of temperatures.
Great thing is though...kids that young usually bounce back just as quickly as they became unwell so my earlier advice to you remains the same as before and if she appears well and the doctors aren’t concerned then why not go and enjoy a holiday!

I know I will get slated for that opinion but please be aware that I am not interested in arguing with anyone so won’t get involved.

*She could be ill for any number of reasons and at her age, she is most likely to have ingested a bug after crawling around or from having her hands in her mouth more due to teething. She may also have an ear infection which is really common in young children and causes those kinds of temperatures.
Great thing is though...kids that young usually bounce back just as quickly as they became unwell so my earlier advice to you remains the same as before and if she appears well and the doctors aren’t concerned then why not go and enjoy a
*holiday

Or it could be Covid 19 and she infects 20 people on the plane. The likelihood is that it's something else but it wouldn't be a risk I would be willing to take.

@Toddlerteaplease

Yes. You absolutely need to seek medical advice. It's unlikely to be Covid. I'm a young baby and teething does not cause temperatures that high. And do not go abroad. (I'm A Paediatric nurse)

@Toddlerteaplease Finally, a truly gifted child found on Mumsnet. Both a young baby and a pediatric nurse, and giving sensible advice, to boot. I think you'll be welcomed on the gifted threads

Sorry for derail, your typo amused me.
As you were, everyone.

I hope your dd is ok op
I don't think there has been any hate, just exasperation!
You need to undress her, put her on a towel and gently sponge her down with tepid (not cold) water, Wte a flannel with slightly colder water and lay it on her forehead; keep re-cooling the flannel every 20 minutes.

Tepid sponging is no longer recommended (picture from NICE)

Hope your baby is ok OP. You've made the right decision to seek medical advice.

In response to all of your hate.

Wow OP, really? Just because you were told repeatedly that your baby's temperature was too high to be just teething and to get her checked out pronto, Covid or not?

Do hope she is feeling better, poor mite.

“Fairly sure it’s not covid”.

Bloody hell.

Tough luck OP. Time to phone the holiday insurance company.

Hope you've been seen to. My youngest dd got a terrible high temp 18 hours before we were due to fly a couple of years ago. Turned out to be an ear infection.

@2bazookas

That is a dangerous temperature in a baby; she is in danger of febrile convulsions because her brain overheats,

You need to undress her , put her on a towel and gently sponge her down with tepid (not cold) water, Wte a flannel with slightly colder water and lay it on her forehead; keep re-cooling the flannel every 20 minutes. Stay with her in case she starts trembling, shaking or fitting.

Do not go on holiday. 
Four hours in  aplane with hot crying baby  whose ears hurt due to cabin pressure? 
 Hot baby in hotter climate?  Seeking Dr or  hospital in the middle of the night  when you don't speak the language? 

 You must be mad.</div></div>

Whilst I completely agree that the child shouldn’t be taken on holiday, please don’t scare people with inaccurate facts. It is not how high the temperature is that causes febrile convulsions, it is the speed that the temperature goes up that does. And tepid sponging is no longer advised.

Hopefully by now you’ve been seen and little one is feeling a bit better. Hopefully you’ve been advised to get her tested. And hopefully you’ve cancelled your holiday (sorry)

We had her seen by numerous doctors today and none of them could find anything wrong with her other than a fever.
She had chest, ear, throat and urine tests. She also tested negative for covid. So we were discharged and told just to keep a close eye on her (after 9 hours in hospital😞)
As they couldn't find anything I'm thinking it probably is down to teething now, even though some doctors say that is a myth or only a slighter raised temperature... but what else can it be?!
We aren't going on holiday tomorrow now and have started the lengthy insurance refund process. We are going to be out of pocket a couple of hundred pounds and I am absolutely gutted as my husband and I really needed to quality time together tbh (covid and a lockdown baby has put a lot of strain on us😕) but as others have mentioned, if something were to happen on the flight we'd feel dreadful!
We're going to have a look at going to one of the Canary Islands instead in mid Nov providing she's well and back to her normal healthy self!

Thank you for all your concern and advice ladies!

It's good they ruled out the main issues. It may just be a general virus that has knocked her. Babies can pick up anything. Its horrible that you arent going on holiday, but it's for the best really. At least you can get some money back from insurance. There will be other holidays. Try organise some baby free time if that's possible over the next week or however long you have at home. Days out and about together in your area may be nice too. All you can do is make the best of it. But you have done the right thing. Well done.

FWIW, OP, holidays abroad with a baby are not the same as the holidays abroad you remember. There wouldn't be any extra quality time for you and your partner compared to when you're at home, at any rate.

I really wouldn't bother trying to book anything abroad with a baby under one year old in the middle of pandemic if I was looking for a bit of rest and relaxation. As you've already discovered OP, going abroad with a baby is very different from travelling as a couple. But if you're determined, I wish you luck.

Babies do just get high temperatures when they are fighting a virus. They don't have to have anything else wrong with them for their little bodies to put up a good fight with a high temperature, which IME is usually at its highest in the night when you're at your most tired, which makes it all the scarier.

OP I've been travelling with my son since he was 8 weeks old . If you are doing this for the first time - dont do it right now would be my advice! I'm a travel agent and its stressful enough doing the bookings let alone being the family that cant get back from somewhere when someone in your hotel rests positive .
Can your dd stay with grandparents for a weekend while the 2 of you go to a nice hotel in the uk ?

Sorry you’re missing your holiday OP, such shit timing for little one to get poorly, luckily it started at home before you left.

Glad baby is covid free and no major issues picked up.

I guess I’m going to be the one to suggest that going abroad for a holiday during a pandemic is pretty irresponsible and selfish.

@PaddyF0dder if you read the thread you're not the only person saying that.

You can still have a lovely week off with your husband and baby, much safer and less stressful too 😀

The fact that they tested everything, kept you there for 9 hours and told you to keep a close eye on her just reinforces the fact that a temperature that high is something to take seriously.

I understand that you feel you need a holiday. You are not alone in that. TBH many people will tell you a beach holiday with a baby isn't much of a break anyway!