High temp for 3 days in toddler

[DriftGames]

My daughter is 15m and had a high temperature on Sunday, wouldn't eat or drink and just wanted to sleep. We ended up taking her to a&e who ran lots of tests (no covid test, but she's no cough), and said she has a viral infection of some sort but they can't pinpoint where though he throat seemed red and inflamed. Spent yesterday alternating ibuprofen and paracetamol, her temp came down to almost normal by afternoon. She still didn't eat or drink much but she ate a little and breastfed a lot. She played nicely and went to bed at her regular time. I dressed her lightly and checked on her throughout the night, took her sleeping bag off as she felt as though she was getting warm at one point. She woke briefly so I took her temp again (under arm digital), 39.4! I've taken her top off and it's dropped to 39.1, but I'm just unsure what I do now? Does she need to be seen by anyone? Should I persist with alternating medicines? She's my first so I've no idea!

NHS advice says that as long as it's coming down with paracetamol then you should be able to treat at home, see a doctor if still high after 5 days. Judge the child not the temperature though, if you're worried about her behaviour, get her seen.

However you should do a Covid test and isolate as a family. It's fever OR cough/loss of taste, not AND. Especially in children

Yes defo get a covid test can’t believe hospital didn’t do one - what hope is there 🤷🏻‍♀️, but other than that sometimes children do just get random high temps for a few days , if she worsens or doesn’t improve go to GP. High temp alone is not cause for an A&E visit. If she’s drinking plenty and still weeing and pooing and is playing they’re all good signs.

@twinmum2017 yes that's what I read too, I think because it was steadily dropping and has now spiked again my heart kind of fell out of my arsehole a bit. She's still asleep so until she's awake I think I'll just get a covid test booked and then judge her character once she's up.

@Cupcakegirl13 yes we had no intention of taking her to a&e on the temperature alone but on Sunday she didn't eat or drink or play, so I think I'll judge her character this morning and get a covid test booked regardless. They said they were going to, she fell asleep so they were checking her resting heart rate and left us be for a while then came in and said right off you go! I questioned it, and they said that because her temp was slowly lowering with medication that it's unlikely to be covid. I suppose I never questioned as I just assumed that as hospital staff, they wouldn't even risk it.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/fever-in-children/
NHS website says it should go down in 3 to 4 days so I would give it 1 more day with fluids and alternating medicine. If not better by tomorrow morning then gp.

Also I would get a covid test as you only need 1 symptom to get one.

Hope she feels better soon

Temperatures are usually worse at night.... I'm not sure on the science behind it.

Yes good shout getting the Covid test. Your GP will definitely ask if you end up having to see them, so best to just have it done.

I think a&e only have to do them if you're admitted so that might explain that.

Did they dip her urine? My daughter once had a temperature like that and it turned out to be a urine infection.

I hope she's feeling better today.

Mine had a persistant high temp. After 4 days of no improvement I went to the GP who dipped his urine and it was a UTI, easily treated with antibiotics. Next time I would go sooner - on the third day. You can't take chances when they're so little.

You need to get the Covid test and your whole household shou,d be self isolating until you get the results.

So update - household is isolating, and we've been for a drive through test this morning. We will continue to isolate until we get a result and then if positive we will isolate and if negative I will speak with her GP.

She did have her urine tested and it was clear, so not UTI. She's had 2 bouts of diarrhoea this morning and her tongue is completely white (not sure it's thrush, she's had it before and it never displayed like this). She won't drink or eat again, just breastfeeding.

Oh bless her, poor thing.

If you think she needs seeing earlier do contact your GP. They'll have a process for patients with Covid symptoms and really wouldn't want to leave a poorly child unchecked.

Great news that she's feeding though. X

This sounds like it could be heading for scarlet fever @DriftGames I'd ring the GP back and say you suspect scarlet fever. With scarlet fever the tongue goes white and then peels to reveal what they call a "strawberry tongue". There can also be a rash. She needs antibiotics for scarlet fever.

If the tongue looks like this definitely contact the doctor!



Sorry! Image don't attach - I'll try again

Hopefully an image this time!

I would not hesitate in getting a young child seen every 2-3 days by a doctor if unwell (and indeed have done). They can deteriorate quickly

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. I also thought scarlet fever. I called our GP but their line was completely dead - DH used his phone too but nothing. I called 111 and explained she was showing scarlet fever symptoms and had 3 phone calls with various practitioners, who advised us to return to a&e. We've just gotten home and she's been diagnosed with either covid (pending her result tomorrow/Thursday) or an upper respiratory infection. Doctor who saw her in a&e looked at her tongue but that was about it. She doesn't have a rash at all which is the main symptom of scarlet fever I believe. We've been told to continue keeping her full of paracetamol and ibuprofen, let her nurse as much as she wants and rest it off.

I'm not totally satisfied, so if she shows no improvement by tomorrow I'll try the GP again.

You've done all you can do - all you can do is continue to monitor her. Hope she's better soon! X

@onlyreadingneverposting8 thank you!

Ashtma. My son is 5 years old and last year he got a cough and for months the doctors didnt know why or what was causing it. I took him to see a private specialist through my health insurance who said his ashtma is out of control and put him on a higher dose inhaler which is clenil 200. This did help and the cough went. My insurance has said I now need to go back to his nhs specialist who has said he needs to come down to a lower dose. We started on clenil 100 last week and a couple of times he has said he feels dizzy. Could this be cause of the lowering the dose. Anyone have any experience with the little one being on clenil and montelukast? I have read about the side effects people have experienced and I'm wondering if he has a few like he takes ages to fall asleep and has terrible mood swings and bad dreams sometimes. Seeing the ashtma nurse in 2 weeks so will mention all this but wanted to see if others have had the same experience. So many doctors saying different things

Hope test comes back soon

What did hosp say Re the temp?

@Lotsalotsagiggles covid test negative! To be honest, they just said to make sure I keep on top of paracetamol/ibuprofen to ensure it comes down, never really commented on it.

She ate a little bit yesterday, drank a significant amount more than the previous few days and appears to be much less feverish but the cough is coming along more, so I suppose a respiratory infection makes sense! She played a little yesterday and slept less so I'd say she's getting there!