40.9 temperature in 7yo

[coastergirl]

My boy woke up poorly yesterday morning, no specific symptoms but didn't feel well and was hot. Temp 39.5. I've been able to get it down a bit during the day but not lower than 38 even paracetamol and ibuprofen. He had both before bed just before 8. I've just checked him and he's burning hot, temperature 40.9. What on earth do I do?! He has autism (very able though) and is terrified of doctors etc. I don't want to put him through anything unnecessary.

Ring 111 and ask for advice you should alternatively give paracetamol and ibuprofen 2 hour apart to maintain reduced temperature my ds had regular fevers over that and I was always advised to take him in or even emergency appointments

a fever on its own just means that the body is fighting an infection somewhere - without other symptoms, it’s hard to place but usually it will be viral and self limiting.

i think you’re doing the right things by giving paracetamol/ibuprofen. Is the room humid? Is he wearing light cotton clothing with a sheet rather than a blanket? I’m attaching the nice guidelines for assessing fever in a child - it shows a traffic light system of when to be worried and go to hospital (E.g fast heart rate or increased work of breathing/not passing urine or not able to keep fluids down so getting dehydrated)

if all other things are ok, I would let him sleep and keep giving regular paracetamol and wait to see if it settles. If at all you’re concerned that things are getting worse, then call 111 or take him in to hospital to be reviewed.

I hope he feels better soon 🤞🏽

Thank you both so much, especially for the NICE guidelines. I'm normally pretty level headed and look things like that up. Not sure what's happened to me.

In checking him regularly. He's in loose short pjs and although he hardly ate during the day, has kept up with fluids.

I'll keep an eye on all other signs. He has a benign heart murmur (thoroughly checked out twice by Alder Hey) that can be particularly heard if he's unwell, so if I have to take him to be seen he'll probably end up in hospital again.

Op I'd call 111 that's a really high temperature he might be needing an antibiotic.

Hope he is better soon.

I gave ibuprofen just after I first posted and it seems to have brought his temperature down. He's responsive and sweaty (my mum always says it's good to sweat it out?). I'm going to keep an eye on him and it things stay the same, get him checked by the gp in the morning. Thank you all.

Sending you so much love

I always find ibuprofen better for a fever xx

Can also weigh him to see if you can give him a bit more paracetamol / ibuprofen them is on the box

Thank you all. We saw the GP at lunchtime and he's been thoroughly checked over. No signs of infection anywhere so she thinks it's viral. Just have to try and keep his temperature down. As it happens, he's been much brighter this afternoon and has eaten, so I think he's much better. Just scary in the middle of the night on my own (single mum) when he was so hot, so I appreciate the support of MN.