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Original poster

Urgent question - high fever but shivering

36 replies

hillbilly · 09/10/2008 18:25

DS (11m) has a high temp - 39 degrees but is also shivering. He has had calpol, I have also been sponging him down. What do I do - put clothes on him to stop the shivering or leave him in his nappy to try and reduce the fever?

Have been to doctor's already today and it is a teething issue.

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LadyOfWaffleIsScaryEnough · 09/10/2008 18:26

39 = hospital.

ledodgy · 09/10/2008 18:27

Leave him in his nappy. Shivering is a siogn of a high temperature. I know when I have a temperature I feel cold but to the touch am boiling hot. If his temp doesn't come down try ibruprofen as well.

TheBlonde · 09/10/2008 18:27

take clothes off
sponge down with damp cloth
is the fever responding to the calpol?

OneLieIn · 09/10/2008 18:27

39 is very high. Phone the GP again out of hours and get some advice.

Don't sponge him down.

ledodgy · 09/10/2008 18:27

I would also think a high temp is much more than teething.

liahgen · 09/10/2008 18:27

you can give nurofen aswell as calpol you know. If he is shivering, chances are his temp is coming down. Is he sweating.

Watch him but if temp doesn't come down, then def hosp.

eleanorsmum · 09/10/2008 18:28

nhs direct, now please.

liahgen · 09/10/2008 18:29

do not sponge him with cool water, this will make him colder.

Gp's bit too quick to put everything down to eething imo.

you know your baby, if you are worried, listen to your instincts

Original poster
hillbilly · 09/10/2008 18:30

hi theblonde - yes fever responding to calpol. have had similar situation with dd a coulple of years ago and when we took her to a & e they just sponged her down and gave calpol.

oneliein - why do you say not to sponge - i use tepid water.

OP posts:
liath · 09/10/2008 18:31

Current advice is not to sponge down any more. You could safely put a light layer of clothes on him. Temp of 39 very unlikely to be just teething so if he doesn't settle it may be worth getting him checked over again.

ledodgy · 09/10/2008 18:31

If you're going down the dr route forget NHS direct they'll only tell you to go to out of hours or A&E anyway. If his temp doesn't come down i'd go to A&E.

Twiglett · 09/10/2008 18:33

keep him stripped off but put a sheet on him

39 is not hospital level unless it fails to respond to calpol or ibuprofen or you have something in particular that worries you

Original poster
hillbilly · 09/10/2008 18:33

He seems fine in himself - a little liserable perhaps only - he is eating ok and taking lots of liquids.

OP posts:
liahgen · 09/10/2008 18:33

sponging wil likely make him shiver, therefore making him cold.

Twiglett · 09/10/2008 18:33

you shouldn't really be sponging .. if you have a fan put that in the same room but not directed at him

is he prone to febrile episodes?

Original poster
hillbilly · 09/10/2008 18:34

sorry - miserable not liserable!

OP posts:
Original poster
hillbilly · 09/10/2008 18:34

Not prone to febrile episodes.

Why not sponging?

OP posts:
Twiglett · 09/10/2008 18:34

I am concerned that so many people believe that a temp of 39 warrants an A&E visit without other symptoms .. it's not that unusually high for a baby / young child

Original poster
hillbilly · 09/10/2008 18:35

ok sorry just seen the post from liahgen re sponging

OP posts:
ledodgy · 09/10/2008 18:36

I thought that too Twig which is why I said to only go if the temperature doesn't respond to meds. NHS Direct a waste of time imo.

Original poster
hillbilly · 09/10/2008 18:36

39 does not worry me unduly so long as he respondsa to calpol

OP posts:
Twiglett · 09/10/2008 18:37

sponging cools the outer skin which can cause shivering which can raise the actual temp

it's not wrong with lukewarm water, it's just not recommended

Original poster
hillbilly · 09/10/2008 18:38

thanks everyone - he has cool hands and feet - does that mean anything?

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Original poster
hillbilly · 09/10/2008 18:39

twiglett that makes sense

OP posts:
TheBlonde · 09/10/2008 18:40

correction on the sponging noted thanks guys

glad to hear temp is responding