!!!HELP!!! 9month old son sick - temperature.. any advice?

[rodgershawk]

Ds is 9months old, has generally been very healthy, only had one cold, but that was just before his first two teeth popped through, so maybe teething?!?!

Was moany yesterday - again v unusual as normally laughing all day.. today was ok, had lunch then only had short nap, about half hour, when he normally sleeps for 3 hours.. woke up and did not eat his dinner, just went red and kept moaning..

Took temp and was 103.4.. gave Calpol, and after an hour seemed to go down to 98, can it reduce that quickly????
Very snotty and chesty cough..

Any advice welcome, now asleep, snoring more loudly than DH!

It sounds like he has got a bit of a cold or a virus.

If he's up and down, he'll probably be fine. It's when they're ill for ages and ages and ages without any respite that you have to get worried.

Just keep him on the Calpol, and give him plenty of juice and water. Make sure he hasn't got too much bedding over him. Maybe take his pyjamas off and just let him sleep in his nappy. If he seems too hot, pop him in a tepid bath and let him play a bit with his boats, or give him a tepid shower.

He should be right as rain in a day or two, from the info you've given here.

Do you have any Nurofen? If they're very sick and/or they're temp is very high, you can alternate between Calpol and Nurofen safely. They can have the full quota of each in twenty-four hours. (Three GPs have told me this).

Otherwise, don't have too many layers on him & make sure he takes in plenty of fluids.

Sure he'll be fine, but take him to the docs if you're worried.

True about it being possible to alternate paracetemol (Calpol) and ibuprofen (Nurofen). We do this all the time.

BoffinMum,thanks for your advice. Probably just panicking as not used to it..
He is still snoring so will leave him in his growbag but will definately use the bath advice to cool him if needed. Got the calpol all ready for when he wakes up too..
Thanks again

Didnt know about Ibuprofen, will stock up on that tomorrow. I heard parcetamol takes temp down, what does Ibuprofen do?

DS still snoring thank goodness.. not sure how long it will last for..

Both mine have had a funny virus where they had a high temp for a few hours and then really snotty, DD (7 months) coughing for a few days.

Temperature in little ones can shoot up quickly and come down just as quickly. Definitely recommend the alternate calpol/calprofen dosing - I find the coalprofen good if they are snotty as it's anti-inflammatory as well as anti-temperature.

He may just wake up in the morning as right as rain - they are resilient little things, these babies! - but if you are worried or he is still off food etc. in 48 hours then off to the GP with you......

Don't worry about him eating. He is going to be off food for a day or two. That's fine he can stand it, just keep offering fluids as others have said. If he won't take them then you need to get to a doctor quickly. Otherwise keep doing what you're doing. He's likely to sleep a good bit tomorrow I think - and again that's normal but if he is difficult to rouse fully then thats another sign you should take him to a doctor. Temperatures that go down are fine - it's when you can't get them down you start to worry.

Any time. Make sure you take his temp from time to time while he's sleeping, as you might need to take his growbag off or at least unzip it a bit.

Interestingly, when you get more used to this sort of thing, you will actually be able to take him temp just by feeling his forehead and having an instinctive sense of how he is doing.

Overall, think of it this way. His immune system is having an educational experience that will make it less likely he will get a really nasty virus later on. His body is just doing what it is designed to.

Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory as well as a pain-killer, and will also bring the temp down.

Can help if his little nasal passages are swollen.

(Guessing Boffinmum is a doc, so she can pick me up if that's wrong ).

I remember panicking when DD had her first real bug. We were in USA! I was so worried!

I have been told to alternate ibruprofen and paracetamol by Drs in both UK and USA, and do this when DD has a high fever that is not reducing easily. I beleive on helps to reduce the fever (think that is ibruprofen?) and the other helps to keep it down (paracetamol? - could be the other way round).

If you don't want to use ibruprofen - keep him dosed ever 4 hours on paracetamol. I remember last time DD struggled to keep her fever down, it would go up and down. I saw a nurse at surgery who said it is best not to let temp rise and fall, but to keep it down by ensuring no gaps in medication. If it continues for more than 2-3 days, or you become worried, do not hesitate to see a GP (even out of hours), they never have issues seeing young babies, or reassuring you.

I agree with other posters - not too hot, nappy (perhaps a loose t-shirt) and a light sheet if really hot, lots of fluids. If he is not taking fluids well, spoon feed him little amounts or use a syringe.

Hope he feels better soon. Make sure you sleep well too. Its easy to worry and not sleep yourself when LOs are poorly

If his temp doesn't stay down long enough with paracetemol and you don't have ibuprofen, take him to A&E and they will give it to him, and give you some to take home.

Ibuprofen will reduce temp as well and as others have said it can be alternated with paracetemol - with both of my DC paracetemol works quickly but doesn't last until they can have the next dose.

Take him to the GPs if he is not improving tomorrow.

Hi,
Going through the same with our 2 LOs. It's one of the nasties that's doing the rounds at the mo:-( - chesty cough, runny nose, temperature.
Alternating between Calpol and Ibuprofen is fine as long as you know the dosage for his age.
I would still take him to the GP to check things through (throat, lungs, ears).
I personally wouldn't say it will pass in a day or two, but I hope it does for you. We've had it for exactly a week now, and it's proving to be a difficult one to shift and my 3 year old has only just started complaining about an earache as well:-(. But as long as you have him checked over by your GP and do everything by the book, he'll soon be back to normal.

Regarding the forehead thing - I don't have a thermometer in the house - I work on the basis of 'normal' 'bit warm' 'very warm' 'phone the doctor'!

BTW ibuprofen takes effect twice as quickly as paracetemol. Gets rid of pain, reduces temperature and reduces inflammation.

Medised is another useful medicine. It's a combination of paracetemol and an antihistamine, and is good for reducing temperature and dealing with stuffy little noses at the same time. However I am not sure what age this is recommended from, so ask a pharmacist for advice.

Babies can go 2-3 days without eating much as long as they have some fluids. (If he stops weeing this is a sign not enough liquid is going through him and he may need medical attention, but I doubt it will come to that). He's had lunch so he'll be fine for a bit now. It would be useful if you could get some mik down him though.

Best of luck with it all.

I think Pharmacists won't sell medised for under twos now (lest you give them the whole bottle or some such)

NorthernLurker - I actually saw Medised last week back on the shelf in Morrisons', suitable for over 6 months on it..., I had thought it was stopped for under 2's also, but I guess that has been sorted?

smellyeli, thanks, what do you class as a high temperature? I was just amazed how quickly the temp went down, thought my thermometer was on the blink.. yes will see how brekkie goes tomorrow.. although the snoring just turned to coughing again.. I just think how I would feel if I had bad cold and couldnt blow my nose or cough up anything, probably would moan and groan too..
NL, will try with the water tomorrow and keep in mind rousing him..
SKOW, easier said than done about not worrying, wish I could take a non-worry pill!

Probably will make docs apt tomorrow, if I can get through at 8am... just to get him checked but feel alot better

I'm not a Dr of medicine, booboo, only a Dr of education! But I have three of my own and have been through this sooooo many times!!

Agree with murcimari that it would be worth taking him to GP to have ears and chest checked over if you are still at all concerned in a day or two.

Yes I didn't really understand that not rousing thing until dd3 had an ear infection . I thought it wa something viral and was fairly calm about the high temerature - but them when I was changing her nappy and saw she wouldn't actually wake up properly even then - I was at the doctors at top speed.

Should have said re: Medised, this contains paracetemol so you can't give that at the same time as Calpol.

My dd age 4 runs temps about once a month and has done since about 6 months. All this advice is great - but I'd also like to emphasis the need to get his temp down by stripping him. Gro bag off and down to a vest. Look for wet nappies a sign he's doing OK for fluid.

If he gets cold, he's well and will wake up and tell you about it loudly!!

I took dd to the GP with a raging temp, and no effect despite 4 doses of calpol and brufen - she stripped her naked and sat her in an open window!! In the sleet!! Mind you it worked. Then we went to hospital and the kids ward put her in a cool bath then infront of a fan to dry.

So it feels cruel when they look so achey and tired. But they wont feel well till the temp is down so it has to be done. And in comparison to the hardcore boot camps described here, a grow bag less isn't so bad. But it breaks my heart when I do it!!

NHS direct 0845 46 47 - I have it on speed dial and I suspect they know me by name!!!

so medised or Calpol and ibuprofen? if I decide on Calpol and ibuprofen do I give one every two hours (eg Calpol then ibuprofen the Calpol etc etc)

Ring NHs direct and get their opinion. The consultant who saw dd told me that it takes up to 3 4 to 6hrly 'loading' doses of either to get a temp down and staying down. So you're looking at 12-18 hrs before it's at max use anyway.

Thanks TD, good to know Im not on my own, was scared of stripping him down, but good idea in comparison to the "boot camp" alternatives!

3 doses 4 to 6 hourly that is!! 34 doses would cost you a bit in calpol!!