Unexplained high temp - action needed??

[Kentishwoman]

My 16 MO DS has just woken up from his nap with a temp of 39.5. He's not prone to high temperatures - only the second time I've known him have one. He seems absolutely fine in himself. Only other 'symptom' is that he hardly had any sleep at his lunchtime nap (usu has 1-2 hours) in spite of active morning. He's also very red in the face. Should I investigate further, or just whack a bit of Calpol down him for now??

I would strip him down and give him some cool drinks and see what happens. What made you take his temperature - is he poorly at all?

Prob sickening for a coldy viral buggy thing....I give calpol over 38.5 degrees if it doesn't pass of its own accord quickly. (or medised which is even better as it knocks them out!)
Might he be teething?

I haven't got a thermometer and never have had. [bad mummy emoticon]

I took his temp because his face/head felt so hot to the touch. He is cutting some teeth at the moment, but they're his 11th and 12th, and he's never had a temperature with any of the others. Could still be that, though, I guess?

I had a similar post on here last week when my DD had a temperature of 40.4 with no other symptoms. After posting on here and other mums saying OMG, I phoned NHS24. They ran through the usual, ie check her over for a rash, is she rousable, any sickness etc then said calpol etc, open window, strip down to a sheet etc. In the absence of any other symptoms, she could have a temperature as high as this for 2/3 days without my needing to worry. She had it for 2 days and got a cough so I am sure it was some kind of cold virus that she was picking up.
So as long as her temperature does not increase after calpol etc and you are vigilant for any other symptons, it is probably just a virus.

My DS has had a temperature for 5 days now. The first day it was over 39 deg. but since then it has hovered around 38. He has a bit of a sore throat and occasionally a head ache but mostly he is fine although he seems to be developing a cough today.

There is a lot of it around here at the moment. I know several children with it. One has been to the docs who said, not surprisingly, it is a virus - it is the time of year for them after all.

I would give your DS some ibuprofen - works better and longer for a fever than Calpol. If he stops eating or gets unhappy I would take him to the docs as he could have some sort of infection and he is too little to tell you where it hurts.

I hope he is well again soon.

Thanks Niecie and Decena, that's reassuring. His temperature was back up to 39.5 last night, so I gave more Calpol, but it's down to just under 38 this morning (and the Calpol must have worn off by now). I phoned NHS Direct last night and they were worse than useless. They said it would take four hours for a nurse to call me back (which would have been 2am), and when I said not to worry, I'd leave it until the morning, the 'health adviser' who answered the phone said, 'Ok, but do call us back during the night if something bad happens'. Great choice of phrase!!