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Original poster

DD (18 months) high fever spikes (104), generally sleepy, not eating. 3 days now. Has cold but...

40 replies

designerbaby · 03/05/2009 20:19

Is that all it is? She's also possibly teething but it's hard to tell.

Spoke to NHS direct, they said to basically medicate frequently to keep temperature down, and that's about it.

She's really not herself. Has had colds before, and obviously many episodes of teething before, but has never been like this - especially the sleepiness (see my many posts in sleep topic about my amazingly sleep-resistant child).

I KNOW I'm a neurotic first time mum, she is my PFB etc. but I'm conernced, it's the bank holiday weekends, and while I don't want to appear ridiculous by heading to A&E for a 'cold' I also don't want to ignore something which could be more than that.

Hate medicating at the max dosage like this, (currently using Nurofen on NHS direct advice, but will have to go back to Calpol tomorrow as it will have been 3 days...) but otherwise she's horribly hot, glassy eyed and clammy etc.

Any experience of this? Advice? Tell me I'm being ridiculous PFB-y...

TIA

db
xx

OP posts:
lisalollipop · 03/05/2009 20:41

Hi designerbaby - does the temperature respond to medication? Is DD still having her milk?

I would be worried too (also potential neurotic PFB mum) but if temp comes down and she's feeding, there probably isn't much more to be done. Do you know if she is in pain anywhere e.g sorethroat/ ear infection. I know it's hard to tell the difference with wretched teeth around too. That would be the only thing to know in case antibiotics would be any use.

If in doubt at all forget NHS direct and call your GP. They will have an on-call service even if it's not at your practice.

Don't feel bad for worrying - it's better than not caring!

herbietea · 03/05/2009 20:43

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Tiggiwinkle · 03/05/2009 20:48

I would get her looked at if she is still getting such high temps after 3 days (and I have had 5 children!).

She may have something which needs antibiotics, such as a throat or urine infection. My DS5 used to get really high temps with tonsillitis.

The doctors will not mind seeing her-they are always happy to see such young children as they can get very ill so quickly.

letswiggle · 03/05/2009 20:54

I would absolutely go to the doctor or A&E. V.high temp in my kids tends to be tonsilitis, needing antibiotics. Anyway she's much too little to wait and see. Don't worry about being a fusspot - what are doctors for anyway?

Original poster
designerbaby · 03/05/2009 20:56

Hi - thanks for answering!

Temperature does respond to medication - but only for an hour or two - it's usually up again long before I can give another dose - and even when it's down I'm talking down to 101-102, not to normal.

She's never been a big milk drinker, but she's not even having what she usually does. And she's not really eating at all. Today she had half her morning bottle, ate a wheatabix for brekkie (yay...), nothing for lunch - I managed to get a bit of bread and butter into her when she woke from her nap, and a small Ellas smoothie, no supper bar 4 spoonfuls of mash and a yoghurt - she fell asleep while drinking her bottle and only had half. Been trying to get her to drink juice and water throughout the day but not much luck.

I'm also worried she'll dehydrate, with this consistently high temp and lack of drinking...

How would I go about finding an out of hours doctor herbie? iI think I'll take her tomorrow if there's no improvement...

No way of knowing if it's teeth or something else, really...

db
xx

OP posts:
herbietea · 03/05/2009 21:01

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mears · 03/05/2009 21:02

Out of hours doctor is via NHS Direct.

You can give alternate calpol and nurofen, they work very well combined. If you are concerned, phone back NHS direct and get her seen.

letswiggle · 03/05/2009 21:12

I would take her to A&E this evening.

lisalollipop · 03/05/2009 21:20

Think Gps vary but if you ring their normal number they will tell you what to do out of hours. Some hospitals have out of hours clinics that are like emergency GP pratices, but you will find out your local procedure somehow from the GP answer message.

littleboyblue · 03/05/2009 21:26

My ds1 had this a few weeks ago. His temp was raising over a few days, I was giving ibuprofen and although the temp would come down, it wasn't long before it peaked again. He wasn't really himself for a few days either. On Easter sunday, he'd gone to bed fine, I was watching tv and suddenly heard him scream, I ran to his room and he was soooooo hot and flushed looking, so I grabbed him up, took his temp which was 41.8 degrees. 40 degrees is 104, so don't know what 41.8 is! I gave a shot of nurofen, took all his clothes off checking for a rash, moved his head around, and made him look at the light bulb.
I'm here on my own with him and newborn, dp was at work, so I called out of hours doctor who came to my house (4 hours later) to check him out. He said it was a virus and I should keep his fluids up, and medicate as and when needed. He told me to alternate calpol and nurofen, so I was checking his temp every 3 hours for a few days, but it soon cleared up.
As you are clearly concerned, I'd get him seen. It'll put your mind at rest and a doctor will be better at telling you how best to control it than any of us. For example, I was told to keep ds in just a nappy and sponge him down with tepid water, someone else told me that we aren't supposed to take all their clothes off to cool them down anymore, so at the least, call NHS direct and see what they say.
I hope ds gets better soon.

Tiggiwinkle · 03/05/2009 21:41

I would get her looked at this evening. That is a very high temperature and she is probably feeling wretched.

Tomorrow is a Bank Holiday so no GP will be open anyway. I would take her to A and E.

Original poster
designerbaby · 03/05/2009 21:57

Ah tonsillitis - now that's a thought...

Looking at the symptoms online, and she did have HORRIBLE breath the last few days and the day before, and definitely doesn't want to eat or drink - i.e. swallow? Even her favourites - unless it's something cold - like yoghurt or wheatabix with cold milk?

Hmmm. Out of hours tomorrow it is then I reckon. She is, at least, sleeping for now _ I don't think I want to wake her up unless she worsens. Have movement monitr on and am chgecking on her regularly.

Have been alternating, Mears, when she gets bad - but really concerned about the quanitty of medication over a number of days now.

You are, as usual a goldine of useful advice and experience. I don't know what I'd do without you all, really I don't.

Thanks all..

db
xx

OP posts:
whomovedmychocolate · 03/05/2009 22:01

Horrible breath is normally a good indicator of tonsillitis. She probably does need some antibiotics and the sooner the better. Call NHS direct and get the details of your local walk in or out of hours centre.

She will be okay, her high temperature shows her body is fighting the infection as hard as it can.

Original poster
designerbaby · 04/05/2009 10:49

Right - phoned Camidoc and have an appointment at 12.30. Hopefully we'll get to the bottom of this.

She woke at 6.30 this morning as usual, drank a measly 100mls of milk and then passed out again immediately until 9.30. MOST unlike my livewire DD. She's had a couple of mouthfuls of wheatabix, the same of yoghurt this morning as is refusing all else.

Still hot and listless. Not good.

Thanks for all you advice - I'll keep you posted.

db
xx

OP posts:
littleboyblue · 04/05/2009 11:17

Hope she gets a bit better soon. FWIW, I wouldn't worry too much about the food, just keep fluids up, that's what I'd do anyway.
I'll keep an eye out later for an update. x

Tiggiwinkle · 04/05/2009 13:02

Just dropping in to see how things are-glad you managed to get an appointment.

Hope you get it sorted-will check later.

Original poster
designerbaby · 04/05/2009 14:55

You guys were spot on - viral tonsillitis it is. She had also developed a nasty viral rash by this morning.

So nowt they can do, really. Have to try and keep her fluids up, try and get her to eat whatever I can. Calpol if she's miserable, and that's about it.

I was rather hoping they'd be able to give me something to help clear things up, but no. Still, at least we know what we're dealing with. Will just have to wait it out...

You ladies have been, as usual, an oracle...

Thanks muchly for all advice and reassurance. I'm glad I took her.

db
xx

OP posts:
Tiggiwinkle · 04/05/2009 15:20

Just a word of caution...does the rash feel rough at all? Sore throat plus rash can mean Scarlet Fever, which seems to be on the increase these days. It does cause a persistent high temperature such as your DD has had.

SF definitely does need treatment with antibiotics, because there are nasty complications if untreated.

Many doctors unfortunately do not seem to recognise it. Another sign is that the tongue has a thick white coating, or in later stages is bright red, with darker red bits showing through.

Google images of the rash and tongue of Scarlet Fever and if you are in any doubt take her to see your own GP tomorrow.

Original poster
designerbaby · 04/05/2009 16:52

Hi Tiggiwinkle... I don't think so (she's gone out for a walk with DH just now so I can't check) but it only appeared today. It looks similar in colour and fine-ness to the pictures i googled, but the Doctor didn't mention Sacrlet fever... he did pay close attention to the rash though so maybe that's what she was checking?

I'll keep an eye on it and check the texture when i give her a bath this evening.

Thanks for the heads up.
db
xx

OP posts:
mears · 04/05/2009 19:11

Definitely agree about possibility of requiring antiniotics for throat infection. 2 of my children had Scarletina (milder form of Scarlet Fever) but needed antibiotics too. Throat infection can cause rash and also kidney problems if not treated. Maybe visit own GP?

mears · 04/05/2009 19:12

Some infor here

mears · 04/05/2009 19:15

this is better

lisalollipop · 04/05/2009 20:49

Glad you got an appointment DB. Hope she's on the mend soon. Viral things hopefully will only last 5 days and she must be on day 4 or 5 now?

I know what it's all about - DD heard you were thinking of playing tough with nighttime sleeping (different sleeping thread) lol

Original poster
designerbaby · 04/05/2009 23:47

Ah.. Lisa - you might be on to something there - it's been night-time cuddles aplenty since this started and I'm trying not to think about the long-term effects on sleep [mine] too much...

If it's not one thing it's another...

Thanks for all the advice Mears... I'll keep an eye on the rash tomorrow and if it appears not to be improving I'll get it checked again. It doesn't feel particularly sandpapery though. Just slightly raised tiny bumps - lots of them, some areas all joined up so red all over. But not rough as described on the net, I don't think.

I'll take her in again if she's still not eating anyway, Doc said viral tonsillitis can become bacterial and therefore need antibiotics at a later stage... or something

Poor little mite. She's a very sorry little thing at the mo, it breaks my heart that i can't help her more than I am doing.

db
xx

OP posts:
Tiggiwinkle · 05/05/2009 09:27

How is she today?