Toddler with fever - call 111 or no?

[Burntoutboobout]

Dd is 21 months. Developed a fever of 39.1 last night. Have been giving neurofen every 6 hours as every time it wears off fever shoots back up again. She was off her food the past two days also.

We haven’t been out for over 2 weeks.. surely it can’t be corona? Me and her dad also do not have any symptoms.

This morning when she woke up she was choking really badly whilst trying to breastfeed, I had to flip her onto her stomach so she could catch a breath. No other coughing.

Not sure if it ok to call 111 just for a fever? Especially as children are supposed to barely be effected?! Really don’t want to take up any of the operators time.

Don’t give nurofen it’s not advised in case it is corona. Paracetamol only. Got any olbas oil and steam, maybe a steamy bath to help ease any congestion. Unless really struggling to breathe I wouldn’t call 111

If she’s choking whilst breastfeeding that suggests one of two things to me- incredibly blocked nose, or very swollen throat.

The first is not a medical emergency. The second is potentially.

Is she snotty/ sounds bunged up?
Is she drooling? Touching her mouth a lot (kids often touch their mouths when the pain is tonsillitis for example)?

She won’t take paracetamol at all :( will literally thrash around screaming to the point of choking and vomiting so much so that we don’t even have any in the house! I don’t want to pop out to get some in case it is corona and I possible infect someone! 🥺

Yes agree, switch to paracetamol in case it is corona. Otherwise it sounds manageable at home unless she deteriorates in her breathing.

How does she know the difference? It’s just the same?

Yes you’ll need to ask someone to get some, you’ll all need to isolate for 14 days now.

I read a guardian article saying that ibuprofen can make corona symptoms worse.

With that in mind it's probably just a toddler fever as there are no other symptoms. my DD is 23 months and about 3 weeks ago she developed a fever which lasted 24 hours, slept through most of it. Then was fine the next day. I was terrified as it was the first time this had happened.

I gave my DD paracetamol and let her sleep in her pjs and a thin blanket to keep her cool.

Keep an eye on them and maybe switch to using paracetamol. If it gets worse call 111 xx

No blocked nose at all, that’s what I originally thought.

Also tonsillitis - she’s actually had trouble with this reoccurring but I’ve checked her throat and it doesn’t even look red. She is touching her mouth a lot but I figured it’s because she’s teething badly with her second molars? Could teething cause this much of a spike/reoccurring temperature?

Call 111

Don't feel like you'll be wasting anyone's time OP. You know you're child best, if you're that worried - phone 111.

Please please do not give her neurofen. She has no choice in this. For her safety it needs to be paracetamol. She if someone could get it for you and give it to her using any means necessary. Do you have a syringe! I used to have to hold mine and quickly squirt it in as they opened their mouth to protest
Or cry. Sounds cruel but it’s for their own good.

Not sure how she knows the difference. She’ll take the orange flavour of neurofen only.. it’s calpol she won’t take but I haven’t tried any other brand of paracetamol so will try and get someone to pick some up.

Absolutely 111 if she's struggling with feeding now.

You can buy orange flavoured calpol too with no colouring so it looks just like neurofen. Do you use the syringes? Could just use a neurofen syringe to trick her? 😅

111 and also explain you don’t have any paracetamol as they may be able to organise a prescription for you if they think it’s appropriate.

Useless fact but if I remember rightly the generic prescription stuff is blackcurrant flavoured.

Personally I would try and hide it in a yoghurt but I’m happy to be corrected on that if someone knows of a reason you shouldn’t. Alternatively you could have a treat available immediately after syringing to help calm the outrage.

I hope she improves soon

Thank you for your advice everyone. Sister has just dropped some calpol over our fence so that’s us locked in for 2 weeks! Hoping this fever breaks soon 🤞🏻

@Burntoutboobout

Actually although her throat isn’t red, if she’s touching her mouth, choking and spiking a fever my money is on tonsillitis.

I speak from extensive experience- DS has chronic tonsillitis for 9 months - 12 separate bouts.

See how she goes, but I’d get her seen if it lasts more than 24 hours more, and she has a history of issues with tonsils.

From my experience last weekend, out of hours might not see her because of the fever so if you do call them, be prepared they it could be an A&e job. We waited hours and hours on the phone with 111 only to be told to go to A&E at midnight. it was really quiet and they said lots of parents are putting off coming but if there are concerns, they’d rather see people than miss a potentially serious illness in a child.

Thank you both. Will definitely keep an eye and if it’s still this way tomorrow I’ll call 111. Hate seeing her poorly although she had no trouble devouring a chocolate hobnob

Fever still raging on, she’s not eating at all on hold to 111 now.

How are you doing @Burntoutboobout ? Any joy with 111?

Hey OP was your girl okay?
Hope all is well

Go to hospital

Why are people not calling their own GPs? This should be the first port of call, not 111.

@Namechangervaver it was a Saturday so GP wasn’t open.

Sorry for not responding, it did turn out to be tonsillitis and she’s all better now :)