what are the correct responses to a high temperature?

[Kjaysmum]

hi, I have just been trying to trawl through the health section for a relavant discussion but haven't alot of time so...my ds is 15 months old and we have been very lucky in that he has been hardly ill so we have very little experience on what the 'right' responses are. I think one is supposed to call a doctor when the temperature reaches 39 degrees, is this generally what one does, say for example my ds is sleeping soundly but has a high temperature. Would I expect him to wake up if he was really very ill? He has a cold and a temperature of 38.3 which I am monitoring he was off his food today but took a bottle before bed...any advice

lots of water to drink
strip to underwear
open a window
make sure there's no rash and that they are alert

no 39 is too low really .. I don't bother till edging into 40's .. babies temps spike really high

intersperse doses of calpol and nurofen

don't wake him up .. and don't take his temp when asleep because it will naturally be higher

strip him off to a vest .. put a light sheet over him

I haven't called a doctor when there's only been a high temperature on its own, but I have done when there have been other symptoms. With a small baby I would be a bit more careful, but certainly over 12 months old I would only call if there were other problems as well as the fever.

calpol - as my 10 months old baba had a high temp and her bodysuit soaked thru when seh was in bed as she is full of cold so gave her calpol and it seems to did the trick

My dd had a high temp with a cold last motnh & I found this (on the Babycenter website) which made sense to me:

How can I tell if my baby's fever is serious?
More important than the actual temperature is your child's behaviour. If she has a fever of 104 degrees F / 39.7 degrees C, is feeding well, responsive, and easily comforted, you have less reason to worry than if her fever is 102 degrees F / 38.7 degrees C, she's crying inconsolably, and she's limp and unresponsive.
Call immediately if:
? A child older than six months has a temperature that reaches 103 degrees F / 39.2 degrees C
? Any fever lasts more than three days.

I wouldn't worry too much about 38.3 unless he seems very upset all the time or is really listless. See how he is in the morning.

Fingers crossed for you. xxx

P.S. - Definately agree that Calpol works well - will help him rest & should bring the temp down.

thanks everyone, very much appreciated, I have given his room a bit more air and he is sleeping soundly

out of interest calpol stabilises a temp but nurofen brings it down hence the intespersing it

so would baby paracetomol stabalise like calpol

got to go to bed twiglett, it's 22.30 here, but really interested so shall pick up thread again tomorrow, thanks again, goodnight

yes baby paracetomal = calpol
baby ibuprofen = nurofen

(sorry was using brand names)