poorly baby - temps of 39-40 - scared

[Piffle]

posting this in health for MinnieMitch

Profile from minniemitch placed on Wednesday, 18 October, 2006 10:14:31 PM
poorly baby - temps of 39-40 - scared

Hello, I've been using mumsnet for a while but just as a reader really - I search the conversations for something I'm worried about and have found it a great help. Have a dd of 10months. She's quite ill - bronchiolitis and temperatures of 39-40. We went to the hospital because she went seemingly unconscious in my arms this afternoon but her temp had come down and we were sent away (x ray showed no pneumonia and she was quite alert). Got home about 30 mins ago and she was burning up again. My therm showed 38.9 but it's half a degree out -in the wrong direction. Rang out of hours doc - told to put her to sleep after ibuprofen (alreadyhad calpol) and check on her every half hour. I'm holding on to her little toy monkey for dear life. I'm so scared. She's been so brave. Anyone been here?

Okies.
Temp itself is explainable and mornal as your dd is fighting a nasty infection - the temperature is he body's natural defence to it.
Tips for keepign her cool include, stripping her down to vest and nappy or just nappy with sheet covering her.
Plenty of fluids - so long as she is weeing every few hours you do not have to worry about dehydration. Which can come on quite quickly in young babies. Thats one of the main dangers with high temps. So watch out if she refuses fluids for more than a few hours, stops weeing.
Use the calpol and ibuprofen every 4-6 hrs as directed by the bottle to get maximum effects.
I have a daughter who suffers very high fevers so if you need more advice I'll try to help, I know it is worrying.

Poor you-both.
You could try tepid sponging.
Use a flannel and expose one limb at a time-use tepid water (not cold ) and just sponge her down.
keep the room well ventilated-maybe a fan not directly near her though.
Minimal clothing-maybe just a cotton vest if anything.
Bath-again water should feel neither hot nor cold-body temp.
Regular calpol and ibruprofen if old enough.
Offer plenty of fluids-whatever she likes.
Hopefully she will sleep then and remain cool.
Its all usual stuff that you prob. know anyway, but many of us have been there, and esp. in the wee hours of the night its so bloody scary.
Hope she gets better soon and you get some rest yourself.
(((((((((((( hugs )))))))))))))

Many thanks for tips - really helpful. She woke up very hot this morning (39.5ish) but calpol and ibuprofen doing the trick of keeping temp down. She only drinks 1 or 2 oz of milk or water at a atime so I'm just offering it every half hour along with small snacks - not much solid food going in, just tiny bits of favourite things - cheese, yoghurt, toast, fruit. Hardly any meat gone in her for days! She's lost 8 oz and wasn't exactly a porker to begin with (9th centile-ish).
Went back to docs and he said she's doing well considering how ill she was but her throat and sides cave in a bit when she breathes because of blocked bronchioles.
My mum is rather unsympathetic sadly - a bit victorian. I'm afraid she told me not to go to the doctor when she first had it in case the doctor thought I was neurotic! Cheers mum.

One fab. tip somebody gave me was use of a steam sterilizer !
If shes got bronchial probs it works wonders.
dd1 and dd2 we spent many hours steaming up the bathroom ect.Wish we had thought of this for them.
Take the lid off a sream sterilizer, fill to max. level with water and set in room-hey presto tons and tons of lovely steam. And the best thing is it automatically switches off when water runs out.

yes with dd as well, get shower going full heat, let room fill with steam and sit in there with dd for several minutes
Always stopped dd's bronchiolitis coughing fits
Hope dd is feeling better minnie.