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General health

High Temperature - advice needed asap pls

25 replies

happyspider · 01/10/2004 23:23

DS is 15 months old and normally a very healthy baby, however he woke up (suddenly) this morning with a temperature of 38.5 C.
He's been very active all day and has had his food fine, however the temperature as not gone down even down he's been on Calpol all day (every 4 hours he gets a new sachet).

He's been very active, however at around 7PM he went to bed of his own will (we normally have to fight to put him to sleep) and he's been sleeping peacifully since, however I have just checked his temperature and it's still 38.5C:

Do I have to worry?
Should I take him to the hospital?

He has been fine in every other respect, apart that he wanted lots of cuddles today and the temperature, not so sure what to make of it.

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Chandra · 01/10/2004 23:27

Try to lower the temprature of the room in order to lower his temperature, if he gets to 39 you can give him a bath with tepid water. I wouldn't take him to hospital but would call NHS Direct if the fever gets to 39, the only thing they are going to do at hospital is to give him more calpol, or to tell you to give him Nurofen doses betwwen the calpol doses.

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Chandra · 01/10/2004 23:27

That means calpol, 3hrs later nurofen, 3hrs later calpol and so on...

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JanH · 01/10/2004 23:29

High temp alone is not a big deal, hs - not if he seems well in himself. It just means he has some kind of infection and his body is fighting it.

Keep an eye on him tonight and see how he is tomorrow. If he seems poorly, even after calpol, then you could think about hospital but ringing NHS Direct first would probably be best.

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Millie1 · 01/10/2004 23:31

I'd keep a close eye on him. Do you have Nurofen for Children? If so, you can give it as well as the Calpol and it's absolutely brilliant for reducing temperature. The dosage is something like 2.5ml every 8 hours - but check with NHS Direct first. If you think he's getting warmer, sponge him down or put him in a tepid/warm bath to bring his temperature down. We ended up in hospital with DS1 when his went to and above 40 deg c but they only did what we'd been doing at home (Calpol, Nurofen and bath) but at least they could monitor cos the danger with high temp and infants is febrile convulsions.

I guess it would do no harm to ring your GP even just to put your mind at ease ... or NHS Direct.

Good luck and I hope it goes down soon.

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Aero · 01/10/2004 23:32

I should keep an eye on it during the night and use nurofen as it works for longer. There's usually a reason for a temp, but I wouldn't worry too much just yet unless the calpol or /nurofen makes no difference at all. Ring NHS direct for advice if you're v worried though - they're v helpful and can advise you what's best to do. HTH and that you have a don't have too bad a night.

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princesspeahead · 01/10/2004 23:33

agree with chandra, 38.5 isn't too bad. If it goes above 39 I'd sponge him with a luke warm flannel (wouldn't immerse him in a bath, personally). Also make sure that he is in light pyjamas or just a vest in bed though, don't pile on the blankets or anything (sure you wouldn't). If the temp has been constant all day then the calpol is probably working - ie stopping it from raising. and if he is happy in himself then he sounds lke he is doing a good job of fighting off whatever virus it is. Sleeping is also good! I would only get doctors involved if it is above 39 and rising, he is listless or not right in himself, or producing any sort of funny cry. And obviously if there are any rashes.

Poor little mite, but he sounds like a good sleep is just what he needs. you'll probably find that it breaks in the early hours of the morning and he is fine by tomorrow. Hope so!

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jamiesam · 01/10/2004 23:36

Know it will be bleeding obvious to you, but I was a little shocked the first time I realised that after a hard day with poorly ds2, I might have to stay up some/all of the night with him checking his temperature. Hope you have an alarm so you can set and get some rest in between. Think, as others have suggested, that 40 degrees is when warning lights flash.
Found NHS Direct slightly vague but good for somehone to talk something like this through with in the middle of the night.

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GeorginaA · 01/10/2004 23:36

happyspider - do you know his "normal" well temperature? For example, my ds1 (3 years old) normal temperature is around 36 degrees whereas ds2's (4 months) normal temperature is quite warm at around 37.5 - hence I'd actually worry more with ds1 having a temp of 38.5 than ds2, if that makes sense?

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GeorginaA · 01/10/2004 23:37

(I would still medicate both and keep a close eye, btw... but I'd be a bit more panicked with a rise of 2.5 degrees...)

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jamiesam · 01/10/2004 23:38

oh, and stress importance of lukewarm (rather than cold) flannel - think cold water must constrict the blood vessels, whereas lukewarm must keep them open, and then bodyheat lost as water evaporates...

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mummylove · 01/10/2004 23:38

remove all clothes and sheets - honestly it wont hurt, my friend who is a paramedic said when ever she is called to babies with temps they have clothes on, first thing she does is remove everything exc nappy.

leave naked until temp decreases, if nothing happens lie him naked on towel, cover body with light towel and leave one limb out pat with flannel/sponge of tepid water, repeat all over body but cover what is not being done - this prevents shivering, open his window too

calpol and nurofen works well.

my dd had throat infection (didnt know but was cause of temp)at 15mths.

calpol would not get her temp down, second day doctor advised me to get nurofen i gave it two hours after calpol and at one point had to give it 5 mins after after speaking to emergency doc in middle of night.

her temp just would not budge, i had to keep waking her and giving her calpol/nurofen throughout the night, third night it went over 40 sohad to take her to hospital, they had one look at her thriat and said she had infection, i was given an antibiotic, after second dose she was completely back to herself, stupid doctor three days previous never checked her throat when i brought her in!

dont feel silly, go by your own tutition, if it wont go down, call emergency doc and they will talk you through it.

like someone else said temperatures means the body is fighting something buts is always best to be on guard.

make sure he is drinking plenty of water.

hugs

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princesspeahead · 01/10/2004 23:40

but don't strip and bathe him if he is nicely asleep on 38.5! Go to bed and check him in a couple of hours.
xx

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happyspider · 01/10/2004 23:42

Thanks for your replies,

he's sleeping with his romper suit on only as he's very warm and had to take off the sheet he had on as he was sweating.

I have Ibuprofen, and I will try it. Don't feel very confident about mixing medicines, but I understand, Chandra, that this what they advise at the hospital.

I am still up waiting for midnight as it's when he's due his next dose. But I know I won't be able to sleep tonight...

I will let you know how it goes with the temperature

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princesspeahead · 01/10/2004 23:44

when you give him the nurofen maybe put him in a vest? or loose pyjamas - nothing with feet anyway, he will stay much cooler if his feet are cool (you lose most heat from your head hands and feet).

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happyspider · 01/10/2004 23:46

mummylove, ds has had a chesty cough for a while now, so I wonder if he has a throat infection too: will definetevely try the Ibuprofen

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happyspider · 01/10/2004 23:47

sorry, meant Nurofen! I must already be falling asleep!

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JanH · 01/10/2004 23:49

Romper means no legs or feet, hs? And no sheet either should be fine - although if his temperature falls he will then feel cold and may well wake and cry!

Does he normally sleep all night?

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PuffTheMagicDragon · 01/10/2004 23:49

happyspider, I felt just like you the first time I had to give ibuprofen as well as calpol, but it was absolutely fine and I was so relieved.

Good luck, hope he's better soon.

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dolally · 02/10/2004 00:02

I'm another one who gave Calpol to my 16 month old, and when her temp didn't go down and it was too early to give another dose I called my doc and she said it was fine to alternate with Ibuprofen. That's what i did and it worked perfectly, plus a very quick lukewarm bath NOT COLD, (anyway don't bath yours he's asleep!) I would probably take off romper suit too.

I used to worry like you when mine were babies and with fever. I used to get up every ten minutes to check their temperature with one of those strips on the forehead, while they were fast asleep!

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happyspider · 02/10/2004 00:38

Update: we gave him the nurofen and he woke up, and he's now running around with obviously recharged batteries!
Temperature is down from 38.5 to 38...

He normally sleeps through the night, but not when's not well.

Don't trust the NHS direct that much since last time we called them ds was 9 months and very ill due to having just started nursery, we called them at 3:00AM, never got called back! We had to call back 3 times before we were actually called in to see a locum at midday the following day!

We would now take him straight to the hospital...

I am sure it's going to be a long night
PS janh romper has no sleeves or legs

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essbee · 02/10/2004 00:41

Message withdrawn

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mummylove · 02/10/2004 23:23

happyspider

hows your little man?

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essbee · 03/10/2004 00:42

Message withdrawn

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happyspider · 03/10/2004 09:32

thanks for asking love.
The poor little fella has had the temperature for the last 2 and half days now. Yesterday it was going up and down very quickly, from 37.8 to 39.7 in an hour at a certanin point!
This with the calpol and nurofen given at short intervals of time (every 2 to 3 hours)
We got really worried yesterday, so we took him to A&E where a very stern (but effective) doctor diagnosed ear and throat infection. He's now on antibiotics and Calpol.
Last time I checked his temperature an hour ago it was 38.3, this after we had given him Calpol at 7AM!

Needles to say I must have slept 6 hours in 2 days and feel shuttered, whereas ds is full of beans and wants to play.
He also eats and drinks well and the throat and ear don't seem to give him any pain (thank God for that!)

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happyspider · 03/10/2004 09:33

I meant
thanks for asking ladies!

I know I need some sleep!

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