What temperature warrants immediate medical attention?

[lucyellensmum]

I am a bit vague about temperatures. My DD is 2.3 and with an ear thermometer she is usually about 36/37 degrees. When she has a temperature they are always really high, the other night hers was 39.5!! We dosed her with calpol and ibruprofen and her temp has only spiked to about 38.3. She is getting much better now. To be honest, she didnt really have many other symptoms. When her temp was really high she was in bed so difficult to assess, she came into our bed and went to sleep after the meds. No other symptoms really, although she did have tummy ache on friday. But anyway, shes on the mend

But When do I panic? i have often been on the phone to out of hours when she has had a temp over 39 and have been given the bath and air dry advice (this really works), even when she has been lethargic they dont want to let you take them to see a doctor or send a doctor out .

I have seen some Mnetters say that over 39 means trouble, or is this if it cannot be brought down with meds. Of course i would assume other symptoms/factors are important but would someone like to please clarify this for me.

ta xx

38 would have me calling the doc pretty sharpish. DD has had meningitis and encephalitis and i do not take temperatures lightly as a result! always better ot look like a neurotic nutter I say!

Message withdrawn

Thanks for the info girls

I have to say that we know a family where the little boy was brain damaged by a convulsion when he was two. He is still in need of care and support even though in his mid twenties
I guess nobody likes to think it can happen but it can. Apparently he stopped breathing for a good while.

ah it's tricky isn;t it essbee. DS2 running a temp of 42 I would take to the doctor's as it would be so unusual for him, and ds3 would probably have a convulsion at that temp so him too but for a while it was routine for ds1 to run very high temps and the times I did take him the emergency doctors refused to examine him anyway "in case it distresses him' (one go at waving a teddy in his face then nothing more- they should teach GP's some skills at dealing with severe autism/learning disabilities), so I decided not to take him anymore unless I thought he was really ill (rather than just running a temp) and we would go straight to A&E, jump the queue (as they let him there) and see someone senior with the skills to examine him.

My friend's son barely goes above 38, so for him 39 is very high. It does vary amongst children (and between thermometers!)

kerrymum, you make a good point there, if the temperature doesnt drop with meds then i always seek help and i think that is an important factor. I've never really found NHS direct that useful for general bugs etc, because i think its down to gut feeling more than anything and you can wait up to four hours for a non urgent call back, trouble is, they seem to decide what is urgent for you amazing how they can see a child down a phone line!

I have to say that they were of great help when i couldnt be sure if DD had drunk some water out of the dishwasher that was in an upturned cup. She clearly hadnt but i couldnt be 110% sure so they got the list of things to look out for so i could rule it out.