Ds (11m) has his first fever and I just wonder when we should worry?

[PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife]

It was 38.5 earlier today; we gave him panadol and it came down. Around time he was due for another dose it was 38.2. Came down again but he felt very hot after his bath (which was not terribly warm).

He's also got v mild case of sticky eye and conjunctivitis (doc said both), but that doesn't cause a temp does it?

Is there anything else we should look out for?

I feel like such an idiot, not really knowing what to do apart from bf, lots of water, regular panadol. Anything else? Does he get his normal light blanket?

the time to worry is when his temp does not come down after you have dosed him.

Give him a light blanket if he is more comfy, but only a very light one if he has a temp. He may be better off in just a nappy - anything to keep him a bit cooler really.

Like you say, plenty of fluids, cuddles and medicine as per dosage.

And lots of hugs

Yes strip him down to his nappy, use a very light blanket. If the medication doesn't bring his temp down, try a cool bath, not cold, or a fan in his room.

Main thing is to keep him hydrated.

Poor little thing, hope he feels better soon.

It's horrible isn't it?

It sounds as if you're doing all the right things. We were advised by NHS 24 to let ds2 sleep in just a vest.

You can also use a cool flannel to cool him a bit, but don't have it freezing cold, just room temp, as too cold can actually cause them to get hotter.

I hope he's feeling better soon.

thank you both

our room is quite cold, there is always a draught in there so will leave him in his jams but no blanket.

we usually co-sleep, I felt he was warm in the night but the thermometer said no. will see how we go tonight...

sorry panadol = paracetamol

yes it is horrible. I feel such a strong urge to just hold him, even though he's asleep and temp has gone. Cannot imagine what parents go through with babies who are really sick.

alternate maximum doases of baby calpol (with paracetamol) and chidlrens nurofen say every three hours. Don;t go over max dosage of either but you can give up to max dose which means using both you can give more frequently. light clothing (as mentioned) and lukewarm flannel/bath.

If temp doesn't come down after say 12 hours of that or if baby becomes very listless and unresponsive go and see a doctor/a&e.

IME temperatures shoot up in teh middle of the night so be prepared for a difficult night. Hope he's better soon.

I wouldn;t worry too much about "warm" when you touch them and they are hot enough to fry eggs on and they almost yelp because their skin is so sensitive - thats a temperature

thanks for warning kewcumber . hope he doesn't get that hot, so far the paracetamol is working...

paracetamol working is a good sign. IME dosing them up early often heads off the worst of teh temp - if you leave it then it becomes a bugger to get down (voice of experience there!) My lovely next door neighbour is a GP and kindly came out when DS had his first rreally scary temp - she gave me her baby nurofen and told me about the switch para/nuro trick and said its always worsth keeping both for emergencies.

I second alternating the para with the brufen. I know your bound not to get much sleep tonight, I used to stay up and just watch my DS when he was ill, frightened he would have a convulsion or something and I wouldn't know. A GP told me that if his temp went sky high he would wake up and cry- cos they will feel rough.

If the para is bringing the temp down, thats good, and he will most likely wake up with some sort of infection IMO, they have a period before an infection shows where they are just off it and have a temp (can't remember what its called now), mine usually wakes up the nextmorning with a cracking dose of croup/ ear infection etc.

Hope the little guy is OK, and if you at all worried, tkae him to your OOH's, it better to get down there and get him checked out that sit there worrying all night- believe me i've done it loads.

Oh and forgot to say, mine has just had a case of sticky eye/conjunctivitis- and we have watched it move down to his nose and last night he started coughing a fruity cough- its obv going to his chest (he has a weak chest though)- probably just a coincidence tho....

hm novacane, that's interesting

he has had a horrid runny nose for about a week now, I thought it was just down to teething (mostly clear snot, not green!) and he's got a little cough - he's had that for ages - however it always gets a little worse after he's out in the wind and we were a bit yesterday.

will watch his ears and cough sharply tomorrow, thanks for that warning.

Sounds like my dd2 (11 months) last week. She had a temp of 38.5, really snotty nose - yellow - sorry tmi) and a chesty cough. I alternated with the calpol and nurofen and she was over her temp within 48 hours.

Hope ds is better soon.