urgent advice please. Temp of over 40 in 14 mo

[evenhope]

DD has had a temperature since Sun evening. At 5 o clock yesterday it was 40.1 (digital thermometer in ear) so we whipped to the GP. She said it was a throat infection and gave her amoxycillin.

She's had 3 doses now but she's getting hotter again. I just took her temp again and it was even higher (40.4)

She's hot and grizzly and her eyes look heavy but she's still quite bright and with it.

I've given her ibruprofen and I'll take her temp again in a bit. Shouldn't the ABs have kicked in by now?

Would you ring out of hours GP/ go to A&E/ wait and see?

put her in lukewarm bath and take her out, let water dry on skin - NO TOWEL

has she had paracetemol - ibuprofen not same thing

yep, keep her hair wet too. re the doc, only you can say. if you're spider senses are tingling, go. but then that's always my advice.

Strip her off

TEPID bath

Calpol as well as the ibuprofen

Fluids - whatever you can get her to take

Then take her temp again

Yes yes yes, get a second opinion, are you trying to cool her down too, fan on ,stripped off, cool flannel ?

NHS Direct is 0845 46 47 or take her to A&E, higher than 39 is dangerous enough but spiking 40 is not good. Have you given anything other than the anti b's, calpol etc ?

Don't tepid sponge or bath. Just strip her with fan facing room not her. Give paracetamol and brufen. If temp does not go below 39.5 after this-- A&E.

She had calpol 2 hours ago. I'm alternating calpol and ibruprofen. She had a bath a couple of hours ago and she's drinking.

She's not all floppy and ill IYKWIM.. she's pestering DS2 on his laptop. You can feel the heat coming off her though- she's like a radiator.

I second everyone, out of hours or A&E Now, or asap.

You should be using hottish water if you are sponging or bathing her - it will trick the body into trying to cool itself. Tepid or cool makes it work harder to heat up.

Don't hang about though. If the paracet doesn't bring it down within an hour I'd be going to the Dr tonight.

oh that IS interesting, christiana, i didn't know that about the hot water. fortunately for dd, she doesn't get temps. actually, i say that, when what i should say is 'our thermometer needs a new battery'.

Again, don't tepid sponge or bathe, not recommended now, can cool the body too quickly.

If her temp comes down within the hour as christiania said just send het to bed and go take her temp in an hour, if up again A&E, don't bother with out of hours.

Thanks for the advice- it's hard to know what to do for the best when you are sat here by yourself. Will take temp again in about 10 mins. I can see she isn't quite so hot now.

Evenhope, I'm rubbish when mine are ill, I panic like mad. Aitch ours is permanently lost and when I do locate it I'm too scared to read the result

I hope she cools down and sleeps tonight x

Call NHS Direct - I've always found them brilliant.

Phew. Going down. 38.2 a couple of minutes ago. Now 37.8. Can I stop worrying?

aitch !!! I just need a new thermometer, never mind the batteries. I thought his resting temp was 34.5 at one point I won't tell you what that made his temp last time he was ill !!!!

fever is there for a reason OP an if she seems OK in herself and just warm then I wouldn't panic too much, however get out of hours GP over if you are slightest bit worried - better to be safe than sorry

it's bad, isn't it? it's dd's fault, she loooooves taking everyone's temp (crackly automatic fancy pants forehead thing). it's only when she's ill that we remember oh shit, it's not working.

good that her temp is goiing down, evenhope.

oh good evenhope

I have one child who always gets temps over 40C. I think some children just seem to be this way so if you unlucky enough to have one of these, you'll probably have a few more incidents of this so always good to keep the calpol/nurofen stocked in the cupboard!

hope her throat is better soon

some kids handle high temps ok. Let her demranour guide you, the temp is doing a very important job in itself it is not a reason to go to a&e unless displaying lethargy rashes or symptoms of dehyrldration...
I tend to wipe face with flannel edges of hair, open window vest only fan if poss.
Don't base trip to a&e on temp alone unless other symptoms present. Best in mind could be virus which antibiotics won't help.
have been through this with dd many times evenhope too

Now down to 37. Running around the room holding DS's mobile to her ear and laughing so she must be feeling better. I'm doing the 2 hourly alternate ibuprofen and calpol. I expect we'll be up most of the night like we were last night...

you'd be amazed even... Dd always slept better with illness as a baby...

Blimey - glad to hear that it's come down although sorry you're going through it. When my DS was in hospital, we just alternated calpol/ibuprofen every two hours. Was like clockwork - you could tell the moment the meds started wearing off because he got all glassy-eyed. If she's running around, that's got to be a good sign. ABs can take 24-36 hours to kick in afaik. She should be feeling a lot better by morning.

Has she had such a high temp before? My DD2 does nothing by halves and goes from normal temp to 39+ at the slightest thing. She has been 40+ several times and it gets scary at times - slthough the docs didn't seem as concerned as I thought they might.

I would speak to the doc again tomorrow if she is still having high temp spikes as it would sound as though the ABs aren't working - usually need 3-4 doses for them to kick in though so don't worry yet. If it is viral you'll have to sit it out of course but it is possible some different ADs are needed to fight the throat infection.

The temperature is not a bad sign on it's own (as previously said) so try not too worry too much. Hope you get some sleep tonight!

morning evenhope, how is she today ?

Well she woke at 4ish absolutely burning again so I left her with the boys again. They say she's been fine all day but she's quite warm and grizzly.

I don't think she's had such a high temp before.