Advice please: 7 month old high fever hospital sent home

[nuggles]

We've just come home from taking my 7 month son to hospital after being told there's a 5 hour wait for my son to be seen (111 told me to take him into a&e).

All day he's had a temperature going up to 38.2 and regular calpol has been bringing it down. This evening his temperature went up to 38.8 and he was shivering - which scared the crap out of us.

We're back home now and his fever is still 37.5.
He's currently on antibiotics for urine reflux after a uti at 5 weeks. The student nurse who saw him at the hospital just said there was nothing wrong with him although I just know that's not normal for him to be so hot.

He doesn't have any other symptoms and seems quite happy. I'll make a gp appt in the morning if his fever hasn't gone down.
I just want to know if this is to do with a uti, teething or he has a bug.
I'm quite disappointed in the hospital.

Were you sent home or did you go home cause you didn't want to wait to be seen? A student nurse wouldnt be able to discharge you and I guess if you'd waited you could have seen a doctor who would have confirmed if your child had a uti or a bug and could have treated anything that needed treating.

We had he option of coming home and waiting to see the doc at the hospital at 5.45am as my son was classed as non emergency and the waiting room was full. We only live 5 mins away from the hospital.
I was after helpful advice for the next few hours more than anything. Thanks

Keep him cool and make sure he's taking plenty fluids. Keep on with the calpol and take him to the gp 1st thing. Gp will more likely to say it's viral (that's what they always say) just keep a close eye on him for any rash becoming floppy or unresponsive. If he's drinking and filling his nappies I think he'll be fine. It is awful to see them ill big hugs to you.

I know fever is really worrying, but try to remember that it is a good sign that his body is fighting the infection. The fever itself won't hurt him which is why they sent him home.

Keep a close eye on him and keep on with the paracetamol and keep him cool. A friend told me a wet flannel behind the neck really helps.

His temperature is high, but from my limited knowledge, I believe not dangerously high.

Keep an eye out for other weird symptoms- cold hands, adversion to light, floppyness, unresponsive, rash etc - if anything like that develops get him seen to immediately - call 999

Try not to worry (I know not easy) it's most like likely a virus that will pass soon.

37.5 is only a little raised.

A temperature of 38.8 is a fever but it is not excessively high and the shivering is reaction to the fever. If paracetamol is bringing it down and your DS is otherwise comfortable it's OK to watch and wait. 37.5 is only a little high.

Recently the school of thought is moving towards letting fevers run their course as the body's natural defence and only treating symptoms as they arise, unless the cause is bacterial.

However, as he's already on antibiotics it might be wise to check in with your GP.

A fever won't hurt him, it's just the body fighting off infection. It's not scarily high, just raised. The shivering is a result of the fever. Keep an eye on him but in the absence of other symptoms the best thing you can do is keep him comfortable at home. I would check with your GP today though as you say he's already on antibiotics.

We're back home now and his fever is still 37.5.

Normal body temperature is 37 - so 37.5 is NOT a fever.

37.5 is technically acknowledged to be a 'low-grade fever'. I do think they should dipstick his urine as he has a slight temperature despite long-term antibiotics.

Thanks for the advice. He's been checked out by a doctor at the hospital this morning who thinks it may be a viral infection, I've dropped off a urine sample to my gp too.

He's gone up to 39 now. It's very worrying especially as this is the first time this has ever happened.

I'll try the wet flannel behind the ears to see if that helps bring his temperature down

Take ibuprofen as well as paracetamol. Alternate with a dose of one or other every three hours. (Obviously making sure you don't go over the recommended number of doses per 24hrs.) Strip him to his nappy. Keep the room cool. And lots of cool liquids. If you're doing all of the above and temp is staying high (which 37.5 isn't) then call 111 again.

Thanks, have tried those. He's been fast asleep in his cot for an hour and his temperature is now 35.5.

I am probably being a paranoid new mummy but this seems to be a total u turn from his high temperature to low.

Does he feel cold? Sometimes in-ear thermometers aren't the easiest to get right when a baby is in the cot.

I remember my son once having a high temp then go low, and he felt cold too. I had to wrap him in a blanket to warm him up. This was another result of his virus. It didn't last long, but it really worried me because it was unusual. It sounds like a pretty horrible virus for him (and you).

I'm terrible at managing temperatures - they make me feel so ridiculously anxious, even though they're quite common.

Honestly this all sounds ok. Horrid to see them so poorly but his temps are not really that high. And as you have discovered, they bounce back in no time! while the parents are still in a heap
Keep an eye on him but equally don't panic, there will be plenty more fevers over the years!
Hope he sleeps well tonight

They really do make you feel so anxious and worried don't they? His temperature is still around 35.5, better than 39!

Thanks for your advice. I think we'll be up checking him several times tonight. Hurry up this virus and sod off!