Toddler with temperature over 40 = hospital?

[user1471523870]

Just called the GP as my little one has been unwell for the last few days. It seems to be one of the bugs he picks from nursery (Covid PCR test was negative). I mentioned he had a mild temperature on and off since Sunday, with runny nose and some cough in the morning, and that yesterday evening the thermometer showed his temperature was 40 (for the first time, it was normal or much lower during the day). He was relatively well and his temperature went down immediately with some Calpol.
However, this morning he was running a temperature again (38) and as it's the third day since the symptoms started I called the GP.
The receptionist basically said when you have a temperature of 40 you go straight to hospital, you don't wait for the doctor.
I feel so bad and I am a bit scared now thinking I should have gone to the hospital immediately yesterday night. I didn't think much of it as apart from the fever he's not unwell, eating, playing etc. Also, Calpol took the fever down in minutes and he seemed to be ok. Of course I called the GP this morning as it's been few days now and maybe there is a need for stronger medications.

Is it so universally known you go to the hospital when you run a fever of 40, even for only about 20 minutes and it disappears with Calpol?

How old is your little one? Are they still drinking and having wet nappies ?

Personally I wouldn't if it came down with Calpol, but I'm never sure so watching with interest to see what others do.

Me personally, if he is seeming okay and it can be controlled with Calpol and ibuprofen, I would give calpol and ibuprofen and treat at home, assuming he stays otherwise okay.

I wouldn't go into hospital (especially now with COVID) for a fever that could be controlled at home. The only time we were advised to take ours into hospital was when he had a febrile seizure and became listless and unresponsive after. He was absolutely fine the next day with regular calpol and ibuprofen, but it was a nightmare to get ourselves discharged as you have to wait around for all the paperwork. If not for the seizure and the effects after, we would have been much better off at home. Obviously, if he has a rash or is listless, that is different.

My ds used to get bronchiolitis all the time when he was a baby, so he was in and out of hospital a lot. They always said aslong as he was feeding, having wet nappies and temp was controlled with calpol/nurofen there wasn't much else they could do as it's viral. Sometimes it turned into a chest infection and then only antibiotics would shift it.
He used to have febrile seizures when his temp got too high so that is what my main concern now would be.

A temperature over 40 in a young baby would be worrying, but in an older toddler it’s not necessarily that concerning. There’s some info here about what to look out for: www.nhs.uk/conditions/fever-in-children/ but if your DC is having wet nappies, they don’t have other concerning symptoms (eg a rash), and the temperature is coming down with paracetamol you probably don’t need to be rushing off to A&E, unless you have another reason to be concerned.

If he's well within himself and carrying on his normal day I would treat with Calpol and nurofen.
Assuming you already have windows open giving the heat we have atm but hospital told me great way to get temp down is with windows open. Granted we don't have much air atm but allow the air to circulate.
Long as he's setting nappies, drinking and eat enough he should be ok.
There's a lot going round atm and the heat won't be helping them!

Yes, I make sure he drinks plenty (and he does), and he had wet nappies. He's been eating fine, not tummy troubles.
The only thing is he's a little congested, with some occasional cough (like when he wakes up in the morning) and his body temperature.

I have no doubts he's fighting a virus as this -except for hitting a fever of 40- happens at least once a month :(.

He's almost 3.

GP just called back and he didn't seem overly concerned. He's organized for us to attend a children's clinic so that they can check his lungs and perhaps prescribe antibiotics.

Ah that's great. You'll feel a lot better knowing he's getting checked!
Hope he feels better soon

I was once told this by a dr ( and felt terrible). I mentioned it to another dr later on and he said it wasn’t about how high a temperature they spike, it’s whether or not you can get it to come down. Home thermometers aren’t terribly accurate anyway apparently.

That's good it's always best getting them checked anyways for your peace of mind more than anything ! That way they can have a listen to his chest too.

@cookiesandcreamm

Ah that's great. You'll feel a lot better knowing he's getting checked! Hope he feels better soon

Thank you! He's asleep at the moment, no temperature and he's breathing is ok. His body probably needs to rest to recover well. This heat doesn't help at all!

I believe the reasoning behind this is that a tempt over 40 puts small children at risk of having a fit, which is very dangerous.

Having seen a child having such a fit before, I would always take my kid to get seen under these circumstances. Not sure i would go to a&e, but I’d probably go to urgent care or whatever is available these days!

@Eggcellent29

I believe the reasoning behind this is that a tempt over 40 puts small children at risk of having a fit, which is very dangerous.

Having seen a child having such a fit before, I would always take my kid to get seen under these circumstances. Not sure i would go to a&e, but I’d probably go to urgent care or whatever is available these days!

So what do you think a hospital or doctor can do to prevent this high temp that you can't do at home? If the temp is reducing and the child is well the receptionist was talking nonsense. Cycle ibuprofen and calpol to make him more comfortable and allow plenty of rest, fluids and watch out for worrying symptoms - unusually sleepy/miserable/inconsolable/rashes/any behaviour out of normal that concerns you or your instinct says something is not right.

Obviously if the child does have a febrile convulsion then of course take to hospital or call an ambulance.

@worktrip

They have a magic box that they put children into, and when they come out they never get a temp again, sleep through the night and eat all their vegetables 😆

It's only for babies under 6 months that there's a "threshold" temperature over which you should seek medical advice (not rushing off to A&E). Like others, if the temp is coming down with calpol/ibuprofen (I always give this for a temp of 39 or above even though that isn't nhs advice 🤷‍♀️) then I'd manage it at home. If they seemed unwell then I'd seek medical attention when I felt it was appropriate, but not just because of the temperature.

So in summary, you have nothing to feel bad about!

@Eggcellent29. Yes, I was in charge of that magic box for 9 years 😂

We also had a magic hydrating machine for puking kids known as a syringe with a jug of water and instructions to mum to give 5mls every 5 minutes. One mum looked at me and asked if there was an easier way, as this task was so basic and onerous on her, so I said well we could stick a tube up her nose or a needle in her hand, but we prefer to do that when this method fails!

Oh, and not forgetting the kiddie brought in with a 40C temp. ‘Have you given calpol or ibuprofen’.......No.

A&E also do the things you do at home, and thank goodness most parents are sensible.

What SpamIAm said. Specific numbers for height of fever are only mentioned in NICE guidance (specifically the traffic light system, which is really useful) for the two groups of babies under 3 months, and babies under 6 months. I agree you have nothing to feel guilty about.

DS1 (now 13) had a 40 degree temperature fairly often when he was aged 2-3 and providing it came down with calpol I didn’t worry too much.

If it goes on more than a few days he may need antibiotics though so I would get him checked by a gp.

As an adult I had temp = 40.9 & Dr wanted to send me home.
I had to fake being delerious to get admitted (or get something, knew I needed something, stayed in hospital 5 days).

So 40 in toddler not seeming crazy high to me.

Thank you all for sharing your stories and make me think I wasn't acting irresponsibly.

Of course a temperature of 40 is a concern, hence me calling the GP the morning after ( having managed to take it down with Calpol immediately and made sure he had plenty to drink, while checking there were no other worrying signs). I didn't expect such a strong reaction from the receptionist and it made me wonder if I was so ignorant about caring for my son's health:(.

By the way, the lovely doctor at the clinic we have been sent totally reassured me he looks ok and fevers are relatively normal, and that I did the right think calling when I did. He's been prescribed antibiotics and hopefully they should start working soon.

I’m glad the doctor was reassuring, hope LO is on the mend soon!