When would you take your child to see a doctor when they have a fever?

[ZaHaK]

How long should would you wait before taking your child to see a doctor if they have a fever of 38°C or higher, or a fever above 39°C, and when would you be concerned that they might need medical evaluation for a possible infection e.g. Antibiotics?

My child has had a fever of 39C and been on antibiotics (Amoxycillin) twice in 2 months and i usually take them to the doctors after 2/3 days. I was speaking to my work colleague who has had 3 children who have never needed antibiotics. I am not sure whether i am too quick to go to the doctors or is 39C temperature after 3 days worth contacting the GP for?

All 3 of their children have attended nursery and mine started 2 months ago.

39 for 3 days yes definitely would- probably after 48hrs unless it was improving. 38- 3 days if it was just before the weekend, if not I would give it another day to improve.

You can’t give calpol at 4 hour intervals for 24 hours because you can only give up to 4 doses in 24 hours.

I would go to GP on day 6 unless there was some thing else going on which was worrying. Only twice have I gone before, once for a child who seemed really unwell, within 24 hours they got worse and was admitted to hospital and the other was for a child in server ear pain.

Often the issue is viral in which case antibiotics won’t help and even if it’s bacterial children’s immune systems usually deal with it within 5 days or it’s signifigantly better by then.

Also to add I am cautious with fevers that aren’t improving with calpol having worked with several children who suffered from febrile seizures. Particularly once they are around 39

Calpol barely touches the sides of my children's fevers ibuprofen does though.

DS1 we ended up at the GPs alot with fevers (he could go 10 days of 39-41) they worked out he had a over active immune response. So unless it wasn't coming down or he had other symptoms we didn't after 6 months of being there every other week (along with the childrens hospital multiple times). He never needed antibiotics though. We manage at home unless over 40 and not coming down.

I was told by a doctor this was fine - the doses listed on the box are far far smaller than those given in hospital for children in any case.

That isn’t true at all and highly dangerous advice.

Have you tried ibuprofen instead? My child responds better to ibuprofen

I treat the child, not the temperature. I’m a nurse and I don’t even have a thermometer.
I say as a Mother you know your kid best.
Are they drinking? Is the fever reducing with paracetamol and ibuprofen?
If they’re complaining of throat pain I have a look for white pustules (again making sure they can eat and drink).
If they’re complaining of ear pain…..is there any gunk coming out of it? Is it red? Is the pain eased by pain relief. A lot of ear infections are self limiting.

If they have a cough/cold….again are they drinking? Making sure they aren’t wheezing etc.

I always look for rashes etc

Most of the time it’s viral and just one of those things you just have to wait out so I wouldn’t take them unless they had other symptoms e.g. ear ache, it wouldn’t come down at all with meds or they weren’t keeping fluids down and also I probably would if it had been 5 days or more without some improvement but we’ve never got there. DD8 has had antibiotics twice- once for strep, once for an ear infection and those are the only times she’s seen a doctor outside of routine vaccinations.

If they just had a bug I wouldn’t. If they couldn’t be roused, or weren’t drinking or passing urine or have other alarming symptoms I would. I’m surprised your GP gives antibiotics after two days. Ours would tell us to go home and give “cuddles and Calpol”.

It’s normally the sharp rise in fever that causes the febrile convulsion not the fever itself. This makes them difficult to know if/when they are going to occur.
My niece used to have them at the start of her feeling unwell.
It so unpredictable and can be frightening can’t it?

I believe that GPs are way too quick to prescribe antibiotics so in the absence of any clinical signs of infection provided that the child is drinking and weeing and the temperature comes down with medication (Calpol doesn’t really seem to work on mine but nurofen is better) I wouldn’t go to the GP unless they weren’t improving after 5 days or so

If their behaviour changes, they don’t eat, something doesn’t feel right. I know of kids with sepsis diagnoses with 38 degree / no fevers. You can’t rely on the temperature to judge severity

I have a 3yo and 5yo and have only ever needed antibiotics once for an ear infection (just a fortnight ago) we went to boots to check her ear and they prescribed the antibiotics.

But i've not been in a situation where the fever has dragged for more than a couple of days, or developed a rash etc.

I'd go for pharmacy first. We have a number of close family/friends who are GP's and pead so a phone or video call to them before a 111 consult or last resort, the GP.

So first time, doctor was unsure and gave antibiotics as a precautionary. Second time, it was a paramedic in OOH who said her ear was red so gave antibiotics.

I feel guilty now that i have ruined my 12 months gut for no reason when I should have waited it out.

I think it's really variable and dependant on the child. Things I'd take into consideration are how old is the child? How are they behaving? What other symptoms do they have? Is it a general unwellness or is it more specific such as pulling at ear, pain when peeing, spots in throat? Are they drinking ok? Signs of dehydration? Is their temperature coming down with medicine (even if it does go back up again when it wears off)

Your little one is very young and they do like to air on the side of caution with babies.
Don't worry you won't have done your baby any harm.
They are all so different. My 4yo has had one antibiotic, my 10yo has had 2 (one was for a skin infection) and my 7yo had them every day for about 2.5 years for kidney problems and has had strep throat loads of times too.

You do have to trust your own intuition and if you are worried bring them in to get checked, especially when they are still tiny.

My 10yo had a viral infection 2 years ago and had a high temperature for 5 days. He was just generally unwell, tired, upper respiratory type symptoms. Because he was 8, still drinking and responding to the meds and because I am a pharmacist I was happy to watch and wait. For a baby as young as yours with exactly the same symptoms if be taking the to the Dr on the 2nd/3rd day

Three children, all now 14 - 21. Only the eldest has had antibiotics once at age 3 or 4.

Calpol/ neurofen for fevers, but I am always alert to other symptoms that may be concerning.

Try to incorporate probiotics and prebiotic foods to encourage a good gut health. You did your best and it was probably the right course of action. Don't beat yourself up.

Treat the child, not the temperature.

I've 6dc.

4 out of my dc have never had antibiotics.

I have never taken any of them to a doctor due to just a high temperature.

I would wait longer if I was you, use paracetamol and ibuprofen regularly and keep dc drinking.

Antibiotics are not the devil if she had an ear infection then that's best.

My youngest had Antibiotics 9 times in the space of 11 months from the age of 7 months because he had a deep rooted chest infection and it took lots of trips til they eventually did an xray and worked out that he needed a different stronger one. I gave him pre-biotics, yogurt drinks and flavoured kafir from 11 months. His gut is fine he's 3.

Yes, if my child had pain or fever.

Don’t feel bad, you don’t know for sure that your child would have recovered without them. When my DS has tonsillitis he gets extremely poorly until he has antibiotics. He doesn’t have any gut issues but he may have his tonsils removed. I think some posters have been lucky.

I've never taken any of my dcs to the doctor for fever and they've never had antibiotics. I don't think any of them have had a fever for more than 5 days though (or the shorter guidelines for young babies). Generally I focus on whether they seem well in their personality and alertness rather than their temperature. One of mine hates the taste of Calpol and refuses it, so her temperature doesn't drop but as long as she's improving and taking in liquids, and eventually eating well (tends to be off her food when she has ill) then I don't think it needs any specific treatment and it's always got better on its own.

DD is prone to febrile convulsions (gets that from her daddies genes 🧬 as her cousins are similar). So we are vigilant with temp checks and the merrygoround of paracetamol / brufen, keeping her cool, hydrated but our GP is very good and will see her before the arbitrary 5 day temp ‘rule’ for her age as we’ve ended up at a&e with FC which is the advice we’ve been given.

antibiotics wise she’s had 4 courses for various ENT things (gets that from my genes 🧬). I give her optibac once antibiotics are finished to support the reset of her guts 💖