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.

Like others here when my kids were small I didn't have a thermometer. It made me fixate on the number rather than the child. A hand on the forehead tells you if they are feverish. And actually the sickest my kids have ever been they had no fever (emergency abdo operation and serious blood condition).

My kids have each had antibiotics maybe 2 or 3 times in their whole childhoods. Actually one of them I can't think of a time except at birth (prolonged rupture of membranes).

On the 5th day but it's never happened. The fever always reduces in day 4 or before. We give calpol as necessary and if there are no stomach issues we try ibuprofen if the calpol alone doesn't reduce it.

One of my two kids has never had antibiotics.

OP My son had loads of antibiotics when he was little because of chest infections /pneumonia. He’s 19 now and no stomach issues.

I tend to go to the GP around day 5/6. DD1 and I both recently had this flu bug and her temp was over 40c at one point, but it was coming down with calpol and nurofen alternating, and she was still drinking / passing urine. So that one I just let it run its course. I was told as long as the calpol / nurofen is bringing down the temp (even if its not all the way down to normal), then that is ok.

On the antibiotics, it is what it is and all you can do is take the advice at the time. DD1 had a big dose of antibiotics at less than a day old and then the first week of her life because she had sepsis. Then as a toddler she had a run of severe ear infections and tonsillitis. She also got an infected cut finger at one point. That's when we discovered she is allergic to penicillin. Our GPs are not trigger happy on antibiotics so my view is if they are prescribed, then they are probably needed. And if she hadnt had them at birth, then she wouldn't be here!

On the other hand, DD2 has only ever had one course and that was for an infected insect bite that was starting to spread (plus I had a preventative dose whilst in labour with her due to DD1s sepsis).

Remember, that the discovery of antiobiotics has saved millions of lives. So yes we shouldn't be overusing, but we should also recognise that they exist for a reason and they are there for us to use them if we need to.

In my opinion you’re far too quick in the absence of worrying symptoms that need seeing, and doctors continue to be far too quick to prescribe antibiotics to people who don’t need them.

5 days at least and only then if symptoms are worsening.

I always used to think they would be better tomorrow and they usually were. Rarely took DC to GP. This meant that when my 16 yr old had something very serious that could have been missed we were fast tracked through the system.

Five or six days, if no other concerning symptoms. Obviously if I have other concerns than just the temp then I’d take them in earlier. Golden rule is treat the symptoms not the temperature, a temperature is the body’s normal way of fighting infections. I do personally thing doctors can be too quick to prescribe antibiotics.