how often do your DCs have temperatures of 40 or more?

[captainhook]

Apologies if this is a daft question! DS is 3.6 and has febrile convulsions - on the 4 occasions when he has had an episode it's been associated with a temperature of 40 or more.

In the last 6 months we've also had two or three occasions when he has spiked a temp of 40 or more (40.5 yesterday) but not actually had a fit.

I realise I don't know whether 40 is a temperature that many children reach with feverish illnesses, or whether it's an indication that, while not having a fit, his temp is still going more doolally than the average child's would. And whether 40 is the type of temperature I should seek urgent advice for even if he hasn't had a fit.

Grateful for enlightenment!

I had a temp of 41 degrees last year and had no fits... although the hospital staff were having conniptions about it. I would guess it's an individual thing, some people are more susceptible to FC than others, and some people are more likely to run very high temps than others. I imagine that 40deg. is too high for even a child, really.

I don't have an accurate thermometer so can't answer your question about DC, otherwise (sorry).

What have you been doing (if anything) to get his temp down when he had the FC? I'm sure that 40deg. must feel too hot.

my son (3) has never had a temp this high.My daughter (5) has had it on quite a few occasions although never had a fit.

I give her calpol and if it comes under control (unless other problems) I just wait and see on the one occasion calpol hasnt brought it down we took her to the out if hours doctors.

my children can have the same illness and my sons temp never goes much above 38.5 my daughters shoots up at the slightest thing - no idea why!

over 40 is more likely to occur. They also occur at the start on an infection; the onset when the infection is taking over the body so to speak, it is like a rush to their little systems and they just can't cope. I was told my out Pead. that giving calopl/ Nurofen doesn't always guarantee no convulsion as some children are really prone and when you have had one it can open a door so to speak and it will happen again.

It was one of the most awful moments in my life when it happened to DD, you have my sympathy

Some children don't get fevers - others get high ones, however what you describe is quite a lot. I would take him to be checked over and voice your concerns.

My DS1 regularly had a temp this high as a baby 9-20months. He had a convulsion once although was admitted to hospital on 5 occasions (and subsequently discharged once temp had been controlled).

Now DS is 3. 10 if I cannot get a high temp (39.5+) under control with paracetomal within a day then he sees a doctor either in surgery or A&E.

HTH

It's not usually the high temperature that triggers the fit, it is the rapid rise in the temperature that the body can't handle, which is why it is often the first sign of illness.

My ds 14 has a condition called GEFS+ which means he still has febrile convulsions past the normal age of 6 and over the years probably has had 20+
I don't remember his temperature ever being as high as 40. The last one in may he had pneumonia and his temperature was 38.

I would always seek medical advice with a temperature that high as it can be dangerous.

Am supposed to be bathing him in 5 mins - but thank you for all these replies! Really useful to get a context.

Espec thanks to bruffin. I'd heard of GEFS but not met anyone who has it. You must all have nerves of steel by now!

My DD used to have very frequent temps over 40 when a baby. She still does get very high temps now (age 3) and its unusual if she is ill (for any reason) to get a temperature below about 39. She was ill just before Christmas and got up to a high of 40.2! She has never had a fit (Thank Goodness!), and I usually end up alternating ibruprofen and paracetal 3 hourly to keep the temperature down. I worry a lot less now she is older, but is was very worrying when she was a baby. My DS on the other hand never seems to get a temperature even when ill!!

Dd2 gets a high temp a lot, she has never had a fit but comes close to it (eyes rolling etc..), dd1 had a temp of 41 a few months ago and she was fine (even though i was panicking).

Thank you all very much. I'm aware it must have seemed a daft question but whenever he's run a temperature I've been focused on whether he's likely to have a fit, not on how high the temp is in itself.

It sounds like different children react in very different ways, and like he does tend to run pretty high temperatures - but not off the scale.

Now I need to know how to persuade him, if he's going to have a 40 degree temp, to have it at the GP surgery, and not at home half an hour after bouncing round the GP's office looking the picture of health. He did that twice on Friday, I don't think the GP believed a word of it!

Thanks again!

LOL Captain

DS has only recently got the diagnosis because I think its only been recently discovered. Last time he saw a paediatrician and had tests he was 8 and no mention of it was made. The first time I came across it was in May when I was searching for information on febrile convulsions. I had searched quite a few times before and found nothing. Even the doctor who discharged my ds from hospital in may told me he couldn't possible have had a febrile convulsion it was the chest infection affecting his brain even when I told him my family history. Luckily I went back to the gp a few weeks later who referred us back to the consultant as they did another EEG and have now found some irregularities and we are now awaiting more tests which are a bit worrying.

I am sure my mum, sister and probably my nan had GEFS+ as well.
I used to get very high temperatures as a child, regularly had 104 (in old money) from tonsilitis but never fitted whereas my sister didn't seem to suffer from illnesses as badly as I did, but fitted until she was 10.

As for the nerves of steel, you do get used to them, dd had a few as well and I was used to seeing my sister have them and I do know they don't actually do any harm, although it is bit more worrying in an older child who is fully independent.

My DD has only ever had a very temp like this, at 13 months old when we think she may have had measles. She didn't have fits or any complications/issues, and her temp was controllable with paracetamol.

Normally with a temp of 40 I would be consulting a doctor or hospital.

I had pneumonia last week (recovering now) and my temp was a littl eblow this, but the GP was still concerned about it being so high.