Fevers ....

K

Kjs

Guest
difficult child has been sick since Saturday. Fever of 103.7 when I left for work Sunday night. Took him in on Monday. Negative strep test but put on antibiotics. Monday evening his temperature was at 104.2
I tried to call the 24/hr nurseline on my insurance card...I got a recording that they were CLOSED. So I called the doctor. He told me high fevers are dangerous for kids 7 and under. That difficult child is ok. To put him in a cool tub when temp reaches 103 and pour water over him until temp goes down.
I always thought the opposite. That younger kids run higher fevers, and the older you are the more dangerous it is.

I also thought if you had a fever it meant your body is fighting an infection, thus need for antibiotic. I am told not true.

So, I am asking you experts. How high is dangerous, and what age?
 

wakeupcall

Well-Known Member
Kjs, my difficult child never is ill. I don't know much about it, but if he had a fever that high for this many days, I'd be marching his hiney back to the doctor.
 

slsh

member since 1999
I'm the original weenie-Mom. Anything over 98.6 for more than 24 hours, or anything over 101 ever, and we go to doctor. Antibiotics are not going to do much for a viral infection.

If he's still running a fever today, I (weenie-Mom) would take him back to doctor.

Is he having any other symptoms? Have you been giving him Tylenol or ibuprofen? I was told a couple of years ago that alternating Tylenol with ibuprofen is actually more effective for bringing a fever down.

Hope he's feeling better today!
 

smallworld

Moderator
Kjs, high fevers can accompany either viral or bacterial infections. Antibiotics will only treat bacterial infections (such as strep). It sounds to me as if your difficult child has a viral infection that cannot be treated with antibiotics but rather needs to run its course.

Does your difficult child have any associated symptoms (congestion, cough, headache, stomachache) with the fever? Fever in and of itself is not dangerous (until it reaches 106 or so), but is rather a symptom of an infection (either viral or bacterial). If a high fever with a cough, for example, goes on for more than a week or returns to normal for more than 24 hours and then spikes back up, there may be a secondary bacterial infection that develops and then that would need to be treated with antibiotics. That is unlikely to occur in your difficult child's case given that he is already on antibiotics (probably unnecessarily so given that what he has is likely viral).

Did your difficult child have the flu vaccine? Is the flu going around in your area? True influenza can cause high fevers without being particularly dangerous.

If you continue to be concerned, your pediatrician should run a full panel of blood tests to reassure you that everything is OK.

Hope your difficult child feels better soon.
 

daralex

Clinging onto my sanity
I used to work in the medical field - that's a really high fever! Just a quick note - DON"T put him in a tub of cold water - it should be lukewarm at best, the cold water is too much of a shock to the system when a fever is that high. I also would check again with doctor if the fever doesn't come down at all. I would think a fever that high is no good for anyone of any age. Hope difficult child feels better soooon!!!!
 

meowbunny

New Member
My daughter ran really high fevers -- 105 or close to it wasn't uncommon. A tub with lukewarm water and Tylenol usually dropped it down in no time. If that didn't bring it down, then it was time to see the doctor.

High fevers are common in little ones. That doesn't mean they can't be dangerous. 105 can fry the brain, but you have to know your child. What is high for one child is just a temp in another. No matter what, the thing is to get it down ASAP. However, if you can get it down and it doesn't continue to spike back up, don't go for the antibiotics. The less that are in the system, the better they work when needed. So, if it's possible let the fever run its course.

My rule of thumb was that if the fever didn't drop or if it kept returning at about the same temp, then it was time to see the doctor. Otherwise, it was liquids, liquids and more liquids (especially homemade chicken soup), Tylenol and lots of cuddles.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
I take my kids into the doctor even if they have bad sore throats and NO fever because once it turned out my no-fever kid had STREP. I'd want a throat culture and blood tests and a check up. Yes, I'm a nervous mom, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
 
K

Kjs

Guest
Thanks for all the info. After all the trips to the doctor's office and ER with difficult child being sick I should of known some of these. But the fever thing still bothers me.

difficult child had tonsils out when he was 6..Not because of sore throat, because of ear problems. That corrected his hearing issue.

He normally runs a temperature very low. 96 - 97. Ear infections as a baby triggered fevers. He had walking pneumonia many times, but no fever. It has been a long time since fevers.

Yes, he has other symptoms. Very sore throat, couldn't swallow, wouldn't even drink on Monday. No energy. Then cough started.

We did do the Advil every 4 hours, Tylenol every 4 hours (so every 2 hrs. he was getting something). Still didn't bring fever below 100.

Robitussin is just not doing it for cough. But temperature is gone.

anyone with more info on fever's please add on.
 

crazymama30

Active Member
Has anyone checked him for Mono? I believe there is a blood test.


FWIW, some believe if the fever is not too high, then it is the body's way to get rid of the infection. in my humble opinion, 103 and 104 are too high. I would give him Tylenol or Ibuprofen to lower it to make him more comfortable.
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
Glad the fever is down. I agree wholeheartedly that a cold bath is way too shocking. Anything between the fever temp and 98.6 will feel cold. Keep it lukewarm. It will help cool a little.
I hope he has a better day today.
 
K

Kjs

Guest
Help on this subject....difficult child had Mono when he was 5 years old. He was so very sick he ended up in the hospital for a solid week. Very dehydrated, sunken eyes, and yes, very high fever. Spleen very enlarged...(easy child was a high school jr. who brought it home). Ever since that time every single blood test shows positive for mono.
Dr. said since he had it so bad he is a carrier and will always show positive.
Dr. also said it is possible he can get it again, but not likely.

Anyone know more on this issue?
 

tammyjh

New Member
I'm not a fever expert but I am also a weenie mom when it comes to fevers. Our pediatrician. has always told us not to start worrying until it gets around 103 but I always worry when it gets to 100. Our pediatrician. also told us not to give them anything for fever unless they are overly fussy or in pain because reducing a fever thats not too high can interfere with the bodies way of fighting the infection. I was always ready to give them something anytime after 100 degrees though...because I am a worrier.

Glad that his fever is down and hope he is feeling better soon!!
 

crazymama30

Active Member
Yep, I just learned this one. A lady in my A & P class who was a tech in a lab said that once you have had mono you always test positive for it. I have also heard you can only get mono once, but they say that about chicken pox too and some get it twice.
 

Josie

Active Member
My younger daughter had a fever of up to 105 a few years ago. I took her in and they tested for strep and it was negative so they didn't give her anything. Finally, on day 7, they gave her antibiotics and the fever went down. I took her in multiple times over the week. I had always heard fevers of 105 meant you needed to go to the hospital, but they said that wasn't the case unless you were overheated from the sun or something like that. (I am still bothered by this answer, but thought I would pass it along. It was a doctor who told me this.)

I gaver her motrin and Tylenol alternating every 3 hours but her temp. was still pretty high during that time. I think that if you are giving motrin every 4 hours, that might be more than is recommended. Just something to look into.

I hope he gets better soon.
 

smallworld

Moderator
My kids have had fevers of 105 and never been sent to the hospital (although they have most definitely been checked by their pediatrician). My understanding is that the child is hospitalized for a fever of 106 or if a high fever is present for more than a week or a lower fever is present for more than two weeks.

FWIW, Motrin and Advil are the same medication (Ibuprofen). If you are alternating medications every 3 hours, it should be with Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) and with Tylenol because they are different medications. I think when kids get to be about age 12, they are dosed as adults and can take Advil/Motrin every 4 hours the way adults do (children typically take Advil/Motrin every 6 hours).
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
difficult child had 4 febrile convulsions from the age of 8months(roseola) to 22 months. It was always with a viral infection type fever and never bacterial. When his temp would go up, I would start tylenol but inevitably he seized. 4 times in a lifetime was enough for me.
easy child never seized until 16 when he developed a seizure disorder. Go figure.
So easy child is on long term medication for seizure disorder and difficult child isn't.

So if fevers are getting really high the febrile convulsion is a worry but I don't believe this is as prevalent to start after the age of 3 or so.
 
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