Ok for the past 2 days my son has had a temp along diarrhea and extremely stuffy nose. I took him to the doctor and he has an ear infections and we also are doing a poop sample to see if he has another bacteria thing going on. The dr thought the fever was from the ear infection and would go away after a bit in the meds. NOTE! I'm not expecting the meds to work in one day BUT I'm worried about his fever. It's been 103.8 for quite a while and wont break. Occasionaly it will go down then with in a half a hour it will go right back up. When should I start to worry or take him back to the doctor?? I've done just about everything I can think of to try an lower it which includes alternating acetamenaphine and ibprofin, cool baths, little to know clothes.
Also my son's stuffy nose is killer. He is having a very hard time eating even if I suction it out just before he eats, he still struggles. I've suctioned, sat in the bathroom with a shower going, humidifier in every room. What else can I do? If anything. He's just so miserable. I know I'm asking the age old question, but I'll try just about anything at this point. Thanks!
Thanks all. For clairification he is 9 months, I really meant luke warm baths. Brrr! I would hate a cool bath! And just the thought of dabbing my son with rubbing alcohol made me uneasy. Thank you all! I think he is doing better. Normally I do a anal temp, but now that he is asleep I'm going to keep taking his temp with a forehead scanner thing.
***So he ended up getting a temp of 104.3 and we went to the er immediatly. By the time we got there he was kicking and playing, and his very favorite flirting with the nurses. Oh and the kicker is that his temp was at 101 and it was a 3 minute drive and a 5 minute wait. (it's a small community hospital). If his fever doesn't get better by sunday then to go back. I sooo hope it does. Thanks again for your help!!
have you tried the alcohol on a rag? Not sure how it works I just know a friend whose son was sick this past weekend used it and it worked. Also cool rags on the forehead?
Actually, it sounds to me like your son is doing okay. You can call the doctor. Don't rub him down with alcohol, and make sure the baths aren't cold. You also don't want him in a draft from AC or a fan if he doesn't have many clothes on. All of those can give him chills, which can make the fever go higher. As far as how high the fever is, even with my high risk son, the doctors don't worry if he's being treated, even when the fever is that high. 104 or higher is definitely worth a call, or if it's still 103. something tomorrow. You can always call the doctor to confirm you're okay.
For his nose, you can use saline drops a minute or two before you clean his nose out. Just use saline spray, but holding the bottle upside down, it gives drops. One per side, and then suction out. It will soften up the mucous. And hang in there, this, too, shall pass.
I don't claim to be an expert. This is what I was told by my doctors years ago when my son had fevers.
the bath water should be tepid, not cool. Cold water can drive the fever up. Tepid means room temp. Even better, just use a wash cloth and dip it in the water and wipe your son gently. Keep a sheet over him so that he doesn't get a chill. Wipe an arm and put it back under the sheet. Then wipe a leg and put it under the sheet, etc... Make sure the room is not hot or cold.
How often are you alternating the tylenol and motrin? Something like this is good:
6pm: tylenol
8pm: motrin
11pm: tylenol
2pm: motrin
In other words, don't wait until whatever you gave him wears off before giving him the alternating med. Just be sure the tylenol is no more than every 4 hours and the motrin is no more than every 6.... or whatever it says on the bottle. At least that's the way I did when my son was young trying to stretch it where I could to give the least medication as possible.
Sorry for your struggle. Good Luck!
If you take a child to the er with a high fever they do all the same stuff you're already doing. A cool bath and Motrin. Fever is a sign the bodies natural defenses are working. It's not always a bad thing. You don't want it to get too high or to last for days, as you say. But take a deep breath. Everything is ok. Your doing all the right things. Wipe him down with rubbing alcohol every 15 minutes or so, as well. If it gets to 104 - got to the emergency room or clinic. Take Motrin with you. It's sometimes a long wait and things will only get worse if he misses a dose of fever reducer waiting to be seen.
Not sure how old your son is, but pediatricians usually like to see an infant if the fever lasts longer than 3 days, or 5 days for older. If the symptoms are really severe like dehydration, extreme vomiting, etc, they definitely need to be seen sooner. Since, your son has already been seen, I assume they've put him on antibiotics. If the fever does not go down after 24-48 hrs of the antibiotics, or within that 3-5 day period from the initial fever, you need to call the doctor again, get more instructions. They might have to change his antibiotics. As far as medications for fever,
You can start out with either ibuprofen or tylenol, check 3-4 hrs later, and see what his temp is, if it's still higher than recommended by your md, which is usually 100.4, then give the other med you didn't start out with, tylenol or ibuprofen. make sure you don't go above the max of either one. I usually write down the time and temp, and what I gave, so I can keep up and not over dose. Sorry, for the long note, hope this helps.
If you're giving the max dose of tylenol and ibuprofen (you can and should be dosing them together, not alternating), and it's not going down... call your doctor and see if you should bring him in or go to the ER.
To know... the max dose on the bottles isn't the REAL max dose. They should also be able to give you the max dose for the specific weight of your child
How old is your child?
Tylenol or Motrin, does NOT "cure" a fever... it only brings it down.
If the person is still sick or still has an infection, the fever will still recur and rise again.
A fever, is a body's way of killing the virus and making the body inhospitable to the virus.
He could have a sinus infection. As well. That is what I suspect, from what you say. That needs medication. Or bacteria still continues to be in the sinus passages.
I would, have him checked for a sinus infection... as well.
Ears drain into the nasal passages.... thus, bacteria as well.
What meds is he on? Antibiotics?
If his antibiotics does not work... then, you would need another family of antibiotics. So go back to your Doctor for a follow-up if things do not get better... and they can prescribe another type, of antibiotic.
Ear infections, can really recur and recur too.
Also, don't give him any orange juice... when sick, this makes mucous worse.
For his nose, use a saline nose spray...
Or "Little Noses" which is a nasal spray for kids. Can be found at any drugstore.
ALSO, using a bulb syringe too much.... can abrade the inner nose. And it will thus be very sore..
Take your child to the ER.
Good luck,
Susan
Alternate Tylenol and Motrin. I also loved the Tylenol suppositories, they would bring a fever down in 20 minutes for my kids. If he still has the diarrhea I wouldn't use them. Most high fevers are viral, so the high fever for days is to be expected. You didn't say how old he is so it is difficult to give an accurate response. If he is older give him pretzels, ice pops, and lollipops to make him thirsty and want to drink. If he is a baby it is more difficult to keep them hydrated. If it continues take him back to make sure he is not dehydrating. With a high fever and diarrhea you need to be more cautious. When my daughter was 6 months old she had the roto virus. I actually used an eye dropper to get liquids into her and it worked, she didn't dehydrate, but it was soooo scary. Also, you can elevate his crib for the stuffy nose, or if he is in a bed give him extra pillows to help him breath. You can put Vicks on his feet and then put socks on that also helps. Good luck and go back to the doctor, so you can put your mind at ease.
Good luck
i hope you mean his fever is 103 not 203, but anyway, like the previous poster i have used alcohol to get down my kids fevers in the past and have also had my husband use it on me when i had the flu. i rubbed it on their backs and on the bottom of their feet and also there are fever reducing suppositories that work fast. i had to use one on my son when his fever wouldn't break and it worked within about 20 mins. hope he feels better soon.
Does you ped have a hotline you can call for advice? Specifically to ask at what point should you be worried about a 103.8 temp?
Are you getting fluids into him? If he won't drink you might want to use a medicine dropper or syringe and get some liquids into him that way. Again, if you call for advice ask how much he should be taking in. I remember at one point in time when my kids were less than 12 months they needed something along the lines of a teaspooon every 15 minutes to avoid getting dehydrated. Don't quote me on that number as it has been a LONG 5 years ago.
As far as the cool baths, switch to lukewarm sponge baths. Cool baths could make him cold and shiver which will actually make the fever rise as shivering is the body's mechanism to increase body temp. Also, don't use alcohol. My understanding is that it can be absorbed through the skin and actually poison a child. I remember my mom doing alcohol rubs on me and they were soothing, but I won't do it on my kids know that I know this possiblity exists. Read more here:
http://firstaid.webmd.com/fever-in-children-treatment
I hope your son feels better soon.
How old is you son? I would call the Dr or the Pediatrician on call asap to let he/she know and see what they recommend. Keep doing what you are doing. I know our daughter had a flu bug around age 2 in which she ran a higher fever for about 5 days and it is scary. The anti-biotics will be kicking in soon but still call. Good luck and hope he is better soon.
I agree with Riley, take him to the ER. They'll reduce his fever and will stabilize him right away. I definitely think you should go.
All our prayers for your little one. Hope he is better in no time.
sounds like he's trying to fight an infection - that's a high fever - if it lasts for over 4 hours with no fever reducers (stop giving them to him) and does not break then go to hospital.
If you have antibiotics from the doc - have him take some non dairy yogurt, give the meds more than 2 hours later.
This is just me but I let my children have a fever for a while - i just make sure they are hydrated. My children are usually not ill more than 2 days and only 1 of my kids has been on antibiotics - ONCE. Mine are 2 and 5.
For the stuffy nose:
get about 1/2 cup honey and put it in a shallow dish
cut 1 onion in half and then score it like you are going to dice it
place it in the honey 4 hours or over night
squeeze the onion into the honey
poor the honey into a cup
give 1 tablespoon at a time every 2 hours until gone
works for us!
