Yesterday (Wednesday) my 4 month old daughter started having a raspy sounding cough in the morning... I had a 4 month well check up scheduled for that same day... We went in I told the doctor about the cough in the morning that I had just noticed, she checked her lungs and said everything looks ok.. So she did get her 4 month shots (which are just a repeat of 2 month old shots, which she had no problems with).. So later yesterday around 8pm I took her temp and it was 101.4 ish.. I freaked out since my other 2 girls never had a fever until over 1 year old! I gave her .8 ml of tylenol around 9:15 and I was on the phone with the doctor at like 11:30 and it still didn't come down, it was actually 101.6/101.7 when taken rectally. I started putting a cool wash cloth on her and finally got it to around 100.6 ..Then around 2:30 am checked her again and it was 101.0 range..I called doctor again at 2:45am and she said to give her 1.0 ml of tylenol and i did.. This morning around 7 she was 100.4 range and she has stayed that just about all day with no medicine. I took her to the Doctor today just to make sure that her lungs and ears are looking ok...and they are .. so far... the raspy cough keeps getting a little worse though and she is stuffy...
The Doctor gave me tamiflu and said if the fever happens to go to 102-103 and won't come down with tylenol then she thinks that its the flu and to give the tamiflu...but ... I'm wondering should I give it now??? She seems young for it, but doc says its ok ... Help...I'm so dang confused... THANK YOU!!
She did not have a fever at the time of vaccines...her well check up was at 11:30 am and the fever did not start until around 8pm (when i noticed it)
Thank you all so much, you've all made me feel so much better about my decision not to give it! Thank you thank you! I can't express how much i appreciate the time and wonderful advice/experiences you've all given a worried mommy!
Please feel free to continue posting of course :)
3/4 UPDATE: Well ended up taking her to the ER on Sunday she was breathing real fast... she was hospitalized for 3 days with IV and on oxygen! She tested positive for RSV!! Shes home now, but stilll not better ... this has sucked! :(
My sister's son caught the Swine Flu at 9 months old. The Dr. did not give her Tamiflu. He said babies under 1 year are not to be given Tamiflu. He said Tamiflu is NOT licensed for babies under 1. In addition to that, he doesn't think Tamiflu is all that effective.
First off--a temp of 101 is nothing. Fevers are the body's way of fighting off infection. Avoid the tylenol until it gets to 104. As long as she is still drinking and has wet diapers, don't try to take the fever down too soon. Let her immune system do its job. I would ask the pharmacist for a 2nd opinion on the tamiflu. Hope she feels better soon!
Tamiflu only helps if given in the first 48 hrs so I don't know why your ped would say to wait, or why your ped wouldn't test for the flu, or why your ped would give tamiflu to a baby When it's not for children under 1. I think I'd be looking for a new ped.
Edited: she also should not have been given vaccines while she had a fever!
http://www.tamiflu.com/children/pc_children_whocantake.jsp
Fever could have been from the shots
It's scary for parents but not unusual for babies and toddler to run higher fevers than older people. My doctor says you don't need to give medication unless it is over 100.5. When my 18 month old had a 104 .9 fever I nearly freaked out...but it came down with alternating tylenol and motrin every 4 hours. BTW it takes 60-90 minutes for the medicine to fully kick in.
I can't really speak to the Tamiflu medication since no one in the house has ever used it.
Tamiflu is for Flu.
Your child is not diagnosed with Flu. Formally. It is just a guess.
Weird.
Look online, to see what age(s) Tamiflu is for.
www.flu.gov
Your Doc said its okay, for a 4 month old baby. I don't know.
ALSO, it could just be a result of her getting her shots.
Which temperature increase, can happen.
Did they give you a 'fact sheet' or FAQ sheet, on the shots she got??? At our Pediatrician, we get handouts for each shot, my kids get. For information.
ALSO, a cough/mucus can be due to many different illnesses.
Did the Ped consider that??????
Get a 2nd opinion.
Your baby is so young.
Lung illnesses can be colds, viruses, RSV, Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Croup, Pertussis etc.
They can do a Flu test or a Strep Test.
IF your baby is getting worse, take her to the ER or Urgent Care center or back to the Doctor or another Ped.
As I said, your baby is young.
I say no. I have 2 kids, 4 yrs. & 2 yrs. and my dr. never suggested tamiflu. A fever is okay (unless it gets too high, of course). It's a sign she is fighting something. For a 102-103, I would just continue w/ the tylenol & keep an eye on her. Also nurse or give her a bottle more often to help bring the fever down.
None of these medications are tested and approved for children this age. It makes me wild that drs are so indiscriminate about issuing them.
Youngsters can run high fevers - higher than adults - and to a point, that really shouldn't be circumvented with meds. It's the body's way of fighting off infection and when you cut that process short, it denies the body an opportunity to create strong immunity and lessen the chances of the same illnesses occurring as often.
I would recommend chiropractic - it works wonders for kids! - more frequent nursing for immunity, nurishment and comfort and Rescue Remedy if she seems distressed. I wouldn't try to intervene w/meds until the fever is sustained for several hours over 103-4. Allow the body to work!!
Good luck!
My daughter took tamiflu when she was 12 and had H1N1 and it was AWFUL for her. It made her very nauseated and gave her terrible stomach cramps. We only took it for a day. It wasn't worth it. I wouldn't use it in a baby because they can't tell you if they're having those kinds of side effects.
I bet your doc nows best. Follow their instructions and I'm sure things will be ok. The flu can be very dangerous for a young baby. Your pediatrician knows best... give it to her if her fever goes back up.
Did the ped. do the nose swab to diagnose her with flu? if not he's just assuming it's the flu. I thought tamiflu was safe for kids 5+. My kids had the flu at age 4 and I remember our pediatrician saying wish my kids were 5 so he could prescribe tamiflu.so they didn't get it at age 4. Also flu causes high fevers. She must have caught something while at ped's office the other day but I cannot assume flu since flu causes high fevers (much higher than what she has).I would call the on call doctor and ask him what to do.
You must be tired, too. If the doctor says it's ok-I'm sure it is. I'm like you-why let the fever spike? But if the doctor says wait and see if it goes up-maybe you better.
I have no experience with the tamiflu but my kids have always gotten a fever after getting shots. For about 48 hrs. Could her fever be from the vaccines? I am not a doctor but if it were my child I would not give her tamiflu for a cough and a low grade fever. Actually I would never give it to my child without a positive flu test.
My 4 year old got diagnosed with the flu this past Saturday her pedi, said he recommended me not giving her tamiflu, he feels it doesnt do much for the flu, I don't think I would give my 4 mth old it, but if your dr said to, he knows more than me :-)
I hope you little one feels better
I would try not to give her anything....even with a fever unless the fever tops over 103. little ones, especially infants fevers typically are not dangerous unless they go over 103-ish. Given that your baby just had her shots that day,if it were me I would just keep monitoring her....all my kids developed fevers and crabbiness after their shots. A 102-103 fever isn't necessarily an illness when baby has just had shots. Also, a fever is nature's way of killing bacteria and viruses. Letting a fever go and see if it does go over the danger number (back in the day was 104) can help your child's immune sysytem strengthen. BUT, certainly I am not a doctor, (I have 3 grown daughters who survived my mothering LOL) I do believe that sometimes things are blown out of proportion and too many drugs are given, like the tamiflu. I would be afraid to use that on such a little one. Read up on side effects of tamiflu and decide.....I have heard some not so good things about it that doctors do not tell you before they give it to you or baby.
I have always been told by my docor that a temp of 100 isn't high for children even 101 isn't too high. I am not sure if I would give my child tamiflu at 4 months.
For one im not sure how good your dr. is but from my experience and what your telling me it sounds like she has croup. which if she goes in and out of moist to cool it may help her. DO that see if you sit in the steamed bathroom for 20 mins and than go out side for 5 does her cough seem to be better or worse. For the temp you need to use tylenol every four hrs and motrin ever 8. so u give every four hrs one of the two and give her pedialite to keep her going. I would give her pedialite 2 oz ever two hrs till her temp subsides than start her back on formula or breast after her temps gone the formula or breast with curtle in her belly. Good luck sounds like the little lady is having a hard time fighting something if she still has a temp by sunday or monday use your discretion and the steam and cold doesn't help than i would do what the dr said and try the tama flu but I seariously think she gave you that to get off her back instead of being a good dr. and really helping. but from your sound of the cough it sounds like croup.
