Ds's temperature is 104.3- take to doctor or wait?

the world's best mom

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 2:48 pm

Ds- age 2 1/2 started running a fever last night. He had 103 last night, and 104.3 this afternoon. He doesn't seem uncomfortable, but is less energetic than his usual hyper self. He had an ear infection a couple of months ago, but has seemed fine since. I can't decide if I should take him the doctor now or wait until tomorrow. WWYD?

marina

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 2:52 pm

that's very high. I would go asap.

mom4life

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 3:09 pm

I would call the dr ASAP and ask him...

the world's best mom

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 3:09 pm

I'm surprised. I thought you would say to wait.

The thing is, some kids tend to get high fevers easily. Dd has had 105 a couple of times- that's normal for her. But I can't remember ds having any fever at all since he was a baby, and then I don't remember how high his fevers got. I'm guessing about 103, but I don't really remember.

the world's best mom

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 3:14 pm

I called the doctor and I'm waiting for a call back. I guess we'll see what he says.

mom4life

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 3:18 pm

FYI, my dr always tells me to give tylonel and check in a 1/2 hour if its still high give motrin. If its still high after 1/2 hour again then he says to go to the emergency room. But it's never gotten to that point for us.

the world's best mom

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 4:05 pm

His fever goes away with Motrin. The doctor said we can wait until tomorrow.

DovDov

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 4:11 pm

My attitude with fever (learned from my first pediatrician, whom I loved) is that the number doesn't really matter until you get to 105.5, 106 where you're hitting brain damage land. Small children get high fevers. If it's something serious, there will be other signs than fever. If the fever gets above 104, give tylenol or motrin (not that youcan't give before, but definitely give then) and see if the fever responds. If it doesn't respond within an hour, bring him in. If it does respond, but his behavior doesn't improve -- he's still lying around, lethargic, not playing, bring him in. If ebhavior improves when the fever improves, there's nothing to worry about.

I've only had a really high fever once, with DC1 at around 10 months, when his fever spiked above 105 three times in 24 hours. Each time, though, he responded immediately to analgesics (went down to 101 or so) and while he was whiny, he wasn't lethargic or non-responsive. We stayed home (with the doctor's approval). The same child, four months later, had a fever of 103, but he was lethargic (no other real symptoms beyond a cold). The fever responded to analgesics, but his behavior didn't improve. I went in immediately, even though I was home alone with him and a two week old, and I'm glad I did -- he had pneumonia.

tizunabi

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 4:43 pm

I'm going to add a few things..
The human body will usually not let the body temperature go above approx 106F 41.1C. This is a built in mechanism in order to prevent brain damage. The minimum temperature approx for brain damage to occur is 42C or 107.6F and even then, the temperature needs to be high for a while.
There are no documented cases of brain damage occurring from simple fever. (There are however times where there is a problem with the brain and the temperature does go higher and can be dangerous-in meningitis and when there is a brain injury).
That being said, fever is not an illness to be treated, it is a symptom. If your child isn't feeling well and is cranky from fever, you can treat it. If he is tired, let him sleep. If he feels fine, then there is nothing to treat.
If your child looks lathargic or "unwell" or just plain old horrible (especially if he has already taking tylenol or motrin) then call a doctor.
Also there is no correlation between fever that responds to tylenol/motrin and anything (temperature wise...)
There is no need to disturb your child by taking his temperature all the time. The number is less important than how your child looks and feels.
I'm sure there is more I'm leaving out... but its ok
(disclaimer: this is all taken from a lecture I heard very recently on fever phobia (from a pediatrician that has been giving this lecture and updating it for 30 years)... and how there is no reason to be scared of fever.)

the world's best mom

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 5:24 pm

Thanks. I'm not so worried, because he's acting quite normal when the Motrin is in his system. When the Motrin wears off, he gets a little lethargic but not enough to worry me. The fever just seemed a bit high to ignore.

Also, he had many ear infections as a baby and had tubes put in at 14 months old. The tubes fell out a few months ago and since then, he has had one more ear infection. I'm concerned that it may be another one, but I think it can wait until tomorrow.

Mommy F.

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 7:34 pm

Refuah Shleima!!!

amother

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 8:46 pm

For those that answered: I'd go to the dr. Asap! What exactly would the dr. do? Nothing! A dr. doesn't do anything to a fever lasting less than a day, or two either........in fact, hearing too much about dr.s I'm not such a believer any more, I go to the dr, only if I really have to.
I would tell you to tape a garlic (whole) on his back, try not to give him ANY meds, unless he's uncomfortable. And see how he is in the morning. Garlic pulls out infection from the blood stream. He should start to feel better in the morning. My kids usually feel better by the morning. As for not giving meds, fever is a sign that the body is fighting the infection (as long as you keep an eye, and make sure it doesn't go up too high) by giving meds to lower the fever, you're not allowing the fever to fight it.

the world's best mom

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 8:59 pm

amother wrote:

First of all, there are a number of reasons I would take him to a doctor. One is to check his ears. He was very prone to ear infections before his tubes were put in, and he had moderate hearing loss back then. Another is for a throat culture. Strep is going around and he may need antibiotics.

Secondly, I've heard many people say that about the purpose of the fever. My question is, why don't I see non medicators getting healed quickly and medicated patients staying sick forever? How do their bodies fight the illness if we lower the fever?

I've never heard that about the garlic. I don't have a garlic here, and ds is sleeping already. I don't think he would sleep very comfortably with a garlic taped onto his back, and lack of sleep is one thing that helps people get sick. It may have played a big part in his getting sick.

amother

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 9:30 pm

the world's best mom wrote:

amother wrote:

Ok here to respond (I'm the "quoted" amother) firstly, my son also was prone to a lot of ear infections, and had moderate hearing loss, and tubes put in too. The garlic will pull out infection, and can prob help the srep too, if he has. I don't know.....its interesting my kids never had strep, and me neither, go figure! Rolling Eyes

and btw I put a garlic (whole, cut to size) into the ear, for an ear infection. I have done it myself, when I had an ear infection, put it in at night, and by morning....gone!

As for keeping him awake? My kids never woke from it, I put a thin slice, you don't feel it.

And to answer you about why medication doesn't leave people sick forever and non-medicated, heal faster: who says they heal faster when non-medicated? And who says meds don't help? People stay away from meds cause they want the body to fight its own infection. Hashem created our bodies to do the work. Meds works INSTEAD of your body, sure it works, but as I said, your body doesn't, and what happens when your body doesn't work? It gets weaker and weaker, and if ch"v something serious comes up, the body can't fight it at all. Natural healing is just things that work naturally WITH the body, like building up immunity,....

LiLIsraeli

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 10:34 pm

What is a "garlic"? When you whole, do you mean a whole head or a whole clove? Peeled or unpeeled?

amother

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 10:41 pm

A peeled clove. You can cut it but don't put the "raw" cut side on the skin as it can irritate the skin.

iriska_meller

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 10:50 pm

High fever absolutely needed to be treated even if it is nothing serious. Kids can get febrile seizures from high fever. Don't wait to give tylenol/motrin.

MommytoB

Tue, Mar 15 2011, 11:12 pm

There was a great article in the Wall Street Journal recently about fevers. Google it. The quick summary is that fevers help your body fight infection and parents focus too much on the number. The only reason to give medication is to make someone more comfortable but it is not dangerous to leave a fever, even a high one, untreated.

tizunabi

Wed, Mar 16 2011, 2:04 am

iriska_meller wrote:

High fever absolutely needed to be treated even if it is nothing serious. Kids can get febrile seizures from high fever. Don't wait to give tylenol/motrin.

kids can get non dangerous febrile seizure from rising fever (when it goes from normal to high) not from high fever itself

tizunabi

Wed, Mar 16 2011, 2:05 am

the world's best mom wrote:

Secondly, I've heard many people say that about the purpose of the fever. My question is, why don't I see non medicators getting healed quickly and medicated patients staying sick forever? How do their bodies fight the illness if we lower the fever?

I do have an answer to this, but im running late.. I'll come back after class...