2.5 yr old has 103 fever.Should I wake him & give Tylenol?

amother

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 12:03 am

My 2.5 yr old has the flu. I took his temp while sleeping and it's around 103. Should I wake him up to give him Tylenol to bring it down? Or is it not necessary? He will not be happy to be woken up.

clowny

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 12:06 am

103 is pretty high. I would wake him, you don’t want it to go up even higher.

clowny

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 12:07 am

And I would give Motrin rather than Tylenol. It’ll keep the fever down for the rest of the night.

amother

cornflower

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 12:08 am

I would not. Fever is the body's way of dealing with the illness. It is a beneficial process. I wouldn't reduce fever unless the child was miserable.

Fever is not dangerous until over 105, and if there is anything serious enough to bring the fever up that high, your child should be in the hospital. The body regulates the fever, it's not going to just keep rising.

Success10

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 1:14 am

I give them medicine in their sleep. They drink it from they syringe without waking. Then I just give them some water to wash it down.

Zehava

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 1:24 am

My theory is if they’re really uncomfortable they’ll wake up. Otherwise I let them sleep. 103 is not dangerous at that age.

amother

Phlox

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 1:49 am

I'd give something to prevent the temperature from going up higher, especially if the child is breathing fast (because that is a sign that it is likely to get higher).
Alternatively, you could wait and just measure again a few times during the night, every hour or so. If it goes up to 104, I'd definitely give something, asleep or not, and re-check after an hour.

If you notice breathing difficulties or a blueish color in face, lips, hands or feet, you should seek medical advice asap, that's an emergency. In Israel, one or two young children died of the flu in recent weeks, just saying.

chanatron1000

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 1:50 am

Fever isn't dangerous at that temperature, but it can cause intense nightmares.

amother

Narcissus

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 2:12 am

I would probably let the child sleep but you have to know your child. I have some children who run high fevers 104/105 and others who don't go above 101. If the children who run low had 103 I would probably give them Tylenol because I know it's extreme for their bodies.

Also, at 103, even with Tylenol, the fever will only go down to 100-101 so you'll still have the health benefits of fever.

amother

Jean

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 2:31 am

I wouldn’t wait. My child has seizures way before getting to 105. There is no virtue in letting a child suffer. I had high temperature in middle of the night and I was in such agony. I wouldn’t want my child to suffer like that. If I can’t comfortably hold my child to comfort them and their body temperature is burning me I rightfully assume that it is uncomfortable for them as well. Motrin, a drink, and wet cool compress on the face ( or just water over face and head.)

amother

DarkKhaki

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 4:03 am

I would defiantly wake my child
To give medicine. 103 is high, I’ve had my child have a febral seizure due to fever going up fast, why not prevent that. If you fall asleep and don’t realize your child’s fever is going up that can be very dangerous. Refuah shelama!

amother

cornflower

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 4:17 am

Febrile seizures have nothing to do with how high the fever is, but how fast it goes up.

A few of my kids get febrile seizures. If the temperature is already 103, he's probably not getting a febrile seizure anymore. The seizure comes from a quick rise, not a high temperature.

amother

Coral

Mon, Dec 27 2021, 5:16 am

I wouldn't. Fever is how the body fights disease. If he's not uncomfortable, let the fever do its thing.