Fever over 104 | Imamother

amother

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 7:57 pm

I sent my husband to the emergency room with my three year old because her fever is 104.8. They are waiting to be seen. now my two month old at home has a fever of 101. The emergency room is 40 minutes away and we have one car. Am I crazy to just watch the baby? If I wait for him to get home I won't be able to be back to the hospital until nearly midnight. Two weeks ago she had a fever of 100 and her doctor said to bring her if it went over 100.4 but she is still eating and acting normally. I'm a nurse and with her all the time. I'm already exhausted and I have two school aged children home with me. What would you do?

accountantmommy

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 7:59 pm

I would call pediatrician and explain the situation. Two months old is pretty little to have such a fever. Wishing your little ones a refua sheleima

amother

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 8:06 pm

Op here. We had this same situation two weeks ago (actually third time since baby came home) and pediatrician always says under three months go to emergency room for temperature over 100.4 every single time. My 8 year old has brought home viruses every few weeks

amother

Molasses

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 8:09 pm

Tell your dh that at the ER he should tell the dr that he has an infant at home with fever too. And based on whatever results the dr decides for the older child he should tell him what to do with the baby.
Like if the older one gets sent home with just a virus don’t worry then probably the baby is the same.

pizzapie

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 8:15 pm

I would be much more concerned about a 2 month old with fever than a 3 year old. Also, as far as I know, the degree of temperature isn't necessarily an indicator that something is wrong (in older kids). What is concerning is fever that doesn't respond to tylenol/motrin. But a 2 month old woth fever is concerning regardless and I would call my pediatrician asap.

amother

Wandflower

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 8:22 pm

Did the pediatrician send you to the ER with the 3 year old? Did you try to bring down the fever with Tylenol and motrin?
Call your pediatrician about what to do with the baby. How did you take her temperature?

scintilla

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 8:25 pm

For the older child I wouldn't be as concerned. There's a virus that went around this winter that caused extremely high temperatures (my 1 year old was also 104.8) and docs said to just wait it out. However the baby is more concerning.

Is the older one responding to Tylenol/Motrin? I would come home from the er if so unless they are about to be seen. But call your pediatrician and see what they tell you. Don't take advice from me:)

amother

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 8:39 pm

The pediatrician did tell us to bring the three year old because it was so high. I didn't give anything because I thought they wouldn't believe us that it was so high. I took it by mouth for the three year old and rectally for the baby.

amother

Springgreen

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 8:48 pm

I work for pediatrics..
If we send kids to the ER for "high fever"... we would be sending a lot of kids to the ER..
like I always say "...we look at the kid.. not at the temperature..."

amother

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 9:39 pm

I guess next time I will just give the three year old meds and see how she does. I only sent her because the pediatrician told me to but she is a little too careful. When my three year old was born this pediatrician made us get a GI consult for a tiny umbilical hernia and they pretty much looked at my fat healthy baby and laughed at us.

amother

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 9:55 pm

I called the pediatrician the last two times and she keeps saying the same thing - emergency room if the baby is 100.4. I called the office today and she said to bring the three year old because at the time hers was over 104. I just think she's overly cautious in general. The emergency room staff just gave Tylenol I could have done that at home.

amother

Emerald

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 9:58 pm

Firstly, refuah shelama! I want you to know that once I came to my doctor and didn’t give the Motrin bec I wanted my doctor to see how high the fever was. And they told me don’t do that! If your child had almost 105 they can believe you, you need to give the Motrin or Tylenol to prevent Chas vshalom a febrile seizure …..

amother

SandyBrown

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 9:59 pm

amother OP wrote:

I thought the issue was if it’s so high and doesn’t go lower with tylonol? I’d call the pediatrician and verify this. And also make sure you made the right call with not giving tylonol or other pain/ fever reducing meds. I wouldn’t hold that off if it could help my child.

amother

Wandflower

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 10:00 pm

amother OP wrote:

ER for older child with 104 fever, is only if the fever doesn't go down with Tylenol/motrin.
My pediatrician says that a rectal thermometer shows a degree more than the fever actually is. I think you need to deduct a degree. So if it shows 101, it's really 100. But don't take my word on it, this is what my pediatrician says.

amother

Charcoal

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 10:07 pm

amother Emerald wrote:

Isn't a febrile seizure caused when a fever rises too rapidly rather than the high fever itself?

amother

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 10:11 pm

amother Wandflower wrote:

I agree with everything in this post. My gut is telling me that my pediatrician is just very overly careful. I know my kids and I usually treat fevers at home. It's just my first real winter baby - my other babies were never sick until they were past the dangerous first few months. The pediatrician came from the Philippines shortly before my three year old was born and she sent us to all these specialists only for them to say the reasons she sent us were kind of ridiculous. I just don't want to be that mom that thinks she knows everything just because I'm an experienced nurse that's why I do what she says.

amother

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 10:13 pm

Also we live in a semi rural area and there aren't many choices for doctors and hospitals here. When we joined the practice I had two children and there were two experienced doctors who have since retired.

amother

Clover

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 10:17 pm

amother OP wrote:

Honestly your pediatrician sounds like she gets hysterical very quickly.

A 3 yr old with 104 fever doesn't need an ER unless she is having trouble breathing/looks lethargic/can't keep down liquids etc. What she does need is Tylenol/Motrin and a lukewarm bath.

A 2 month old with fever is concerning but is past the age of extreme concern. Is the baby feeding ok? Lethargic?
Is there is an urgent care open tonight I'd take the baby. If not I'd go to the pediatrician in the morning.
Taking any baby with fever under 3 months to the ER is very old practice. In general the major concern is under 6 weeks of age.

amother

Heather

Mon, Feb 13 2023, 10:20 pm

Youre a nurse. Why is your doctor panicking for no reason? Shes being overly cautious.
I wouldnt have sent the 3 year I would have given a lukewarm bath and tried to bring the fever down naturally. Then motrin and tylenol if needed
Are you nursing the baby? Nurse, skin to skin, warm bath...
Treat the child not the fever. The number doesnt mean much if the child is acting fine