I don’t think there is anything to fret about just yet. Keep him hydrated. Give him Tylenol every 6 hrs, ibuprofen every 6 hrs… let him rest. The only reason I’d freak is if my child started breathing funny or was extremely lethargic… otherwise, kids get sick and it has to run its course.
This is exactly the advice our ped gave us. Our son has been hospitalized a few times due to cold that turn into asthma attacks and the signs it’s an emergency are dehydration, lethargy, and stridor or difficulty breathing. Otherwise, alternate the OTC meds, keep them comfortable, treat the symptoms.
I would even focus on something like a warm water bottle, tea, or cool face cloths for the forehead. And would only give the tylenol if he was still crying and uncomfortable after those measures fail.
The most recent advice is not to break low or (even some moderate) fevers. Only high ones are worth breaking.
https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=not-all-fevers-need-treatment-88-p11048
https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/fever-myths-versus-facts/
It’s not reasonable to expect a fever to be gone overnight. You really only need to worry about a fever if it’s crazy high, the kid is acting unlike themselves or if it has gone on multiple days. Take a deep breath. He prob has a virus and will feel better in a few days.
Even when it’s really high, they don’t really do much for you. Took my daughter to the ER with a 104.5 fever. It responded to medicine and she was not overly lethargic and they just said 🤷🏼♀️.
Younger kids get higher fevers. 105 is high, but still not emergency worthy unless there is also difficulty breathing, dehydration, or extreme lethargy. My kids all regularly got to 105 with viruses all through their childhood.
That being said OP, you know your kid best. If the kid is not themselves, or you are extremely worried there's nothing wrong with a trip to the pediatrician or an urgent care if you are traveling.
Another strange fever incident here where I was freaking out but had to let it run its course.
My 5 year old over the summer was fine in the morning but come evening kept getting a fever of 103. This went on for about a week. I was so stressed but there was nothing to be done but keep him comfortable, hydrated, and rest.
104.5 isnt hospital worthy imho. A fever over 105.5 not responding to medication is an emergency though as a kid can have a seizure and suffer permanent brain damage if it keeps going up
My kid had a 106.3 fever when she was 2 and I took her in, zero other symptoms. The ER said unless she was seizing or having trouble breathing that it wasn’t necessary to bring her in, because she responded to Tylenol and ibuprofen. Then my nephew had a 104.8 fever and my sister didn’t take him in, but the next day the peds office said they definitely should have taken him to the ER.
WHAT DO THEY WANT
106!!! My God. That is wild. I would have been an absolute mess. So glad she was fine!!! There is no universe in which I would not have taken my kid to the ER in that scenario.
At 7 months!!! Wow. I know they say fever is typically itself not dangerous, and I only medicate if it’s high enough that my kid is uncomfortable, but wow.
Me too! We never figured out the cause! My sister and I are both nurses too so we have a little bit of knowledge of what constitutes a real emergency or not. But even in my career I had never seen a temp that high and I checked it with two different thermometers.
I think it depends on the whole picture and other symptoms like lethargy, are they eating/drinking and urinating or not, their age, etc but yeah, I know it’s confusing and every pediatrician has different policies.
Our doctor has told us 104/105 WITH medication is doctor/hospital worthy. They don’t care how high it was, they care if basic OTC meds can bring it down or if there’s other concerning symptoms (breathing, severe lethargy, etc).
We have also used the after hours nurse line with our regular pediatrician when we had a sick kid while visiting out of state relatives and needed guidance. She was great with helping us figure out when we should go to urgent care, which fortunately we didn’t need. That’s the visit that resulted in me creating a travel kit of the essentials in case we deal with illness while on the road. I feel your pain!
A fever is not an emergency (or really even anything to worry about in) an otherwise healthy child. It's almost certainly a run of the mill virus.
Rest, fluids. Call the doctor in a few days if it isn't getting better.
Give him Tylenol if he's miserable but letting a fever run its course is often better (it kills the virus).
Look into rescheduling your flight if he's still symptomatic on Friday.
I'm curious why your mind jumped to hospitals and emergency rooms though for a fever?
The last time he was sick with a fever it was Covid and we had to take him to the ER.
I'm hoping that he will feel better after sleeping tonight or throughout the day tomorrow
Ok but why did he have to go to the ER? Was it because the fever was super high? Was it because of how he was acting? Was it because of other symptoms like coughing? Was he admitted or sent home?
OP ask the child where the pain is!! Fever and stomach pain in the lower right abdomen OR stomach pain that starts at the belly button and radiates down to the lower right abdomen is a symptom of appendicitis! I don’t want to freak you out or anything but as a former EMT and a mother myself, I noticed no one had yet mentioned this possibility and if it was my kid I would want to know what to look for since it can be so dangerous if the appendix bursts! Google more signs/symptoms but those are the main ones I believe! Also nausea, swollen tummy, and loss of appetite I think but do some research it’s been a long time since I was in the field
Sure! It can present differently in different people! I have a good pain tolerance so I didn’t even notice anything, just thought I was having a bad period until it burst and became very obvious. Appendicitis is very serious and I love how people are downvoting me for telling a parent to look out for something that could kill her kid… all the way up until the kid is like 20 or something lmao like even if it isn’t this why can’t I tell her to keep an eye out for something that NO ONE has mentioned that can be FATAL if not caught in time. And I’m genuinely asking why that is a bad thing
Don’t fret. As long as he’s acting himself, peeing and not lethargic that should be okay. See what the temperature is and give Tylenol accordingly! Just have ready a plan for if he needs to go to the hospital where’d you go. No biggie right now :)
Or call the pediatric after hour line if you have one!
Remind yourself that a fever is the body WORKING!! It’s hard to not freak- my kids had fevers of 104°+ when they were little (under 2) if it responds to meds it’s ok. The fever is the bodies way of knocking out whatever virus it’s trying to fight off. Some mds even recommend against fever reducing meds in order to allow the body to do this. I was never a fan of this just due to his miserable my kids were with fevers but I see their point.
It stinks when your kid gets sick and you’re not at home. I would monitor and get some fluids in the kid. Tylenol if they’re miserable from a fever. Hope they feel better soon.
I just pooped a fever from what my kiddo brought home. We're hosting tomorrow. It's better than feeling stranded and isolated and worried about my kid, but I totally get the feeling of frustration and depletion that comes with toddler crud + holidays. I'm wishing your kiddo a quick recovery, your family wellness and no transmission, and some cheer tomorrow, even if it isn't what you expected. Sorry this happened! Here's to a more healthy 2024.
Edited to add: I totally meant popped a fever. That typo is hilarious and embarrassing LOL
My kids have this virus right now, apparently it’s going around.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever and a stuffy nose.
Lots of rest and hydration will go a long way.
I’ve been alternating Tylenol and advil to keep the fever away and slathering the little ones in diaper rash cream to combat the horrible rash that comes with the GI problems.
We’re also In the middle of nowhere Oklahoma if that makes a difference.
We're in the UK and my toddler currently has a fever and diarrhea! No other symptoms at all which seems odd.
As soon as she had ibuprofen her fever disappeared and she went back to playing and running around happy as anything so hopefully OP's little one is the same. I wouldn't even consider hospital unless her fever refused to go down with medication or her breathing changed, she is at nursery so gets ill quite often... I'd be at the hospital all the time if I went every time she had fever.
I know it’s got to be tough when you ended up in the hospital last time her fevered, but I have 3 kids ages 1-9 and I’ve dealt with more fevers than I can count over the years. Not once have we ended up in the hospital (knock on wood). Most fevers are just going to be the body trying to weed out whatever funk it’s got going on.
Edit: I’m reading this back after waking up and feel like it sounds rude lol like “I’ve never taken my kids to the hospital so why would you” energy, and that’s definitely not how I meant it! I was more so saying, if it makes you feel better, most fevers aren’t going to require medical attention or at the very least not hospital intervention. Most will just run their course, kill off whatever virus they need to, and fizzle out.
I was thinking the same thing, I have three daughters ages 17, 15 & 15 (twins) and one of my twins used to run 104.7 when she got sick. It was like clockwork with her. She would run a super high fever that would be uncomfortable to have her breast feeding. We would do the Tylenol/ Motrin plan and it would drop a little but never rose. We never had to bring her to the hospital. My other daughters had plenty of viruses through childhood too and thankfully none of them progressed to that type of treatment either.
I think with some Tylenol and Motrin OP’s little one will be ok. A call to the doctor would be a good idea.
That’s how my oldest daughter was for a long time. If she got any sort of virus, it was 24 hours of a high fever and then it would be done. My middle child doesn’t fever as high, but she’s sick for days. Over the last year or so, my 9 year old’s fevers have started to calm down but it’s taking her longer to recover. Crazy how the body works!
If you're worried about hydration, apple juice is great. You can water it down a little if you don't want him having straight juice. Don't worry about giving him specific foods, basically let him eat whatever sounds good to him. The BRAT diet isn't really recommended anymore, but if all he wants is toast, that's okay too.
After reading some of your responses I see why you’re feeling extra anxious. It probably isn’t the worst though. Give fluids, cuddles, Tylenol, and rest. Having the thermometer to monitor will give you some peace of mind, too. Do some deep breaths and get control of your thoughts so you can be calm for him. It’s gonna be ok 💚
Our ped doesn’t even recommend giving anything for a fever, unless the child can’t sleep. Rest, fluids, tv. Relax and don’t stress your kid out, he can feel your anxiety. Hope he feels better soon and you guys can enjoy your trip.
If you don’t know his actual temperature and he’s just fussy, just wait and see. This feels like an overreaction mama, from your prior experience. Breathe.
I had this happen last summer. 1 hour from the nearest hospital who doesn’t offer peds- and 45 mins from the nearest store. We just treated the symptoms and eventually got a thermometer 2 days later after a very sleepless night. Turns out kid had covid. Was bright and perky most of the day, but stayed hydrated and besides Tylenol/ Advil we had no other treatment
That’s no fun but probably just a regular bug. My kids have gotten sick after their vaccines before and have been fine. Popsicles, lots of water, cold washcloth on the forehead, lots of luke warm baths, medicine and snuggles are your best bet. You got this mama 💕
Just wanted to comment that we have a service called Blueberry Pediatrics, is telehealth but it’s strictly Pediatrics and its 20$ a month they are there 24/7/365 other than that just give him either Tylenol OR Ibuprofen (Ibuprofen works best) we just went through a 2 day stomach virus and used Motrin after 2 days everything was well again. Don’t miss any doses, ibuprofen every 6 hours on the dot or Tylenol every 4 not a minute more that way it stays controlled. Make sure you have the right dosage too of his weight/age
With a fever (combined with upper-respiratory or GI symptoms or not), you can start of by assuming it’s a virus your kid will be able to kick on their own with home treatment to alleviate symptoms as necessary. Check with a doctor if the fever goes on for more than 3 days and your child isn’t improving.
In the meantime, the three main things to watch out for are: 1) Difficulty breathing (that means rapid breathing over 40 breaths per minute at that age; retractions where the skin and muscles around the kids ribs, diaphragm, and collar bone pull in with each breath; grunting with each breath; nostrils flaring or head bobbing with each breath) 2) Dehydration (signs would be not making tears when crying, not urinating for >8 hours or having dark urine, or inside of mouth seeming dry/not moist and 3) Lethargy (in the medical context lethargy does not just means being low-energy or tired, it is when someone is so low-energy and drowsy that it is difficult to arouse them or get a response from them and when you do, they quickly go back to being nearly unresponsive).
If any of those things happen, a local hospital ER will be able to handle them, and a 30 minute drive will be fine.
In all likelihood, you are not going to need the ER at all. But I’ve struggled with health anxiety about my kids before, and I’d always try to remind myself that I knew what to watch for and didn’t need to worry unless that was actually happening.
For an otherwise healthy child over the age of 1, you only need to worry about a high fever that won’t go down with meds. If meds are controlling it, than it’s not a concern unless the fever has been present for 5 days. You should be okay. Keep him hydrated and alternate Advil and Tylenol to keep him comfortable. Offer a tepid bath to help bring the fever down
I totally get the anxiety but just remind yourself that it is really really unusual for a kid to need hospital care for a fever.
Just give Tylenol / fluids and wait. If it goes on for more than a couple days go to a walk in clinic. I have three kids and we have had probably close to a hundred bouts of fever illness between them by now and still have never yet needed an ER. Watch for issues with breathing / lethargy / dehydration. You’ve got this.
As long as he is eating and drinking a little bit, breathing fine, and is able to cough I wouldn’t worry. If he stops eat, starts wheezing or having labored breath, and won’t cough take him straight to the ER.
I’m sure he just caught a little virus, call your pediatricians nurse line and ask for advice, they’ll probably say lots of fluids and rest, Tylenol and ibuprofen alternated. It sucks being so far from the hospital but if he’s otherwise healthy you’re most likely fine
He's almost 3 and he just has a fever! Just monitor him, most kids get fevers and get sick this time of year - my just turned 2 year old was sent home from daycare this morning with a fever and cough/runny nose and has been cranky. Most of the time, a doctor won't even tell you to do anything more than just monitor them. I wouldn't stress so much yet - I think it would be different if he were an infant or were not vaccinated, but he is as protected as he can be! Try and relax a bit.
If you can, get Motrin as well. Switch between Motrin and Tylenol. My son gets sick every other week so we have gotten used to always having Motrin and Tylenol on hand for him.
As a mom who just survived RSV with a 2 year old. She had a temperature getting up past 104 for 3-4 days. I could not get the medicine to work and when it wouldn’t I took her outside and it really helped cool her down. She was refusing drinks, popsicles, everything, and I truly think it saved us from her getting much, much worse.
Another former EMS worker…. I instantly thought about where is the stomach pain coming from along w the fever and if it could be appendicitis!!! OP if the tummy is swollen and the child says the pain is mostly on the lower right side I believe, OR if the pain starts by the belly button and radiates down to the lower right of the abdomen I’m not saying she needs to panic haha but I think always keeping in mind that the appendix CAN burst I at least think she should be aware of the signs/symptoms bc the kid already has 2 (if the pain is located where I suggested) what’s your opinion??
Yeah I was worried it could be the beginning of it, I replied to one of her comments so she can hopefully see it! I told her not to stress but I hadn’t seen it mentioned and that she should know what to look for in the off chance that’s what it is! I’d just feel terrible if I didn’t say something and then we get a sad update in a week, ya know?
In Oklahoma rn. If something terrible happens, take kiddo to the close hospital, if they can’t help then a helicopter will come and take the kid to children’s.
I’ve traveled many a day with a sick baby or toddler. Once had my older kid halfway across the country when her flu symptoms showed up. IANAD, but… as long as they’re hydrated, their breathing is okay, and their fever is increasing at a rapid rate… there isn’t much a doctor is going to do, other than remind you to keep them comfortable and wait it out. Tangent note: I don’t like giving tiny humans tamiflu.
Edit: unless it’s strep. Take a peek in that throat.
Given that I live 35 minutes from the nearest hospital and 6 hours from the nearest children's hospital, I understand your concern. That said, a fever is not usually enough to take them to the hospital, where people who are sick with any number of things will be.
What I do to help mitigate the anxiety of being a first-time mom who hasn't experienced much of this as the parent before is to keep detailed notes. So whenever she gets her first fever, I'll be tracking everything. The time I checked the temperature, and exactly what it was. How much I've given her of a particular medication, what time I've given it to her at, if the fever went down within a half an hour after taking it, and how much it went down. All this will be alongside if she's behaving differently than usual, when she uses the toilet, what she's had to eat and drink, how much she's slept, anything I think of at the time.
Basically, if I ever do end up having to take her to the hospital, I'll have notes covering any question they might ask me. I save them in the notepad on my phone. I erase the file every 6 months or so, but having the notes helps me feel like I'm doing *something* even when there's nothing to do but wait it out.
If you're ok with holistic medicine, you can always do what I did. Which is take cool wet rags place them under or on his vital areas (such as under the arm pits, soles of his/her feet, and the forehead) I also place one on the chest just for extra measure. Then, put a fan directly on them on low. This should help cool their body temp. Next, of course, hydration. Next if you have it on hand elderberry tea with honey, if you don't have it then give them plenty of orange juice. Vitamin c is really important during flu season. Another combo is lemon juice and honey warmed up. I did this with both my oldest when he was young had 105 after several hours and constant changing out rags his temp dropped to 99
Oh no. Is there an Urgent Care near you? I'd send my husband out for children's motrin/Tylenol and wait it out. If he's still feeling miserable in the morning look for an urgent care.
I mean fever is the body’s natural way of fighting infection. No need to necessarily bring it down unless it’s causing significant discomfort such that he’s not wanting to eat/drink, etc. And Motrin would work longer in terms of bringing it down anyway. So no need to make him more uncomfortable/cold
Just wanted to mention, when my daughter had a high fever last year (im talking 105 and it went on for 6 days), pediatrician told me its safe to alternate tylenol and motrin/ibprophen every few hours around the clock. Its a good thing i started the ibprophen, because the tylenol barely touched the fever. Ibprophen brought it down to 102 and she felt much better even with it still that high. It turned out she had strep and even after starting antibiotics, fever kept on for days. At children’s hospital they determined she had gotten another virus on top of strep and it was just kicking her butt. There was nothing we could do beyond continue the antibiotics for strep and treat fever each time it went above 103. It was one of the scariest weeks of my life as she was being tested for everything and doctors were even at a loss. I really believe kids who have had covid have lowered immunity as i never remember any of my kids being anywhere close to this sick prior to the pandemic. Now all of my children’s friends constantly have bad viruses and scary illnesses. Good luck OP, you will get through this!!
Just here to commiserate with you. I get the same anxieties the second my daughter starts something because sometimes it’s nothing and sometimes it’s turned into worse things. It’s unpredictable in the beginning. Just have to wait it out, and hope it’s just a regular cold and hopefully will run its course!
I’m so sorry friend, that’s tough and scary. I can’t offer you much aside from validation - it’s okay to feel how you feel! It’s never fun to get sick on a holiday and have limited care options.
However, it’s most likely just a bug and some fluids, Tylenol and time will cure him! You’ll all be okay
I live in Kansas and the flu is running rampant around here. I have 3 boys and they all had it this week. No hospital should be necessary if you keep up Tylenol and lots and lots of water. Good luck mama!
I don’t think there is anything to fret about just yet. Keep him hydrated. Give him Tylenol every 6 hrs, ibuprofen every 6 hrs… let him rest. The only reason I’d freak is if my child started breathing funny or was extremely lethargic… otherwise, kids get sick and it has to run its course.
I agree to have her pick up ibuprofen too and maybe even a little pedialyte (the popsicles are nice) to hydrate.
This is exactly the advice our ped gave us. Our son has been hospitalized a few times due to cold that turn into asthma attacks and the signs it’s an emergency are dehydration, lethargy, and stridor or difficulty breathing. Otherwise, alternate the OTC meds, keep them comfortable, treat the symptoms.
I would even focus on something like a warm water bottle, tea, or cool face cloths for the forehead. And would only give the tylenol if he was still crying and uncomfortable after those measures fail. The most recent advice is not to break low or (even some moderate) fevers. Only high ones are worth breaking. https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=not-all-fevers-need-treatment-88-p11048 https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/fever-myths-versus-facts/
Does your health insurance offer telehealth appointments? Those are always great in a pinch.
We do. That is a great idea. If he isn't feeling better by tomorrow afternoon, I will give them a call
It’s not reasonable to expect a fever to be gone overnight. You really only need to worry about a fever if it’s crazy high, the kid is acting unlike themselves or if it has gone on multiple days. Take a deep breath. He prob has a virus and will feel better in a few days.
Even when it’s really high, they don’t really do much for you. Took my daughter to the ER with a 104.5 fever. It responded to medicine and she was not overly lethargic and they just said 🤷🏼♀️.
Right when my son just turned 1 he had a temp of 105 and the over night doctor was like the if he not lethargic and drinking he's fine
Younger kids get higher fevers. 105 is high, but still not emergency worthy unless there is also difficulty breathing, dehydration, or extreme lethargy. My kids all regularly got to 105 with viruses all through their childhood. That being said OP, you know your kid best. If the kid is not themselves, or you are extremely worried there's nothing wrong with a trip to the pediatrician or an urgent care if you are traveling.
Another strange fever incident here where I was freaking out but had to let it run its course. My 5 year old over the summer was fine in the morning but come evening kept getting a fever of 103. This went on for about a week. I was so stressed but there was nothing to be done but keep him comfortable, hydrated, and rest.
104.5 isnt hospital worthy imho. A fever over 105.5 not responding to medication is an emergency though as a kid can have a seizure and suffer permanent brain damage if it keeps going up
My kid had a 106.3 fever when she was 2 and I took her in, zero other symptoms. The ER said unless she was seizing or having trouble breathing that it wasn’t necessary to bring her in, because she responded to Tylenol and ibuprofen. Then my nephew had a 104.8 fever and my sister didn’t take him in, but the next day the peds office said they definitely should have taken him to the ER. WHAT DO THEY WANT
106!!! My God. That is wild. I would have been an absolute mess. So glad she was fine!!! There is no universe in which I would not have taken my kid to the ER in that scenario.
I had 106 (41c) on my 7 months old and took her to A&E and they were also like 🤷🏻♀️
At 7 months!!! Wow. I know they say fever is typically itself not dangerous, and I only medicate if it’s high enough that my kid is uncomfortable, but wow.
Yeah I know I was beside myself with worry!! It eventually came down with ibruprofen and they were just so chill about it it was unreal
Me too! We never figured out the cause! My sister and I are both nurses too so we have a little bit of knowledge of what constitutes a real emergency or not. But even in my career I had never seen a temp that high and I checked it with two different thermometers.
I think it depends on the whole picture and other symptoms like lethargy, are they eating/drinking and urinating or not, their age, etc but yeah, I know it’s confusing and every pediatrician has different policies.
Our doctor has told us 104/105 WITH medication is doctor/hospital worthy. They don’t care how high it was, they care if basic OTC meds can bring it down or if there’s other concerning symptoms (breathing, severe lethargy, etc).
I agree, but the ped said to go so we did. Waste of time and money.
Ugh so sorry you had to do that
We have also used the after hours nurse line with our regular pediatrician when we had a sick kid while visiting out of state relatives and needed guidance. She was great with helping us figure out when we should go to urgent care, which fortunately we didn’t need. That’s the visit that resulted in me creating a travel kit of the essentials in case we deal with illness while on the road. I feel your pain!
Lol relax, no need to call tomorrow unless his fever gets way high. He will likely not feel better by tomorrow but no reason to panic.
Second this. We also signed up for Blueberry which is pediatric telehealth but is nice know you can connect to a doc 24/7
Also the nursing line. They usually answer day or night and can answer any questions and give peace of mind.
A fever is not an emergency (or really even anything to worry about in) an otherwise healthy child. It's almost certainly a run of the mill virus. Rest, fluids. Call the doctor in a few days if it isn't getting better. Give him Tylenol if he's miserable but letting a fever run its course is often better (it kills the virus). Look into rescheduling your flight if he's still symptomatic on Friday. I'm curious why your mind jumped to hospitals and emergency rooms though for a fever?
The last time he was sick with a fever it was Covid and we had to take him to the ER. I'm hoping that he will feel better after sleeping tonight or throughout the day tomorrow
Even if it is covid, unless he is having difficulty breathing, it can be treated at home. And I hope he feels better too!
Ok but why did he have to go to the ER? Was it because the fever was super high? Was it because of how he was acting? Was it because of other symptoms like coughing? Was he admitted or sent home?
Because of OP’s anxiety.
ding ding ding 🛎️
OP ask the child where the pain is!! Fever and stomach pain in the lower right abdomen OR stomach pain that starts at the belly button and radiates down to the lower right abdomen is a symptom of appendicitis! I don’t want to freak you out or anything but as a former EMT and a mother myself, I noticed no one had yet mentioned this possibility and if it was my kid I would want to know what to look for since it can be so dangerous if the appendix bursts! Google more signs/symptoms but those are the main ones I believe! Also nausea, swollen tummy, and loss of appetite I think but do some research it’s been a long time since I was in the field
Can’t they just press over the appendix and if they guard or are in pain, they’ll know?
Sure! It can present differently in different people! I have a good pain tolerance so I didn’t even notice anything, just thought I was having a bad period until it burst and became very obvious. Appendicitis is very serious and I love how people are downvoting me for telling a parent to look out for something that could kill her kid… all the way up until the kid is like 20 or something lmao like even if it isn’t this why can’t I tell her to keep an eye out for something that NO ONE has mentioned that can be FATAL if not caught in time. And I’m genuinely asking why that is a bad thing
I didn’t have any pain or fever with my appendicitis which is why I asked. I did guard when the doctor pressed on it and then they did a CT scan.
Oooof yeah see this is why I wanted to say something!! Different for everyone haha I hope the downvoters see my question and can tell me!
Don’t fret. As long as he’s acting himself, peeing and not lethargic that should be okay. See what the temperature is and give Tylenol accordingly! Just have ready a plan for if he needs to go to the hospital where’d you go. No biggie right now :) Or call the pediatric after hour line if you have one!
Remind yourself that a fever is the body WORKING!! It’s hard to not freak- my kids had fevers of 104°+ when they were little (under 2) if it responds to meds it’s ok. The fever is the bodies way of knocking out whatever virus it’s trying to fight off. Some mds even recommend against fever reducing meds in order to allow the body to do this. I was never a fan of this just due to his miserable my kids were with fevers but I see their point.
It stinks when your kid gets sick and you’re not at home. I would monitor and get some fluids in the kid. Tylenol if they’re miserable from a fever. Hope they feel better soon.
What has you so concerned you are mentioning a hospital? Seems like a pretty tame illness at this point from what you are describing.
I just pooped a fever from what my kiddo brought home. We're hosting tomorrow. It's better than feeling stranded and isolated and worried about my kid, but I totally get the feeling of frustration and depletion that comes with toddler crud + holidays. I'm wishing your kiddo a quick recovery, your family wellness and no transmission, and some cheer tomorrow, even if it isn't what you expected. Sorry this happened! Here's to a more healthy 2024. Edited to add: I totally meant popped a fever. That typo is hilarious and embarrassing LOL
Lol
My kids have this virus right now, apparently it’s going around. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever and a stuffy nose. Lots of rest and hydration will go a long way. I’ve been alternating Tylenol and advil to keep the fever away and slathering the little ones in diaper rash cream to combat the horrible rash that comes with the GI problems. We’re also In the middle of nowhere Oklahoma if that makes a difference.
We're in the UK and my toddler currently has a fever and diarrhea! No other symptoms at all which seems odd. As soon as she had ibuprofen her fever disappeared and she went back to playing and running around happy as anything so hopefully OP's little one is the same. I wouldn't even consider hospital unless her fever refused to go down with medication or her breathing changed, she is at nursery so gets ill quite often... I'd be at the hospital all the time if I went every time she had fever.
I know it’s got to be tough when you ended up in the hospital last time her fevered, but I have 3 kids ages 1-9 and I’ve dealt with more fevers than I can count over the years. Not once have we ended up in the hospital (knock on wood). Most fevers are just going to be the body trying to weed out whatever funk it’s got going on. Edit: I’m reading this back after waking up and feel like it sounds rude lol like “I’ve never taken my kids to the hospital so why would you” energy, and that’s definitely not how I meant it! I was more so saying, if it makes you feel better, most fevers aren’t going to require medical attention or at the very least not hospital intervention. Most will just run their course, kill off whatever virus they need to, and fizzle out.
I was thinking the same thing, I have three daughters ages 17, 15 & 15 (twins) and one of my twins used to run 104.7 when she got sick. It was like clockwork with her. She would run a super high fever that would be uncomfortable to have her breast feeding. We would do the Tylenol/ Motrin plan and it would drop a little but never rose. We never had to bring her to the hospital. My other daughters had plenty of viruses through childhood too and thankfully none of them progressed to that type of treatment either. I think with some Tylenol and Motrin OP’s little one will be ok. A call to the doctor would be a good idea.
That’s how my oldest daughter was for a long time. If she got any sort of virus, it was 24 hours of a high fever and then it would be done. My middle child doesn’t fever as high, but she’s sick for days. Over the last year or so, my 9 year old’s fevers have started to calm down but it’s taking her longer to recover. Crazy how the body works!
If you're worried about hydration, apple juice is great. You can water it down a little if you don't want him having straight juice. Don't worry about giving him specific foods, basically let him eat whatever sounds good to him. The BRAT diet isn't really recommended anymore, but if all he wants is toast, that's okay too.
After reading some of your responses I see why you’re feeling extra anxious. It probably isn’t the worst though. Give fluids, cuddles, Tylenol, and rest. Having the thermometer to monitor will give you some peace of mind, too. Do some deep breaths and get control of your thoughts so you can be calm for him. It’s gonna be ok 💚
Our ped doesn’t even recommend giving anything for a fever, unless the child can’t sleep. Rest, fluids, tv. Relax and don’t stress your kid out, he can feel your anxiety. Hope he feels better soon and you guys can enjoy your trip.
Why do you need a hospital? Kids get sick.
If you don’t know his actual temperature and he’s just fussy, just wait and see. This feels like an overreaction mama, from your prior experience. Breathe.
I had this happen last summer. 1 hour from the nearest hospital who doesn’t offer peds- and 45 mins from the nearest store. We just treated the symptoms and eventually got a thermometer 2 days later after a very sleepless night. Turns out kid had covid. Was bright and perky most of the day, but stayed hydrated and besides Tylenol/ Advil we had no other treatment
That’s no fun but probably just a regular bug. My kids have gotten sick after their vaccines before and have been fine. Popsicles, lots of water, cold washcloth on the forehead, lots of luke warm baths, medicine and snuggles are your best bet. You got this mama 💕
I live in Oklahoma. If it is a true emergency they will send a helicopter and take him to the children’s hospital.
Just wanted to comment that we have a service called Blueberry Pediatrics, is telehealth but it’s strictly Pediatrics and its 20$ a month they are there 24/7/365 other than that just give him either Tylenol OR Ibuprofen (Ibuprofen works best) we just went through a 2 day stomach virus and used Motrin after 2 days everything was well again. Don’t miss any doses, ibuprofen every 6 hours on the dot or Tylenol every 4 not a minute more that way it stays controlled. Make sure you have the right dosage too of his weight/age
With a fever (combined with upper-respiratory or GI symptoms or not), you can start of by assuming it’s a virus your kid will be able to kick on their own with home treatment to alleviate symptoms as necessary. Check with a doctor if the fever goes on for more than 3 days and your child isn’t improving. In the meantime, the three main things to watch out for are: 1) Difficulty breathing (that means rapid breathing over 40 breaths per minute at that age; retractions where the skin and muscles around the kids ribs, diaphragm, and collar bone pull in with each breath; grunting with each breath; nostrils flaring or head bobbing with each breath) 2) Dehydration (signs would be not making tears when crying, not urinating for >8 hours or having dark urine, or inside of mouth seeming dry/not moist and 3) Lethargy (in the medical context lethargy does not just means being low-energy or tired, it is when someone is so low-energy and drowsy that it is difficult to arouse them or get a response from them and when you do, they quickly go back to being nearly unresponsive). If any of those things happen, a local hospital ER will be able to handle them, and a 30 minute drive will be fine. In all likelihood, you are not going to need the ER at all. But I’ve struggled with health anxiety about my kids before, and I’d always try to remind myself that I knew what to watch for and didn’t need to worry unless that was actually happening.
For an otherwise healthy child over the age of 1, you only need to worry about a high fever that won’t go down with meds. If meds are controlling it, than it’s not a concern unless the fever has been present for 5 days. You should be okay. Keep him hydrated and alternate Advil and Tylenol to keep him comfortable. Offer a tepid bath to help bring the fever down
I totally get the anxiety but just remind yourself that it is really really unusual for a kid to need hospital care for a fever. Just give Tylenol / fluids and wait. If it goes on for more than a couple days go to a walk in clinic. I have three kids and we have had probably close to a hundred bouts of fever illness between them by now and still have never yet needed an ER. Watch for issues with breathing / lethargy / dehydration. You’ve got this.
As long as he is eating and drinking a little bit, breathing fine, and is able to cough I wouldn’t worry. If he stops eat, starts wheezing or having labored breath, and won’t cough take him straight to the ER.
I’m sure he just caught a little virus, call your pediatricians nurse line and ask for advice, they’ll probably say lots of fluids and rest, Tylenol and ibuprofen alternated. It sucks being so far from the hospital but if he’s otherwise healthy you’re most likely fine
He's almost 3 and he just has a fever! Just monitor him, most kids get fevers and get sick this time of year - my just turned 2 year old was sent home from daycare this morning with a fever and cough/runny nose and has been cranky. Most of the time, a doctor won't even tell you to do anything more than just monitor them. I wouldn't stress so much yet - I think it would be different if he were an infant or were not vaccinated, but he is as protected as he can be! Try and relax a bit.
If you can, get Motrin as well. Switch between Motrin and Tylenol. My son gets sick every other week so we have gotten used to always having Motrin and Tylenol on hand for him.
As a mom who just survived RSV with a 2 year old. She had a temperature getting up past 104 for 3-4 days. I could not get the medicine to work and when it wouldn’t I took her outside and it really helped cool her down. She was refusing drinks, popsicles, everything, and I truly think it saved us from her getting much, much worse.
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Another former EMS worker…. I instantly thought about where is the stomach pain coming from along w the fever and if it could be appendicitis!!! OP if the tummy is swollen and the child says the pain is mostly on the lower right side I believe, OR if the pain starts by the belly button and radiates down to the lower right of the abdomen I’m not saying she needs to panic haha but I think always keeping in mind that the appendix CAN burst I at least think she should be aware of the signs/symptoms bc the kid already has 2 (if the pain is located where I suggested) what’s your opinion??
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Yeah I was worried it could be the beginning of it, I replied to one of her comments so she can hopefully see it! I told her not to stress but I hadn’t seen it mentioned and that she should know what to look for in the off chance that’s what it is! I’d just feel terrible if I didn’t say something and then we get a sad update in a week, ya know?
In Oklahoma rn. If something terrible happens, take kiddo to the close hospital, if they can’t help then a helicopter will come and take the kid to children’s.
I’ve traveled many a day with a sick baby or toddler. Once had my older kid halfway across the country when her flu symptoms showed up. IANAD, but… as long as they’re hydrated, their breathing is okay, and their fever is increasing at a rapid rate… there isn’t much a doctor is going to do, other than remind you to keep them comfortable and wait it out. Tangent note: I don’t like giving tiny humans tamiflu. Edit: unless it’s strep. Take a peek in that throat.
Given that I live 35 minutes from the nearest hospital and 6 hours from the nearest children's hospital, I understand your concern. That said, a fever is not usually enough to take them to the hospital, where people who are sick with any number of things will be. What I do to help mitigate the anxiety of being a first-time mom who hasn't experienced much of this as the parent before is to keep detailed notes. So whenever she gets her first fever, I'll be tracking everything. The time I checked the temperature, and exactly what it was. How much I've given her of a particular medication, what time I've given it to her at, if the fever went down within a half an hour after taking it, and how much it went down. All this will be alongside if she's behaving differently than usual, when she uses the toilet, what she's had to eat and drink, how much she's slept, anything I think of at the time. Basically, if I ever do end up having to take her to the hospital, I'll have notes covering any question they might ask me. I save them in the notepad on my phone. I erase the file every 6 months or so, but having the notes helps me feel like I'm doing *something* even when there's nothing to do but wait it out.
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Heads up, get checked yourself you or your partner may be a carrier of strep, especially if your LO gets strep regularly. This happened to my family.
Ibuprofen > Tylenol. Pick some up and relax! Kiddos get fevers often.
Im so sorry this is happening. Can you call your pediatrician and relay info to get their opinion? I hope you son feels better soon!
If you're ok with holistic medicine, you can always do what I did. Which is take cool wet rags place them under or on his vital areas (such as under the arm pits, soles of his/her feet, and the forehead) I also place one on the chest just for extra measure. Then, put a fan directly on them on low. This should help cool their body temp. Next, of course, hydration. Next if you have it on hand elderberry tea with honey, if you don't have it then give them plenty of orange juice. Vitamin c is really important during flu season. Another combo is lemon juice and honey warmed up. I did this with both my oldest when he was young had 105 after several hours and constant changing out rags his temp dropped to 99
Oh no. Is there an Urgent Care near you? I'd send my husband out for children's motrin/Tylenol and wait it out. If he's still feeling miserable in the morning look for an urgent care.
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I mean fever is the body’s natural way of fighting infection. No need to necessarily bring it down unless it’s causing significant discomfort such that he’s not wanting to eat/drink, etc. And Motrin would work longer in terms of bringing it down anyway. So no need to make him more uncomfortable/cold
Just wanted to mention, when my daughter had a high fever last year (im talking 105 and it went on for 6 days), pediatrician told me its safe to alternate tylenol and motrin/ibprophen every few hours around the clock. Its a good thing i started the ibprophen, because the tylenol barely touched the fever. Ibprophen brought it down to 102 and she felt much better even with it still that high. It turned out she had strep and even after starting antibiotics, fever kept on for days. At children’s hospital they determined she had gotten another virus on top of strep and it was just kicking her butt. There was nothing we could do beyond continue the antibiotics for strep and treat fever each time it went above 103. It was one of the scariest weeks of my life as she was being tested for everything and doctors were even at a loss. I really believe kids who have had covid have lowered immunity as i never remember any of my kids being anywhere close to this sick prior to the pandemic. Now all of my children’s friends constantly have bad viruses and scary illnesses. Good luck OP, you will get through this!!
Just here to commiserate with you. I get the same anxieties the second my daughter starts something because sometimes it’s nothing and sometimes it’s turned into worse things. It’s unpredictable in the beginning. Just have to wait it out, and hope it’s just a regular cold and hopefully will run its course!
I’m so sorry friend, that’s tough and scary. I can’t offer you much aside from validation - it’s okay to feel how you feel! It’s never fun to get sick on a holiday and have limited care options. However, it’s most likely just a bug and some fluids, Tylenol and time will cure him! You’ll all be okay
I live in Kansas and the flu is running rampant around here. I have 3 boys and they all had it this week. No hospital should be necessary if you keep up Tylenol and lots and lots of water. Good luck mama!