thread: How long do you let a fever go for?

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  1. #1
    Registered User

    Oct 2006
    Sydney
    4,081

    I'd take her, just to check the ears and the throat. If they are clear then you're already doing all you need to but at least you'll know for sure, KWIM? The other thing to do is keep her fluids up. With the fever she'll have increased risk of getting a bit dehydrated (I know you said the nappies are fine, so this is probably irrelevant but JIC!) so fluids are pretty important.
    Natty had a mystery virus last year that was 4 days (and 4 horrible, horrible nights) of high temps. She was miserable too, so I kept the neurofen up to her. The Dr told me her ears were clear so there was nothing we could do but wait it out. She said if she didn't seem responsive and didn't have any "spark" to her at all, then to bring her back. (Possible dehydration.)
    After 4 days she was maybe a little tiny bit snotty, but that was it! Nothing else wrong with her. Still don't know what that bug was about.
    I hope Jazz is much better soon.

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Sep 2007
    Cairns
    1,787

    Poor Jazz! Euan had the same thing a couple of weeks ago - temp around 38.8, responsive to paracetamol/ibuprofen but would rise again once the dose wore off, no symptoms of illness, was alert and generally happy, weeing/pooing as normal, heart-rate / breathing normal, was taking in fluids, was off most food but would still eat fruit by the barrel-load.

    I rang the health nurse, because it was a weekend and I didn't want to subject DS to sitting in the ER for hours on end if it wasn't warranted, which I didn't feel that it was except that the lack of other symptoms beyond a fever concerned me.

    She advised that as he was not showing any other signs of concern (eg: dehydration, rapid or shallow breathing, unresponsive to stimulus), if the fever goes beyond 48 hours, or goes to / above 40 degrees, or is not responsive to paracetamol, then to see a doctor. She also said that the current advice is to not give paracetamol unless the temperature goes above 38.3 or is sustained, but to monitor closely and to ensure good hydration.

    DS's temperature lasted about 36 hours and then he was back to normal, and he showed no other symptoms, so who knows what it was.

    HTH - and I hope that Jazz is feeling much better soon.
    Last edited by suse; March 31st, 2009 at 02:22 PM. : A missing comma. Yes, really, a comma. Yes, I am that anal... LOL

  3. #3
    2013 BellyBelly RAK Recipient.

    May 2007
    Brisbane
    5,310

    Thanks everyone, made an appointment with the GP tomorrow morning first thing, hopefully I'll be able to walk in and say "well... she was sick yesterday" lol. She's getting a bit of diarrhea now, but her temp hasn't risen since her dose of paracetamol this morning at 9.30ish so thats a good sign. She's actually playing now too, not being clingy, so thats a good sign I think.

    ... LOL at your ETA suse!!!!!