Baby Fever...what would you do?

[tchan03]

HI My baby (13 months old) had a fever last Sat, but the fever was gone on Sunday. However i want to ask you what you would do in this situation:

She had little fever (38.4 degree C) on Saturday morning, so we gave her drops of Tempra . Temperature down a bit next two hours. By night time ~ 8:30pm, temperature rose again and so we gave her another drop, then she slept

Around 2 am Sunday, my wife slightly touched her and she's red hot....temperature reached 39....She talked to me. I suggested giving her another drop or going to hospital but she said she's sleeping currently, dont want to wake her up

Sunday morning she slept all the way to 1-2pm. Fever gone since then

My Q is .....if you were me, would you wake the baby up and give her drop/drive her to hospital? Is 39C considered dangerously high?

(We saw Dr today for other health problem but forgot to ask above Q.)

 

[tessiemez]

For others reading this, 39 degrees C is 102.2 degrees F.

I'm a first time mom to a very young baby, so I don't know if a 13-month-old with a fever of 102 merits going to the doctor in the middle of the night ... but I would personally wake the baby up for medicine.

Then again--I'm new at parenthood, so my advice is moot!

ETA: I know fevers in young babies are different from older babies, so here's what Dr. Spock says about fevers for your baby's age group: http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,4304,00.html

Hope your little one is feeling beter!

 

[HelenePA]

My advice.. Never wake a sleeping baby.

 

[MoniqueU]

I certainly wouldn't of gone to the hospital. I might of woken her for the meds but one night one of my sons had a fever so high and I woke him to give him meds and spent the next 4 hours walking around singing to him. We were both miserable. I know sometimes sleep will just break a fever. This was back in the days before ear thermometers were inexpensive and I don't know what his temp was because I never mastered reading a regular thermometer but when my kids feet were hot to the tough they got tylenol. Just giving the meds to a toddler in my house was an acrobatic experierence. I think either way would of been the correct way in that situation. Sometimes parenting is just a judgement call with no one answer being absolutely right and you can get 2 different opinions for 2 different doctors as well. Obviously this was the right call as now your DD is better.

 

[RNMOM]

Here is a page with some very good advice, especially about homecare.

I also would not wake the baby. If you touch her in her sleep does she move a bit? Is she breathing regularly and smoothly? If she appears normal she is probably fine. A child will usually become very sleepy and not react to what is happening around them if they are seriously ill. If you are worried, call the doctor's office number, even at night. Usually you will be put through to a nurse or doctor on call. At the very least you will get instructions from an answering machine or service. It is a good idea to keep a nurse advice line number available. Many doctors can recommend one. Our insurance company has one. Many hospitals have them also.

There have been some changes in the recommendations for medicating babies/children so I would discuss this with your doctor or his on call staff.

 

[rickyratsmom]

Hon, don't worry that temp is not harmful. At that age babies get fevers or all sorts of reasons, teething, ear infections and sometimes for no obvious reason. My advice is first remove covers and clothing except diaper. Check temp again in about 30 mins. If there is no change give meds or take a wet cool washcloth and wipe him/her down. Again wait and check temp. If there is no change or it gets higher you may have to wake the baby and put them in a cool bath. This works well but they hate it, so expect lots of screaming. Believe it or not babies tollerate high temps better than us adults do. When my son was that age he ran a temp of 105 F., with no permanent damage at all. However, all kids are different and if a temp gets to 103 F. or higher it is time to call the doctor or emergency room for further advice!! Good luck Hon, you are doing a great job !

 

[mjkacmom]

That is not a dangerous temperature for a baby - my sister's kids have had fevers of 105, and her pediatrician never told her to bring them in.

 

[PatsGirl]

No, I would not have got the child up for medicine or taken them to the hospital but I know I wouldn't have slept either A fever is indicating that the body is fighting something. I only treated my children for fevers of 102 or more and then usually only if I couldn't find the cause, they weren't sleeping enough, or it lasted too long. My first course of "treatment" was a lukewarm/coolish rub. My experience was that parents who treated the fever nearly immediately and more often had children whose illnesses lasted much longer and became more severe.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

That's not a dangerous temperature for a toddler that age as long as there are no other problems like wheezing, no appetite, vomiting/diarrhea, acting in pain,etc.

For a baby under 3 months old, yes, that high a fever could be more dangerous and could warrant a doctor's visit. (Any baby under 2 months with a temperature of around 100.4 or above will get admitted to my hospital--it's in the doctors' handbook!).