Please remind me how to bring down a high fever?

[rcpae]

I have a call into our pediatrician and am waiting to speak with them. I have a feeling they are going to have me alternate between tylenol and ibuprofen to bring her 103 degree fever down. I won't do anything until I hear from them but I want to make sure I get it right. Sometimes when they are giving me a ton of info I ...... can't remember some of the details when I hang up.

How do you alternate them? My daughter is 12 yrs old and 106 pounds.

Again, I will do nothing until I hear from them. Thanks!

 

[nskjerven]

cool bath, or cool cloths applied to the body. I don't think 103 is all that high in my kids, unless tyelonol didn't work, then I'd do the cool bath. Gotta wrap them up quickly afterwards so they don't chill.

 

[nskjerven]

sorry I miss read what you asked...duh...read the label on the medicine. I'd not trust an internet post with something like this.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Fever is not a bad thing. It means the body is fighting the infection. Bringing down the fever only makes the body's job that much harder. 103 is not so high that it needs to be brought down JMHO.

I do give tylenol to my kids if they are in pain-like dd7 right now has swine flu and has had a fever since yesterday. I let her ride it out unless she tells me she is in pain, which she did a while ago (bad headache).

 

[DMickey28]

I don't know about a 12 year old but in general a 103 fever isn't that high in kids. Now my 2.5 year old runs low so 103 would be more like 104.5 in him. When he has a fever like that, which hasn't happened in over 8 months when he couldn't tell me he had a boo-boo, I would alternate the correct dosage of tylenol and motrin every three hours.

I would also give my DS a luke warm bath if he was that high.

 

[rcpae]

I am fairly certain it is H1N1. Her sister had it last week and was diagnosed at the doctor with the same symptoms. My 3 DD's are all older. The 12yo is the youngest so they really don't get sick all that often anymore.

I might see if she would like to take a bath. I feel so sorry for her. She is my "full of life girl" so to see her sick makes me sad.

 

[LaraK]

We get super high fevers in our house. Try a tepid bath.

 

[bumbershoot]

Nice tepid bath is the safest way. And if the fever goes back up, you know it. With drugs, you don't know what the body is doing, because it's been artificially altered.

I agree that 103 isn't that high, it's a sign the body is working on killing the "bugs", and unless the actual fever is really really really bothering her, there's no point in bringing it down.

Especially since "they" have been saying that you're not contagious x number of days after the fever breaks, it's REALLY important to know when the body has actually finished up with the work of the fever. Doesn't make sense to count x days from when you've drugged the body!

For myself, when I have a fever I bundle up and take a nap! Wake up with wet hair from sweating, but generally I feel much much better. (NOT a suggestion for your kid, but I had friends who bundled up, took a shot of blackberry brandy, and went to sleep...even did that as kids when their parents were there to dose them...IMO, better than nyquil, LOL...but it does not work for me...the alcohol keeps me awake...but again, just talking here, not suggesting that for her)

Hubby, however, hates bundling up during a fever and always has, so he tries to stay cool and take a nap, and he generally wakes up feeling much better. Different bodies!

 

[wdwfan16]

My grandmother would do alcohol rub downs.

 

[rcpae]

I just spoke with the doctor and he recommended ibuprofen every 4 to 5 hours initially and the tepid bath. Here's hoping this is as quick as her sister!

 

[Darsa]

I know how you feel; DD13 is currently at 102.5 and if it climbs any more I'm going to get her into the bathtub. She's been taking acetaminophen every 4 hours; DH just brought home some advil so I thought I'd try switching out the two. I'd let her fever work it's way out but she has a lot of achiness and a headache, my poor girl

Good luck to you! Hopefully both of our kids are quick to recover, Halloween's coming!

 

[lemondog]

I just spoke with the doctor and he recommended ibuprofen every 4 to 5 hours initially and the tepid bath. Here's hoping this is as quick as her sister!

If that does not help for some reason, my pedi told me to alternate ibuprofen and tylenol every 3 hours, as sometimes this will break a fever more quickly.

Hope your DD feels better soon.

 

[CajunDixie]

Don't forget the liquids!!! Water, gatorade/powerade, pedialyte,.....

 

[nmmom95]

I just had to do this with DS6 on Friday. The ped had me alternate Tylenol and Motrin every 3 hours. He was at 103 at the time. They are not testing anymore here, but she is treating it as H1N1, because he has all the symptoms. He still has a fever, but not as high. DS11's fever started last night. Motrin is holding his down at the moment. Hope she feels better!

 

[CanBeGrumpy]

Do people really feel like getting into cool bath water when they have a fever? I think that is the last thing I would want to do! The worst fever I had was when I had mastitis while nursing my first baby. My fever was 105.6 (which is pretty high for an adult). I had major chills, so I got in the hottest shower I could stand and just stood there for at least 20 minutes (I'm surprised my skin didn't boil off), and then after I dried off, I had Dh pile as many blankets as he could find on me, and I still felt cold! I think if someone had put me in cool bath water I would have gone into shock or something!