Hello,
My daughter has had a low (100-101) fever since Saturday. We were just going to wait it out. She didn't appear "sick." No cough, phlegm, vomiting, diahrea, or anything. The only symptoms were slightly decreased appetite (which came back when we put her favorite food in front of her) and a little sleepier during her naps. She is almost 3 years old. (3 in November). The fever responds to medicine but then spikes up again when the medication wears off. Off the meds, she is low on energy and wants to lay and watch TV. On meds (fever is down), she is happy, and playful as always. She says that nothing hurts. We took her to the doctor on Wednesday and of course, they just sent her back home. Her ears, lungs, and throat (including strep test) are fine. Today, she woke up with a 101 fever. What could this be? My colleagues at work are telling me to take her to the emergency room, but I sort of feel like that is too much and it will be a waste of time - not that my child's health is not worth every precaution, but we have a 9 month old at home too and time is not a luxury we always have. What could it be, how serious is it, and what should we do? Thanks in advance!!
Two things, two more possiblilities:
My 7 yr old went through this a few months ago. The dr. finally decided that he had been exposed to Mono at some point and that it was related to that.
My 20m old had this, and we finally decided that she was having an allergic reaction to something. After about a week, the fever broke and she was fine.
M.
Maybe have her tested for lyme. My sister had lyme for years and if they could have caught it when she first started having fevers it would have been so much easier to treat.
Fever usually indicates an infection some where. Emergency room visit may help or ask pediatrician to run more test.Don't just over look. It could be serious.
Hi H., My 19 month old did the same thing about three wks ago. He was running a fever for a week before we went to the doc. It too would respond to meds then go right back up when they wore off. He of course sent us home saying it was just a virus and to let it run it's course--because he was eating, playing and had no other symptoms except a mild runny nose--clear and only when crying. Two days later his temp spiked at 105 in the middle of the night--called doc, went to doc...just a virus, wait it out(though they did strep test him and did a urinalysis just to rule out bladder infection)...Exactly 15 days from onset of the fever it broke and he's been fine since.
I believe we were at the doc office 3 times through the whole thing...I know they thought I was a crazy woman until the last time we were there--the only time his med wore off and they saw the fever climb so rapidly.
I suggest you keep taking her back eventhough it's not easy with another one in tow--I have a 3 yr old as well. Hopefully it's just a virus as ours was.
Good Luck
C.
What sis the Dr. say? There are many viruses that can cause this, and you just have to let them run it's course, if it were me, and the fever was still there by Monday, I would take my child back to Dr., and ask to see if maybe a blood test needs to be run to rule out any bacterial infection. I have had something similiar to this with my middle child, and the "waiting" for the virus to run its course is the worst!!
A little about me: Mom of 3 boys, ages 11,8, and 4, and just went back to work part time after being a SAHM for 11 years!
Sounds like when my son had a Urinary Tract Infection. First trip to the doctor was unfulfilling as they wanted to see if the fever would just go away on its own before having to subscribe meds. After five days of fever, we went to a better facility, did the requisite tests and determined that a short course of antibiotics was called for. Not long after all was well. A prolonged fever is not normal, and even if you can't get to the emergency room, I'd highly recommend another appointment, perhaps a different doctor may have different insight. Good luck.
I would gt a 2nd opinion, Night Time Pediatrics or something like that if you don't feel comfortable taking her back to the pediatrician. The rapid strep tests do come back negative sometimes so maybe have them do a full strep test. Our pediatrician always does that and with a fever that long they always want us to call back if its not gone within 24-48 hours after the visit. they should at least be able to give you an idea. Does she have Chicken Pox maybe. My son got them at 9 mos old after having the vaccine and he only had a few spots and a low grade fever but no specific hurts and he never itched either. Good luck.
Does she have her second set of molars yet?
my son had something like this last month, and I think it was roseolla==fever for a week, low energy, vague symptoms, cranky off meds, then a flat rash will come after about 5 or 6 days and last a few days then every thing is back to normal. There are a lot of viruses going around, I would wait it out and let it run its course whatever it is. she'll be more likely to catch something else in the er or urgent care center. if she isn't better in a few days then take her back to her pediatrician unless she worsens a lot.
As some other moms suggested, I would have the doctor check for a UTI. In the meanwhile, if you cannot get her to a doctor before Monday morning, I would try getting her to drink some cranberry juice, which is known to help flush out urinary tract infections. I would also perhaps get her to eat some yogurt, as it will provide her with more of the beneficial bacteria her body needs to help fight a bacterial infection, if that it what she turns out to have. Lastly, I would keep her on the Tylenol or Motrin if she really seems miserable without it until you get an answer. UTIs are very painful. They are also fairly common in little girls who are learning toilet training, as they sometimes hold back the urine for too long or contaminate themselves when wiping.
I hope you find an answer soon.
It is always better to err on the side of caution. Earlier this summer all 3 of mine had a fever for almost 10 days each. My 9 year old was the least sick, my 21 month old had the fever the longest but my 7 year old was pretty lethargic. I was worried sick. Even though the doctor told me that some virus was going around and the fever for 7-10 days was normal, I kept pestering them. In my case, they were right. The fever broke and all was well. They ate okay and were generally themselves but just sluggish. But, something was going around and I was in touch with the doctor.
In your case, is there a virus going around? I would talk to the doctor on call even today (Saturday) and get another opinion. What about going to Patient First? They are always the greatest place to go but it is a second opinion and usually they move a little quicker than the ER. My insurance expects me to go to an urgent care facility unless we are dieing!!!
Good luck.
I'm probably saying what everyone else is saying. I have 2 kids (6 yrs & 15 months) too, but I think that you need to get a second opinion - maybe not the er, but do you have an urgent care facility near you? Or now most Targets have those nurses. A fever is an indication that the body is trying to fight off some type of infection & 101 for that long... You need to be careful that it doesn't spike higher & cause a seizure.
My friend & her family spent some time at our house (5 hrs away from their home), and their son spiked a fever of 102. So we took him to the er because it was late on the weekend & they found nothing. They went home the next morning as scheduled & went to a local place for a 2nd opinion. It was an ear infection (hidden behind a lot of ear wax).
Get the 2nd opinion - better safe than sorry.
H.,
My 4 yo daughter had the exact same symptoms two weeks ago. I mean the exact same symptoms. It took four days and she is now fine. We also took her back to the doctor for a second opinion, but did not receive the answer we were seeking. My daughter is fine now. I think it was just a bug.
A.
A fever should be discussed with your child's pediatrician or an ER physician. At age 3, a fever can mean an infection or a virus, although a virus should have cleared up a little sooner, not spiked again. Also the fatigue and lack of appetite would worry me. Why take a chance? With young children, those symptoms could be mild or serious. Leave Dad home with 9-month-old and seek expert advice.
It could be that your little girl is cutting teeth in the back. In the day care, we are told that a fever of under 101.0 could be teething. If she is still not feeling well on Monday I would call the doctor but if she seems to get worse or the fever goes up over 101.0 I would at least call your on call pediatrician and talk to them. Or like someone else said if it is over 102, take her in to the er. I have seen some children that keep a low grade fever for a while when cutting teeth, my youngest included. I hope your baby girl gets to feeling better soon!
I think it would be time for a second opinion. I would take her to the emergency room. I have been taking my kids to the same doctor for 7 years which is the best I have come across but I have had to get a second opinion 2 times in that time period and he doesn't mind b/c he knows he is not perfect and he can miss things and I have a more important role as a parent to my kids that I know better than him and when things just aren't quite right. A fever is a sign that your body is fighting an infection. I am a mother of 4 children oldest 11 years to youngest 2 months. The 2 rules I live by as a parent are 1.) The impossible is possible and 2.) Better safe than sorry. If you are concerned about the 9 month old going to the e.r. see if a trusted neighbor or friend can watch him or just one parent would take her. Don't worry if it turns out to be not much at least you will feel better knowing that it is ok or this is what is wrong and this is how to fix it. Good luck and I hope all goes well!
Have them check for a UTI. Good luck.
i'm with you, the ER sounds too much for this, especially since ERs are hotbeds of nasty stuff you don't want your kid exposed to except in life-or-death emergencies. it sounds as if her body is fighting something off, and the meds keep suppressing her body's attempts to do its job naturally. if she's not super-sick, i'd let her alone for a couple of days (let her hang on the couch and watch videos, pamper her a bit) and see if the fever runs its course and knocks out whatever bug it's fighting. if after 2 days it's still spiking, go back to doctor and demand more comprehensive tests.
khairete
S.
We have delt with ear infections and teething with this kind of fever... If you get a second oppinion don't give her the medicine until after the appointment. If it has a anti-inflamitory in it, the symptom may not be there.
I would make sure to keep her hydrated and watch the fever-and let her get some extra rest.
sounds like an infection of some sort.
A low grade fever for a day or two, especially one that goes away with medication isn't anything to worry about. A fever that is persistent for a week could be and you should call you doctor back. Let him know that it has now been over a week and although the tests came back ok on Wednesday that you feel it is not ok to just let this go on. Remind him of the fact that it is spiking up and that you have to also think about preventing your infant from the same symptoms. He could give you a mild antibotic to take care of any mild infection your daughter may have. He could also order blood work (ask for fast results so this doesn't continue untreated). If he doesn't do anything and your are not satisfied (I wouldn't be), then take your daughter to the ER or local walk-in clinic. They will typically at least give a mild antibotic (like amoxcillian).
Either way, be sure your daughter is hydrated and kept comfortable, especially when the fever is present. My doctor has always had me give Motrin and Tylenol (alternate every four hours). My son is now 16 and my daughter is 21-months. My daughter has had very few fevers but my son was another story. If the fever was too high and persistent, he had me give both Tylenol and Motrin every four hours but two hours apart...Motrin at 8 AM, Tylenol at 10 AM, Motrin at 12 PM. Once it dropped, we would just alternate every four hours.
If you are in the Dover, DE and need a different doctor, Dr. Bacchus is the best pediatrician and he doesn't play around with waiting for a fever to resolve itself for a week!
Hi H.,
I would definitely take her to the doctor. I have three kids of my own and have spent a few times in the urgent care center. It's not easy when you have siblings but it's not normal to have a fever for that long. If your doctor's office isn't open on Saturday you could go to the Urgent Care center. I'm not sure you'd need to go to the ER though. Good luck and I hope it's not anything serious!
L.
My 3 yr old was like that back in the early spring. He had the fever and wasn't himself. So after about 4 days I took him to his doctor. They did a strep test which came back neg. So they took some blood and we found out that he had mono. I started laughing when they told me. There isn't anything they can give you for mono but just rest and give them something for the fever. It took him a little over a week to get better. It was nothing like the mono I had in high school. Our doctor said that they are seeing more of it in younger kids now that they check for it. I still don't know where he got it from but I did found out that once you have mono, you cannot get it again but you can still give it to others. So there is a good chance that I gave it to him. So if you or anyone she is around a lot has had it. I would take her back to the doctor and ask to have her tested for mono. I hope she feels better soon. A cute side note. My son will go around now saying he had mono but he doesn't know who kissed him and gave it to him.
K.
Take her back to the doctor. My son - also 3 in November - just had his first ever ear infection and he was exactally the same as you described your daughter. low fever, tired and low appetite. They saw a small spot of infection in his ear. Have her cheacked again; she may need a round of antibiotics.
My son had the same thing two weeks ago. He had a low-degree temperature for 5 days. When the fever subsided, he broke out with a red rash all over his face. The doctor said it's called ROSEOLA virus. Here is more info about it:
WHAT IS ROSEOLA?
It is a usually harmless illness caused by a virus. It occurs almost only in children age 3 months to 3 years, most often between 9-12 months. It is probably the most common cause of fever in this age group.
WHAT DOES ROSEOLA LOOK LIKE?
This virus generally causes 3 days of high fever (often over 103). The fever then subsides, and the child breaks out in a flat or bumpy red rash, usually starting around the neck, back and chest, then spreading out. The rash lasts a few days to a couple weeks.
Roseola is about the only virus in which the rash appears after the fever breaks.
Sometimes this virus will cause 3 to 7 days of high fever, with no other symptoms and no rash. Some children will have swelling of the glands in the front and back of the neck, runny nose, cough, ear pain, vomiting or diarrhea with this illness. Children can have one or all of these symptoms.
The characteristic of Roseola is that infants don't seem very sick and act almost well when the high fever comes down.
WHEN IS IT CONTAGIOUS AND HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED?
It is contagious from about two days before the fever starts until 1 or 2 days after the fever is gone, even if the rash continues. Children who are fever-free for 1 or 2 days can return to school, even if they still have rash. It is passed via saliva, runny nose, or cough. The incubation period (time from when your child is exposed to the time of actual illness) is around 10 days.
HOW DO I TREAT ROSEOLA?
You essentially just treat any symptoms that are bothering your child. There is no actual treatment for this virus. The main thing to keep in mind is that this virus can cause high fevers. Try to be diligent in treating moderate to high fevers.
I hope it helped. Good luck !
Take her back to the Dr's for Heaven's sake! She is obviously sick with something.
How often do you give her the Tylenol/Ibuprofen? Fevers are nature's way of getting rid of viruses and infections, so if you keep supressing the fever, her body may not be able to get rid of the infection. I am like you, I don't like to drag them to the doctor and potentially expose them to some thing new unless they are really sick. If you are dosing her the max number of times each day, I would stop for a day or two as long as she feels okay. She may have a little virus or something and as long as her fever doesn't get to high, she'll be fine. My neighbor's son always get a low-grade fever when ANYTHING goes around. I don't think the ER is a good idea if it's a low fever either...you'll just wind up at the end of the line since it's not a high fever and waste a lot of time. Good luck!
That kind of low-grade fever is definitely symptomatic of SOMETHING, so after almost a week, your doctor should be concerned.
I have a 4 yr old and a 1 yr old, so I understand what you mean about time issues, but at this point, if her fever spikes over the weekend (over 102.4) you should take her to the ER. If it doesn't spike that high, you should certainly take her to the doctor on Monday. You didn't mention what if any tests the dr did in your post, but they should do a CBC (to look at white blood cell count), and a urinalysis.
My baby girl was sick last weekend, came home from daycare with a fever on Friday (her 1st birthday! = [ ) and we figured the fever was from teething, since a molar started coming in that day. Her fever spiked over 103 on Sunday, so I cooled her with baths and when we went for her 1 yr checkup on Monday morning, we turned it into a sick visit. The dr suspected a UTI right away. They took a urine sample (catheter, done in less than a minute), and a blood sample. Got results on Wednesday it turns out she does have UTI and they detected e.coli in her urine...the dr seemed pretty calm about it, said they see it all the time, she was already on a good antibiotic for it since Monday, so we are on track for her to be fine. (Just telling you this for ideas of other possible causes for the fever.)
After a week of low-grade fever, your doctor should be doing more tests - if it was the generic diagnosis of "a virus" that the doctor uses all the time, it should have burned itself out by now. So, time for them to look for bacterial causes.
Good luck!
My daughter had the same thing a while back with the high fever (up to 103) with no other symptoms of illness other than being tired and not very hungry. The doctor told me that the characteristics of roseola are high fever with no other real signs of illness and then a rash would appear on the body and the fever breaks and it is over. Nothing you can do other than fever medicine. Sure enough, after about 5 days of the fever, she developed a rash on her body and the fever was gone. Then the rash cleared up after a few days. Could be the same thing your little one is going through. Good luck!
My daughter around that age had Roseola(sp?)and she also ran a fever for a long time but it spiked at one point. Is there any kind of rash? It can be very faint and lacy looking.
I'm assuming she goes to daycare, ask them if there's been anything going around. I don't think I'd go to the emergency but I'd call the doctor back and follow up.
Did they do a quick strep test (in the office) if so ask for a culture instead. My daughter passes a quick test every time and 5days later we're back at the doctors, we don't even bother doing those anymore.
My son and me and my daughter just got over this about a week ago. Some kind of freak bug got us, the neighbors kid spread it to Xavier, to me, then my baby girl. Xavier had fever vomiting and I had no symptoms except a sore throat and fever. I was a horrible couple of days the doc gave us tylenol, motrin, cepacol and sent us home. It's up to you if you go to the doc, it definitely gave me peace of mind. I went to a Navy doc and I went to Patient First because I over reacted.
I wouldn't worry about it. She might be fighting off something but it's minor. Does she have all her teeth. She could be getting her molars in late. That would cause that. My Dr. always said if you child doesn't act sick don't treat them sick. they will just send you home from the emergency room it's not an emergency. I would just wait it out until she's Acting sick or her temp gets really high over 102. is what my Dr. said.
The only time my son had a fever for almost a week and no other symptoms he had Roseola. If she gets a rash as soon as the fever breaks then that is probably what she has.
Check out this link for some more info....
Take her to the doctor for a urine test!!! She probably has a urinary tract infection! I can't believe your doctor didn't check for this! My daughter had the same symptoms, but my doctor suspected what it was right away! Mine ended up having a a condition called bladder reflux, very important to get treated! Please update us!
I am guessing hat her body is fighting some kind of bug. She will probably be better soon. A fever is not dangerous until it reaches 105. Fever is the body's natural way of killing germs. Try giving her extra Vitamin C to strengthen her immune system. Did the doctor check for appenicitis? I have also known people having fever from insect bites. AF
I would got back to the Dr. Do you know if she has been bitten by any deer ticks? The symptoms include a fever for a week. 50% of all cases DO NO get the bull-eye. ANother symptom is a rash. It wont hurt to have her tested.
I can't say for sure. But a little girl in my daughters class was out of school for about 2 weeks with the same problem. She felt fine but just had the constant fever. her doctor said she had a virus and would just have to wait it out. It sounds like that. My suggestion would be to keep distance between her and your 9 month old so he doesn't catch it but it sounds like maybe you just have to wait it out. However, if the fever persist and she develops any other symptoms I would take her back to the doctor. And more than anything I have found that a mothers instict can be very helpful. If you "feel" like it's something more serious follow that and go back to the doctor. If you "feel" ok but are just worried you are missing something, relax and see how things go. good luck!!
