High temperature - how high is too high?

**bibi571** · 28-02-2010, 03:38 PM

I've a little one who'd a high temp 2 weeks ago. Very poorly on her 2nd day. Sat on my knee the whole time at playgroup and wouldn't let me put her down - boy can she cry loudly!

She is 15 months old; my other mindee is 3 days older than her, and the other is 16 months old. So sitting wither only her on my knee is not really an option.

Dad mentioned she'd been 'dosed up' on arrival, and she did seem hot all morning, but i didn't check 'how' hot until we got home. When we did her temp was 39.1!

Called her mum as i thought that was rather hot, she said - oh she's on anti-biotics, so there's not much more the Dr can do, is there? I'll be getting her in a couple of hours anyway - I'm just up, can't you just hold onto her? It turns out she'd been out the night before till 4am!

So no she didn't pick her up, and when she did get her her temp was 40.1, but her mum says that was because she'd been in the car with her coat on!

When she came back this week and I asked how she was, her mum said 'oh it was just teething'. Why do parents blame everything on teething?

What temp would you say is too high and they must go home with? I'd have thought that 39.1 was too high and 40.1 definately too high?

Barbara x

**Tinglesnark** · 28-02-2010, 03:42 PM

omg how awful that she wasnt bothered? i would be concerned at anything over 38 for sure and even more so if the calpol/ibruprofen didnt take the temp down.
x

**The Juggler** · 28-02-2010, 03:49 PM

I had a baby (1) recently who went up to 39.7. Called mum and gave Calpol with verbal permission. Mum offered to come so we said we'd wait and see if temp came down. It did. So we left her she just slept.

Temp's going up rapidly to 39 -40 poses risk of febrile convulstion but if it's slower and steadier and medicine can control it then it's not so dangerous and I'd be happy to wait until pick up as long as baby was not crying non-stop and I was able to put her/him down to attend to other children. However, with a temp like this for several days, that poor baby should have been at home! Especially if mum is at home anyway!

**Beckieboo** · 28-02-2010, 03:50 PM

I send home with anything over 38, there is always a reason for a temp, little one needs to rest at home IMO. Otherwise we all get it!!!

Pipsqueak · 28-02-2010, 03:53 PM

Anything over 38 is considered a fever. Send home especially if they are dosed up and their temp is still rising/not going down.
Anything over 39.9 you are heading towards possible seizures.

Get the child cooled down - strip them off, plenty of fluid (preferably water), cool environment - they need to shiver it out.

**Beckieboo** · 28-02-2010, 03:56 PM

On our first aid course we were told to go straight to the hospital with anything 40 and up!!

Pipsqueak · 28-02-2010, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by Beckieboo

On our first aid course we were told to go straight to the hospital with anything 40 and up!!

that is correct - when James was poorly a while back his temp was at 40.3 -(they couldn't believe he was walking and lucid) - they wanted to send him into hospital. They gave it 15 minutes from him being stripped and extra dosed up for his temp to start coming down otherwise it was straight in.

**The Juggler** · 28-02-2010, 04:06 PM

and if monitoring it with a thermometor the underarm temp is often .5 degrees lower than the actual body temp so if it's reading 39.5 then it's probably nearer 40.

**singlewiththree** · 28-02-2010, 05:15 PM

I would take the child's base temperature next time she is well.

My daughters would get very high temps 40+ regularly and are still "normal" I now don't give calpol until 39 as they get slow high temps and I know there isn't a problem.

I would always give calpol with permission and providing it came down keep the child until the parent came.

Pipsqueak · 28-02-2010, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by The Juggler

and if monitoring it with a thermometor the underarm temp is often .5 degrees lower than the actual body temp so if it's reading 39.5 then it's probably nearer 40.

the headstrips are not good to use - only as a rough guide

**Desi-101** · 28-02-2010, 10:40 PM

In my experience, when my little one had a temp above 40 I phoned NHS as it was late at night on both occasions and was told to go immediately to outpatients. Temp was brought down with suppositories on one occasion and paracetamol on the other. I think anything over 38 mum should collect and contact doctor etc. as it could cause febrile convulsions. I use a digital thermometor. Dosing is ok with paracetamol but if it doesn't come down I personally would take action.

**The Juggler** · 01-03-2010, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by Desi-101

In my experience, when my little one had a temp above 40 I phoned NHS as it was late at night on both occasions and was told to go immediately to outpatients. Temp was brought down with suppositories on one occasion and paracetamol on the other. I think anything over 38 mum should collect and contact doctor etc. as it could cause febrile convulsions. I use a digital thermometor. Dosing is ok with paracetamol but if it doesn't come down I personally would take action.

exactly a child with a temp that didn't come down would definately be an emergency collection.