Is this a stomach virus?

[ahisma]

Background: Two weeks ago, DS1 and DS2 had what was diagnosed as croup. Fever, congestion, cough. I wound up with it and it was diagnosed as influenza, but they didn't swab me so I'm unconvinced. Regardless, it presented the same.

Now: Yesterday, DS1 (10yo) came home from after school activities with a bad headache. We gave him some tylenol and he took an uncharacteristic nap, then rallied and went to music lessons. No fever. Around midnight he woke up and vomited and had a high fever (103.6). Cleaned him up, a few crackers and tylenol, then back to bed. Woke up around 5:30 am with fever (102.6).

Now it's mid-morning and the tylenol has worn off - he's hovering about 100F. Stomach feels fine, mild headache. On the BRAT diet just in case (with oatmeal added in).

Does this sound like a gastro virus, or could the vomiting have been from the fever?

[doberbrat]

high fever and bad headache or neck pain = immediate trip to dr for me. What does your mommy gut say?

I've never had a gastro bug w/fever. We've had strep w/fever & stomach pain. but could just as easily be something else entirely.

I hope he's better quickly and that no one else gets sick.

[azzeps]

I would call the pediatrician and run it by them. Sometimes they'll have a feel for what's going around currently, and they'll be able to tell you if you should bring him in to rule out strep. My son had strep last year, and he had fever and vomiting and very very tired (slept a lot) but no sore throat. So I didn't know he had strep until DD came down with it and had the horrible sore throat.

[BunnyBee]

Strep can be headache and vomiting. A few of us have had the flu, and the younger ones started with headache and vomiting (and diarrhea later).

[legaleagle]

I agree with everyone and would call but that doesn't sound like a gastro bug at all - 103 is definitely high enough to cause vomiting by itself.

Strep has been going around like crazy around here - my 3rd and 1st graders both had it.

[catsnkid]

My DS almost always vomits with a high fever like that.

[PZMommy]

Both of my boys get fevers and vomit with strep throat. They never complain of a sore throat. I'd get him checked out.

[ahisma]

I don't think it's meningitis. I had that a few years ago and he's moving his head far more comfortably than I was. He's never vomited with a fever before, but I suppose there is always a first time. We usually dodge stomach bugs, so I don't really know what to look for there.

Although he has a long history of strep, his tonsils are gone now and he's been clear for years. I didn't consider that one. Good call. Having DH call the ped to get him in.

Fever is back up to 103.

[mikala]

Fwiw we seem to have a virus going around our school that generally causes 101-103 temps for about 48 hours, some kids have a tummy ache with it and vomit once but that's the extent of the gastro symptoms. After two days the fever breaks.

I don't feel the urgency to take a kid to the doctor less than 24 hours into an illness that is likely viral without other red flags.

[ahisma]

Fwiw we seem to have a virus going around our school that generally causes 101-103 temps for about 48 hours, some kids have a tummy ache with it and vomit once but that's the extent of the gastro symptoms. After two days the fever breaks.

I don't feel the urgency to take a kid to the doctor less than 24 hours into an illness that is likely viral without other red flags.

You win. I talked DH into bringing him to med center for a strep swab. It is not strep and they were irked to be testing.

We generally wait and see, but there is some situational stuff that had me pushing to be a bit more responsive this time around. I was wrong - should have just waited.