Fever of 104.7....

[Indianamom2]

How high is too high for a fever? DD#1 has a virus. She puked late yesterday afternoon, then slept until around 5 am this morning. She woke up with a fever of 103.6. I gave her Tylenol and she immediately puked it up.

She's had a fever all day, but no more puking. We were able to get some tylenol to stay put and it got her fever down, but it's back up this evening to 104.7 (one reading was 105.2). I just gave her another dose of Tylenol, but this is pretty high, right? I mean, at what point is it too high?

[cuca_]

104.7 is very high. However, Dr. Sears says that if the fever comes down quickly with medication, you can wait until the next day to take your child to the Dr.

Here's what he has to say: http://askdrsears.com/html/8/T082100.asp

I think in your situation I would give medicine (I find that Motrin works better than tylenol). You can alternate Motrin and Tylenol every four hours. Get her in the bathtub with tepid water. In the meantime, call the Dr. and run it by whoever is on call.

I hope she feels better soon.

I just wanted to add that it is really important to follow your gut feelings. Trust your mommy instincts. If you have a feeling that it may be something more serious than a virus, then take her to the ER or to an urgent care clinic.

I found the Motrin/Tylenol approach in Dr. Sears, and he actually recommends alternating it every three hours. http://askdrsears.com/html/8/T089101.asp. Also, look at the recommended doses in that site, they are often more accurate than the ones on the bottle.

[srhs]

Of course your daughter is older and I am no medical person, but we went through that last weekend. DS1's was 104.6 medicated. Both the nurse and pedi I talked to were not concerned with that temp, and just encouraged us to do the ibu and tyl, bath, etc to keep him comfortable. They also recommended specific doses that were higher than what's printed on the bottle. I point-blank asked the nurse about it seeming so high, and she said it's not all that high for a kid. (He's only 23 mo though.) I asked her at what # we get really worried, and she said 108ish.

Now others may chime in and say my dr's office is nutso, but that's what I was told.

We did end up taking the boys in, and they had ear infections so did go the antibiotic route eventually.

[JBaxter]

What did it come down to after motrin? Its probably just a virus but I would call your ped / or call the ER. You have hit "my" comfort level. When Logan's temp it 104.8 we went to the ped ( it was daytime) It would not come down below 102. He had menigitis.

NOT trying to scare you but if her temp wont come down I would be on the phone or in the ER.

[SnuggleBuggles]

My ped is mostly concerned with if meds works (Motrin, imo, is better for fevers than Tylenol). Also that they are still drinking. Last time my ds had a fever that high it was an ear infection. It was a scary number to see.

Beth

[Ceepa]

Definitely keep up the fluids. Personally I would call the doctor tomorrow morning and get in for an appointment.

[ohiomom1121]

When my kids' fevers get up that high I always alternate medications every 3 hours. DS had a febrile seizure while I was waiting for that 4th hour to give him another dose of Tylenol (and he was only in the 102 range) so I really try and make sure I don't let that happen again. I've always heard 106 is when there can be damage done to the body...108 sounds REALLY high. Plus when they have fevers that high they are just miserable. I'd definitely call the doc and if it won't go down with medication, or goes any higher I'd probably go to the ER.

[Indianamom2]

I gave her Tylenol, since she really isn't eating anything. She's really flushed and irritable, but I think her fever is coming down. (103ish). I called the on-call pedi and she said it's most likely just a virus.

I'm planning on keeping an eye on it, and if she can keep any food down, alternating with ibuprofen.

Thanks for all the replies. Those are scary temps, in my book.

[tnrnchick74]

I'm not one to treat a fever if the kid is feeling ok...but when it hits 104 that's when I treat no matter what.

Alternate motrin/tylenol ever 3-4 hrs. Tepid baths, cool compresses. If she's not keeping anything down, especially fluids, and her mouth/lips look dry then I would head to the ER because of dehydration.

[bubbaray]

Per my kids dr's advice, I only treat symptoms. Both of my girls recently had temps that high and I treated their symptoms, not the fever per se. If I can't get a fever down with either Tylenol or Advil, I use both, alternating them.

[egoldber]

At 102 and below, our ped says keep comfortable, but no need to medicate. At 104 and below, they say to take meds, lukewarm baths, etc. Above 104, they say to call, but look at the kid and not the thermometer. A kid who is listless and pale at 102 is more serious than a kid who is happy and eating at 104.5.

[KpbS]

We went in two weeks ago with a fever that high and DS1 tested positive for strep. Anything over 103.5 gives me pause and I medicate with children's advil and children's tylenol.

[MissyAg94]

nm...mentioned already.

[mamicka]

Sorry your DC isn't feeling well.

Just wanted to add that according to our ped, lowering the temp means bringing it down by at least 1 degree, not getting rid of the fever competely.

[hillview]

In my book if tylenol/meds bring it down to 103, I could be ok if DC seems generally not horrible. If it remains at 104, I'd discuss with the pedi if I needed to come in even if to ER.
/hillary

[DrSally]

104.7 is very high. However, Dr. Sears says that if the fever comes down quickly with medication, you can wait until the next day to take your child to the Dr.

Here's what he has to say: http://askdrsears.com/html/8/T082100.asp

I think in your situation I would give medicine (I find that Motrin works better than tylenol). You can alternate Motrin and Tylenol every four hours. Get her in the bathtub with tepid water. In the meantime, call the Dr. and run it by whoever is on call.

I hope she feels better soon.



:yeahthat: I think it's pretty high. Hopefully you can control it with medicine and your doctor doesn't think anything more serious than a virus is going on. I've never had to do this, but I've heard the alternating motrin and tylenol works. I always check askdrsears.com for dosing info.