What could cause a low grade fever for weeks

[melrose7]

DS1 just turned 1 a couple weeks ago. He had a rough winter with being sick quite often. Nothing too bad but he had a high fever for over a week (103-105), some stomach bug, pink eye, respiratory infection, and a double ear infection. Then he had an allergic reaction to amoxicillin. Now since he had the respiratory infection and ear infection the middle of deb he has had a content temp ranging from 99.7-100.3. The doctor said it isn't a fever until it is above 100.3 so technically he doesn't have a fever but why would his temp be up for 7 weeks now? He had blood drawn a couple weeks ago and some numbers were low but she said it could have been from the rash he still had from antibiotics. I am taking him back in tomorrow because overall his mood has been good since the respiratory infection cleared up and he has been cranky the last few days. The doc said it could be a possible iron deficiency. Not sure what a higher temp has to do with that. Before this his temp was normal. I give him generic Tylenol here and there and it will bring it down but it will go right back up within a couple hours. Anyone have any ideas?

[tiapam]

maybe the allergy he has is to artificial dyes which are in some medicines too.

[daisymommy]

Lymes disease
Mono
undiagnosed infection

Hope you get to the bottom of this and he feels better soon!

[JBaxter]

Unless he is grumpy and feeling bad I wouldnt give tylonel for low grade fevers. Fever helps fight infection. We generally avoid tylonel / motrin until about 102 unless there are other issues or its bed time.

[jren]

How are you taking the temp? If it's under the arm, you have to add to it. I can't remember if it's 1 degree or 2 degrees. Is it add 1 degree for oral temp and 2 degrees for under arm to equal rectal/real temp? I stopped taking my kids temps at home b/c I don't find the at home thermometers we have to be too reliable. I can take it 3 times in a row and it's different every time, and this is with all 5 of the ones we have. I just go by how they're acting and if they feel really hot to me.

Hope you can get to the bottom of it. When DS had pneumonia, it seemed like it took forever for him to get back to 100%.

[melrose7]

I use the dye free medicine and have been giving it to him occasionally. More at bedtime and when he just seems uncomfortable. Hopefully she can figure out something or the blood test shows something. At first I thought teething but he hasn't gotten any teeth in the last 7 weeks so I no longer think that is what it is.

[Twoboos]

DD2 had a low-grade fever for 2 or 3 weeks, they finally thought it might be a sinus infection and put her on abx. No more fever.

[melrose7]

I mostly take it under his arm and do add the 1 degree. I have been using 2 different thermometers and recheck it rectally once a day to see that the underarm was accurate. When I go to the doctor I have then do underarm also since they like to use the ear thermometer and it always gives a reading of 97. He's happier this morning but we are still going to his appointment later this afternoon.

[L'sMommy]

we just went through this. sinus infection - antibiotics cleared it up.

[melrose7]

Any other signs with a sinus infection? He has very little runny nose but no other cold systems.

[L'sMommy]

with DS he was congested for 4 months straight. he coudn't breathe thru his nose. And he was coughing mostly at night and when he first woke in the morning and after his nap. Pediatrician passed it off and insisted it wasn't sinus. The primary care physician diagnosed the sinus infection.

[HIU8]

I've noticed my ped will let a runny and or stuffy nose go for MONTHS and not do a thing about it. I've found that once DD and DS have had issues for about 3 weeks it's a full blown sinus infection. Issues I'm talking about are nose pouring with neon green and yellow mucus that does not stop no matter what, coughing, chocking on the mucus, low grade fever, lethargy sometimes etc... I know that in kids mucus changing color does not mean much. Except when it has gone on and on and on for several weeks. We go right to the ENT and not the ped in these cases. ENT checks and treats for sinus infection in most cases. Ped will take a culture (which takes them a week to receive back) and then decide whether to treat or not. By that point my kids are so sick they can't function anymore.

[skygoddess]

pneumonia

[tiapam]

I use the dye free medicine and have been giving it to him occasionally. More at bedtime and when he just seems uncomfortable. Hopefully she can figure out something or the blood test shows something. At first I thought teething but he hasn't gotten any teeth in the last 7 weeks so I no longer think that is what it is.

Was the antibiotic dye free? I was just researching issues with dyes last night as my DS seems to be having reactions to them, so that is fresh in my mind and something I never realized about meds.

Also, is your DS drinking water yet? I forget when is the right time for that, but if he can have it now, then that might help clear up a little runny nose. Who knows, maybe that will lead to bringing his temp back to normal. Also, keep in mind that temps are usually lowest in the morning and highest in late afternoon. Don't you wish they came with an individualized instruction manual?

How is he sleeping?

[Canna]

CMV (cytomegalovirus) - caused me to have low fevers for weeks. I've heard it's generally more mild in a kids. Blood tests can confirm the diagnosis.

[melrose7]

Poor guy had a hard time at the lab getting his blood drawn before our appointment. They had the needle in his vein but the blood only came into the tube but stopped and we got nothing. So then they had to finger prick twice and still barely got anything. She said hopefully we got enough otherwise she'll call and we have to go back. If so we are going to our children's hospital. The doc came up with nothing but keeping an eye on the mucus from the nose. He isn't a good sleeper, up 3 times or so to nurse. He does drink water and likes it, not so much on milk though. Hopefully the doc will call tomorrow with some results. Thanks for all the ideas.

[DrSally]

UTI's can also cause chronic, low grade fevers.

[Roni]

UTI's can also cause chronic, low grade fevers.

Yes! We're dealing with one of those right now. You can get test-strips over-the-counter (although testing a 1yo would be tricky--hmm).