my 11 month old has a fever that won't go down what should I do?
Give him/her a children's fever reducer, give him/her a cool bath/; wipe him/her down with rubbing alcohol. Remember, plenty of fluids!
Infant Tylenol works well for us. You should prob. call the Dr. to get advice depending on how long the fever has lasted and how high it is.
Call your doctor. Try infant tylenol and if the fever isn't over 104. don't worry. Be prepared to tell the dr. how long the fever has been going on, other sympotoms. If he is eating and playing and not lethargic he probably is just sick. Call the Dr. to be on the safe side.
Hopefully it's not any higher than 100.5. Baby tylenol or infant motrin maybe?? is an immediate consideration. Of course calling the advice line or seeing the Dr is best. You can always try to keep the baby cool externally- cool wash cloth to forehead, taking off a few layers of clothes, etc. This is particularly important when temperatures get higher than 101. You don't want to get him too cold- avoid bringing on the chills because then their body send the message it's cold and tries to keep him heating up. Fevers in itself help the body fight off whatever baby has. what is the source of the fever?? Teething, illness, infection?? Infection is scarier than a passing flu, teething is normal. Just make sure baby's drinking a lot. Fluids are soooo very inportant for the little guys. It's hard to give better info without knowing the details. Hope this helps. Good luck. Hope baby feels better soon!
It all depends on how high the fever is. Have you tried a warm bath? Changing his/her clothes to something cooler. Some child motrin or tylenol.
There are different opinions about fevers out there, but here is my experience. I have noticed that kids take on a certain characteristic when they get sick and they stick to it throughout their childhood. My 12 year old gets stomach upset; my 7 year old is a fever kid, and my 1 year old seems to be a cougher. .They will have the same cold but manifest it in their own ways consistently. With my 7 year old who ALWAYs has a fever and a very high fever, I used to get panicked and rush to the Er when it got above 103, but after doing research about fevers I've learned to relax. Fever's function in the body is to heat up so it burns off infection. I kept being told that if I broke his fever with meds like Motrin that it would return and prolong his sickness. I was reluctant to try letting his fever go and trusting his body but since I have I've noticed that his sickness moves much more quickly and the fever will plateau (kids can reach a higher temp. than adults safely- some even say 106 although my son has never gotten that high). When he gets a really high temp I use a homeopathic called Belladonna, which will lower it after a few doses. Its only useful for really high temps. I also noticed that when I give him Motrin he doesn't feel sick anymore and its a struggle to get him to rest, so then he feels even worse when it wears off.
Out of all my kids the one that gets the fevers has the easiest recovery and the quickest sick time. He rarely gets a cough or stomach stuff with it. The fever truly is burning off the bacteria. So, long story short; fevers are our friends, it just takes some mental reconditioning to accept this. (And pediatricians may not agree with this) If you want to research it yourself look up anthroposophic philosophy on fevers - Rudolf Steiner (the man who developed Waldorf schools) Hope this was helpful!
Try a cold wet towel on the babies forehead to draw out the fever. It does help!
Call your hospital advice nurse.
A fever is the bodies response to infection, usually. A low grade fever isn't a bad thing. The body is trying to fight the germs.
A high fever can be dangerous. If it's above 100, give Tylenol or Motrin. We always use Motrin and only use Tylenol when it is high and won't go down. We alternate, as others have said. They are two different drugs and don't interact. Just keep a chart of temps, time, and med (name and amount given), so you have it when you talk to the doc. He/She will want the info.
You might add amount of liquid taken (milk, formula) too.
High fever that won't go down or a fever for more than a few days is worthy of a call to the dr. Just call. It will make you feel better.
Stephanie
1ST off how high is the fever?? If it is high enough for you to question it may be time to call the doc... My pediatrician has always told me... no matter what time of day or night if it is making you question your gut as a mom then he expects a call...
Now with that said...I agree with Olga G
Advil Q 6-8 per package instructions alternating with Tylenol Q 4-6 per package instructions. Luke warm baths, light clothing and no sleep cap. (hats keep heat in)
But on a serious note...if this fever is really high and or lasting longer than 3 days PLEASE call your ped...
Keep us posted and I enjoy the cuddle time of a sick kid...they grow WAY too fast!!
What have you tried so far? My son had a terrible time with this.
I would give him Infant Motrin, then wait about an hour and give him Tylenol. I have heard that you can give both at the same time, but I was always uncomfortable with that and I wanted to make sure the first medicaton I gave him wasn't going to work before I gave him the second.
I only did this when his fever was really high, like 105. I also put him in the lukewarm tub and found that if I poured water over his head instead of just his body that he cooled better. I could get the temp down at least one degree with just the bath.
Good luck. Is no fun but they do get better.
Hi Liz,
try a cool Bath not warm yes your baby will cry but its for the best that's what I do and after cool bath give some Tylenol
D. Mom of 4
Hi E.,
My 17 mo old just went thru the same thing. The doctors told me if the temp went to 105 degrees or higher to take him in immediately. We ended up in the ER on Xmas night as his fever was 105.5. The advice is 1. Be sure to take a rectal temp for the most accurate reading. 2. You can alternate infants Tylenol and infants Motrin every 5 hours. If the fever doesn't subside after 72 hours, I would take your little one in to see the MD. Hope this helps. It is so heartbreaking when your baby is sick. Good luck.
Hello E.,
I just read an article from Babyzone on fevers. This is what it says (sorry it's so long):
Your little one is rosy cheeked and fussy. You rush to grab a thermometer and your instincts are right—she has a fever. But now what? Do you let her ride it out? When should you give her a fever reducer? And should you call your pediatrician? A doctor in the know outlines how best to care for your child's fever.
More than almost any other common condition, fever causes parents to worry. They look at their red-cheeked child and wonder if the fever itself is harmful or if it's a sign of a more serious illness. Indeed, the majority of the calls to our practice are related to fevers in children.In most cases, fever is not serious and, if anything, is a good sign the child's body is working to fight an illness. One common myth is that the higher the fever, the worse the illness. While extremely high fevers (over 104 degrees F) call for action, usually there is not much difference between a 100-degree fever and a 102-degree fever. Since many types of bacteria and viruses don't like hot temperatures, fever is nature's way of fending off disease.
Should I call the doctor?
Any infant age three months or younger with a fever should immediately be seen by the doctor. After that, the data is less absolute. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends parents call the pediatrician within 24 hours for fever in children one year old or less. You should also call if other symptoms—such as neck pain, persistent vomiting, or diarrhea—are present.
When should we give our child fever-reducing medicine?
When using fever-reducing medications, remember that your goal should not be a certain temperature or number, but your child's comfort level. Fever-reducing medications such as acetaminophen often only reduce a child's fever by about one degree, which can be just enough to allow your child to sleep comfortably. If you feel that you cannot make your child comfortable with adequate medication dosing, it is probably time to call your child's provider.If your child is sleeping, wait until she wakes up to give her the medicine. That's also a good time to offer a drink of clear liquid such as water to make sure the child stays well hydrated.
What kind of medicine should I use?
I recommend parents try Tylenol (acetaminophen) first. If the fever does not go down after 30 to 45 minutes and the child is uncomfortable, parents can then give an appropriate dose of ibuprofen. Then, parents should stick with the single medication that worked best rather than alternate medicines. Giving too much medication can be very dangerous. To avoid overdosing, parents should write down when medication was given, what type, and how much, especially for those doses given in the middle of the night or if there is more than one sick child in the house. While acetaminophen is one of the safest medications available when taken properly, acetaminophen poisoning is not uncommon and is a leading reason why children undergo liver transplants.
Call your pediatrician!
you can alternate motrin and tylone and also if that wont help you can try a luke warm bath. dont due cold though. i know it is misrable when you little one is sick and you can do nothing to make them feel better.
Hi E.!
I used to wait to give anything, unless my boys were really fussy. The fever is the bodies way of fighting off any infection, so to allow his body to have a fever is usually a good thing.
If he's too cranky, though, he'll need comfort.
They say Tylenol is more gentle on his stomach for routine doses, although I couldn't get it down my boys.....we had to use Motrin.
Bathtime is usually fun for this age, maybe a lukewarm bath to play in.
Lots of fluids for sure! You don't him to get dehydrated. So, water, juices, even Formula is allowed and popsicles. Especially if he's not eating alot.
Then, just lots of comfort and love from his mommy.
If you suspect something is seriouly wrong due to his fever, and medicine doesn't bring it down temporarily, then you need to get him in to the Dr.
~N. :o)
Hi E.,
Ive seen viruses with a lower fever run 5 days, maybe a week. Very high fevers, 104 - 107 are typically caused by a very virulent pathogen and are more serious. (With my daughter it was pylonephritis, a urinary tract infection that travels up to the kidneys)Same with a fever that won't go away, there is definitely an infection of some sort. If it is a high fever and the doctors just blow it off like a local bug(like they did to my daughter, twice) keep pressing for more tests, answers.
I typically do not give meds to bring a fever down because one, it masks important symptoms.. and two, I want the body to do it's natural thing, and that is to get the internal temp high enough to burn the pathogen. Thats just me. I do the same for me when I am sick, I put on a beanie, 5 blankets,2 pr socks, and go to sleep. I usually break my fever by doing that. When my daughter had Pylonephritis, I was giving tylenol, and she would be up, walking, playing, etc, after it wore off she would be letharic and SLEEPING alot. But the fact that she was up and playing and acting normal for the 2 -3 hours after each med was given caused some confusion on how serious it was.
If your baby has a high fever, if her diapers smell funny, if she has been given bubble baths alot or pees in soapy bath water, or any unexplained rash on her monz or lower torso she needs to be evaluated for a UTI. In fact any fever of 104 and up that they cannot explain , the child should have a urinalysis or bloodwork done. Pylonephritis (upper UTI) can turn into renal shock if left untreated. Blue lips, dark circles under eyes, hallucinations. That is what happened to my daughter. Finally a third doctor gave her a urinalysis!
It would be wise to keep a medical journal on your children for their young life, with this info:
date
symptoms
meds given
dr seen and advice given
meds prescribed
when you keep a journal you will start to see patterns and signs of ilness you typically wouldnt notice and it helps identify an illness.
Hi E.,
I am a wellness consultant.
Is your baby getting any water? Have you taken your baby to the doctor? The baby could have an infection somewhere and that could be why the fever will not go down.
It also sounds like your babies immune system may be a little weak from the fevers also. There are ways to support the immune system for your little one so he or she will grow up healthier.
If you are interested in learning how let me know and I will share with you.
Have a happy and healthy New Year.
N. Marie
Depends on how high the fever is. Try Ibuprofen, and Tylenol, not together but, give Ibeprofen, then a couple hours later tylenol, then back and forth and the proper times (6-8 hours for ibuprofen, 4-6 for tylenol), a tepid(lukewarm) bath, but take baby out if s/he starts shivering, and I know it sounds strange, but, soak a pair of socks in buttermilk and put them on those little feet for about 15 minutes, I don't know how it works, but it does. Also, be sure to call your pediatrician and get that kiddo checked out, it may be teeth coming in, but, it could be something worse, ear infection or something, so bve sure to talk to your pediatrician.
If your baby has a fever of 100.5 or higher, ok to give motrin. Only use as directed on infant motrin. Go by the weight and age. If your baby still has fever, it is ok to give infant tylenol to alternate after 4hrs that you gave him motrin. Tylenol and motrin works differently and you won't overdose him. If you're not sure, it is ok to call the pediatrician on call and they can explain it to you better on how to alternate both tylenol and motrin if his fever doesn't come down after you have given him the motrin. If your son has fever for more than 3 days, take him to see dr. Don't hesitate to call the dr if you have any questions.
Take care and good luck.
