What!!!! - Bend,OR

sounds pretty normal...but if the fever is over 103 or has been over 3 days with the fever, I would take my child in.

If she has just the fever and no other symptoms, watch the fever if it lasts 3-4 days and then a rash shows up all over her body that is called Roseola, a childhood illness contagious to other babies but not adults...there really is no reason to bring a baby in to the doctor fever with no other symptoms.

we just went tthrough a similar situation. My sons fever was 102 to 103 and the Dr just says that it is a virus and to just watch for other simptoms like not drinking or vomiting. It is scary when they just lay down all day and feel like thay are on fire.

Good luck

Yeah, it think that's pretty standard. What would you want the doctor to do once you brought her in? Honestly, I wouldn't even drug a baby with a 101.5 temp... Bodies make fevers to fight off infection. Unless the fever is over 102 and lasts for more than 3 days, your baby is probably better off being in the comfort of her own home than in the doctor's waiting room around of bunch of germy kids.

My advice is to keep her comfy and watch for other symptoms. If she's vomiting or dehydrated, I'd take her in... other than that, just love her up and give her a fever reducer if it get's any higher.

T.

It is totally normal for an infant's temperature to range from 99 - 101... when they run fevers of 104 or higher, that is when you watch them closely.

Remember that a fever is the body's way of fighting off infection. Don't freak out! She's okay! ....Let her run a little bit of a fever, its good for her immune system. Don't overload her with a bunch of Tylenol trying to "keep it down"... if she is coming down with an infection she *needs* to run a fever for a while. If she doesn't run a fever the infection will grow and she will get sick.

Hang in there!

I was preparing the diaper bag when my husband walked in and asked me what I was doing. I told him that our son (11 Months) has a fever of 102 so I need to take him to the doctor RIGHT NOW! My husband works at a hospital and told me exactly what they were going to do. They will take his temperature, have us wait for a few hours and then give us Tylenol or Motrin since he's really too young for anything else. They will tell us to monitor his fever and if it doesn't go down after 2 full days, bring him back. If it reaches 104.5 come straight in. The best thing you can do is check diapers to make sure they are hydrated and give them lots and lots of love. I listened to my husband and waited it out. That first night I slept in my son's room, but anytime he ever woke up first thing I did was check is temperature. His fever broke the next night. It is so heartbreaking to see your baby not feeling good, and you as a mother feel like you're not doing enough (when you are). Fevers are also common in babies who begin or are teething. I know exactly how you feel... just keep monitoring her and taking her temperature and give her Tylenol or Motrin (ask your doctor what is recommended for your daughter to take if you don't already know). Hang in there mama, I know it's tough... I hope she breaks that fever soon!

It is normal. I know it can be frustrating. I stopped taking my son in every time he got a fever because the dr's wouldn't do anything. The more anitbiotics they get, the more bad it does for your childs health. A fever is your body's way of fighting off a bug. Letting the fever run it's course is the best thing for your baby. If your baby can't keep any fluids down, then you should take him in. And if it's obvious that he has an infection somewhere. Sorry...I know it can be scary.

First of all, babies do get ill and not all illnesses require a trip to the doctor. With that said, how long she has had the fever is key. Have you given her baby tylenol and made sure that she has plenty to drink? Is she vomiting? Is she teething? Is she rubbing her ears? It's not easy trying to figure out what hurts or doesn't hurt because they can't tell you, so you have to be observant and think, not just react, about what's going on in her world. It is possible she has a cold or a touch of the flu. So treat the symptoms, but if the symptoms last more than 3 days, make an appt to see the pediatrician. Most offices have nurse hotlines that you can call and get answers to your questions. Doctors are trying to reduce the contagion in their waiting rooms. The various strains of flu can be be curtailed if we just don't come in contact with the virus. If you were to bring your daughter in for her 6 mo well baby check up and walk out with a case of the flu along with her lastest vaccination you'd be very upset. So, minor illnesses that can be treated at home are best left at home. Again, if she's not drinking, has less than 10 wet/soiled diapers in a 24 hr period, is pulling at her ears, vomiting almost everything she takes in, go see the doctor. If it's after hours, then go to the ER. Be prepared for the higher costs and longer waiting times if you go to the ER, and maybe even being exposed to some very nasty viruses.

At home, make sure that when you come back from shopping or work that you wash your hands before you handle the baby. Good hygiene is a big deterent to any bug being able to take up residence in your baby's body.

Take a deep breath. It will be okay. And you are just as capable of helping your baby get over this minor bug as any doctor will tell you.

If I were you, I would personally get another pediatrician or family doctor to check your child over. As a mother of two, I am always going to take my children to the doctor should their be any concern. I don't know what's up with that doctor, but I was always told that when babies get about that age, anything 101 or over, I should bring them in to get checked. Then, when they are a little bit older, when they get about 103.

If you are really worried, take her to the ER or an urgent care office.
Our Pediatrician... says anything that is 101 degrees or over, to bring in the baby/child.
Each Ped. is different.

My question would be, and I would think the Doctor should ask is:
Is she feeding normally?
Are you still feeding her on-demand?
If she is not feeding normally.... then you need to watch out for dehydration... which in conjunction with a Fever, can dehydrate a baby if they are NOT feeding or not feeding normally.
Is she having normal amount of wet diapers?

I would monitor her as well, to make sure she does not get dehydrated.

Next, I would think the Pediatrician would have asked what other symptoms she has. And offer you some kind of suggestion on what you can give her.... ie: Tylenol.

All the best,
Susan

New school or return to Old school?? The fever is the symptom and the body's cure trying to get rid of the virus or bacteria. Let it do its work. If you suppress a mild fever like that, you are helping the bug stick around. My rule of thumb now is monitor regularly and then use something like Tylenol or ibuprofen ONLY if the fever spikes and stays up over 103.5 - 104. My 12 yr old hit 104.2 last fall w/the swine flu, but a lukewarm shower brought that back to a nice 102 within 5 mins. Turns out she was over-bundled in blankets - also not a good thing. Check Web.MD, too, for a reasoned approach to fever management. Watch and wait - the doctors are saving you a lot of $$.

It's not uncommon, but should go away... if it persists, I would find a Doctor to see her. Could be an ear infection as someone else said...

.

Is this your first?
YOu are right to be concerned but if she is drooling and biting everything it might be just teeth.
If she is not eating, has drainage from her ears, or is pulling on them then have her checked for an infection.
With my first I was more freaked out and brought him in a lot. By the time #4 came along I brought him in only after the temp reached 104 and I couldn't lower it with baby motrin or baby tylenol.
Also temperatures are nature's way of fighting off infection. Unless the temp is very high I don't give meds and just let them ride it out.

If the only signs are fever & sleepiness, just keep an eye on her. Give her fluids & a fever reducer. Keep an eye on her for dehydration (should have a wet diaper at least every 6 hours) and any other new signs. If the fever is still there Monday call back & insist on an appointment. Most likely her fever will break before then.

2 of my kids are able to run "normal" fevers because they are able to tell when they are in pain & show signs of pain or can tell me what hurts. My daughter on the other hand - when fever stricks we have been instructed to take her in right away... she can't always tell she is hurting till it's "too late". Her pain tolerace it high because of her Arthritis & the meds she take for it, causes thing not to seem so bad... she doesn't feel the pressure at an ear infection start - just the pain when it rutures.

From what I have been told a "normal" fever is anything under 103, which can be cause from anything (even in a 5 mo old) including teething. You might want to try to run her gums to see if she has any teeth coming in... it would explain the low grade fever.

Good luck & congratz on the little darling!

I would find another doctor. If you feel that there is something wrong with your child then I would take them in. Mom's know when something isn't right. Even if you need to be reassured that they are ok, a Doctor should be willing to see you. Good luck!

It is normal. Babies can run higher fever than adults - up to 103 w/o seeing a doc.

it's normal. you must remember that even though they are past the "6 weeks old you can bring them out phase" they are still adjusting to the big wide world that we live in. I know you hate to see your baby in pain and mot their bubbly self but it sounds like he may have a little bug in his system but his/her body is trying to fight it. God created this wonderful complicated thing called the human body, since the baby can't say hey it's my tummy or my head hurts or hey i just feel a little under the weather they sleep to fight whatever is bothering them just like we big people do sometimes. my son had a 103.4 temp one day he went and laid down for about 4 hours and was very lathargic but when he woke up he just fine@ i was flabergasted but that's what babies and small children do sometimes. but truth be told if you trully feel uncomfortable take him to the E.R. sometimes we just need that reassurance as mothers. good luck and i hope your baby feels better.

make sure to give baby lots of juice (cold). cold towels on the forehead often and neck. the juice should help her fever go down within 20 minutes.

And just continue like that every time her fever goes up again. But whatever you do, don't just wait it out.

we did this when my kids have fevers. as soon as they get hot again, we give them cold drinks and cold towels. they cool down fast.

Im telling u!!!!!!!! Im a first time mom, when my bby was cranky didnt poop for a whole day (she was 2 1/2 weeks old) i got so frightned i took her to the er and demanded for the doc to see her!!!!!!!! My daughters health is more important than a doc sayin no...so anyway my bby was allergic to a protein she couldnt digest from breastmilk and other formulas, so now shes taking nutramigen her fever was not high but my gut feeling was telling me to take her in b4 anything else bad happen!!!!!!! Do wat ur heart and head tells u, right now ur the one in charge!! Hope she feels better soon god bless!!!!!!!!!

My doc says 102 tops to call and they want her in! Hope she feels better!

I always take mine in if they have fever and I can't break it with baby Motrin and Tylenol. A fever can be the result of a bacterial infection and that needs to be checked out in my opinion. I mean, what if she has an ear infection that is going unchecked? It is important for her to be seen and properly diagnosed. I say get a new pediatrician. Mine is so awesome that if there is fever on Friday he will always work my kids in so that they don't go the weekend and get really sick. You don't want to be rushing your baby to the ER because she wasn't seen early enough and has a big fever spike. Sorry you are going through this, but if if were me I would continue with infant Motrin and Tylenol alternating every three hours and doing some cool compresses to keep her comfortable and feed often and I would get her into to a different dr tomorrow. Best wishes I know it is so pitiful to see them sick!!

My 17 month old had a fever of 103 and they said that children under 2 they don't really worry about it unless it is 103 or higher... Just let her fever run it course... the only reason she is crying is because she has the fever and she doesn't fell good... if the fever is all that is wrong then they won't give the child an medicine... because it is a virus... But you can call your Dr. and ask how much Tylenol or Motirn... that will help... I want through the whole fever thing just 3 weeks ago and i also went through it when my baby was 2 months last year and the same thing happened... I hope this helps

Mine had a 105.7, no joke, and I was told unless he was lethargic (hello! It was 1 am, of course he was lethargic) and pretty much lifeless from the sound of it and dehydrated that I should just give him Motrin, then 3 hours later, tylenol, then another 3 hours Motrin for up to 3 days and then if it wasn't gone, bring him in.

There has been this bug going around that gives people a fever and nothing more. I had it for 3 days. My son (15 months) had it for 3 1/2 days. Mine never went over 102, and his topped out at 103. We gave him children's tylenol (we have a dosage for his age/weight) at night, since we weren't watching him at night, and he got over it fine. His appetite was reasonable during the whole time (slightly below normal, but still good), so I wasn't worried. Didn't even call the doctor. He'd had a fever up to 104 before, and yeah, they like to know if it gets over 102 or 103, but unless the baby can't keep anything down, or has severe diarrhea, and especially dehydration symptoms (like my daughter did when she was 11 mo), there really is nothing they can do.

So let her sleep, feed her, and love her. With a fever of 101.5 I wouldn't worry too much, but if it gets higher, call the doctor and ask if you can give tylenol and what dose to use for her weight. That will bring it down some. Also, push fluids. If you nurse, do it frequently. If not, give her pedialite between bottles to make sure she stays hydrated. I'll bet she has the same thing we had and will be over it shortly.

for a 5 month old anything above 100.1 should be checked by pediatrician. find a new one asap

even if it's normal, they shouldnt brush you off like that. I'd find a new ped.

Actually this is really the standard course for a 101 fever. Unless you baby has it for over a few days, isn't eating at all or has other troubling signs most doctors will let the fever run its course unless it gets up to 104 or so. a fever is a way that the body is fighting whatever bug it has caught and Many parents - even some that are doctors that I know - see a low grade fever as a good sign of the childs body fighting the virus and try to let them get through it without meds.

okay not for nuthin, i had a 105 fever awhile back and it was pretty scary - i was home alone and accidentally double dosed on ibuprofen (nothing happened thank goodness), because i was so out of it i wasn't even thinking clearly. i was basically incoherent. 105 is HIGH. i would say 101 is not a huge deal, but if it goes much higher i would take her in. (is 5 months too young for infant tylenol? i forget, mine hasn't been that small in awhile!)

I was told by my dr. that fever is only a concern if you can't get it to come down to a level of comfort. I didn't like drugging mine up with tylenol & ibuprophen, so I relied on a bath just a little warmer than room temp. it always seemed to make them feel better & the fever would dip down a bit letting me know that is was doing what it should, which was keep the body in a state not friendly to the bug. Each child is different. My daughter was a 104 with strep & I had no idea. she acted completely normal all day & I was out & about shopping with my mom. She laughed etc... I just happened to feel her and noticed she was hot. My son can be just 100 & he'll be so lethargic & cranky. So, go with your mommy instinct. Some things do need antibiotics to get better & at her age, I wouldn't have her suffer long. course the things always happen over the weekend.

You are the mom. If YOU want your baby to be seen by the doctor, make the appt and go in. Seriously, this is YOUR baby and YOUR gut telling you that she has some issues. They can always just do the rounds of checks - chest, ears, throat. I cannot tell you how many times I have taken our LO in because of my 'gut'. They never get mad at me, they just know that I"m careful. You know your baby best. And BTW - 105... OMG, I would be in the ER!

ETA: we JUST went through this with our son.... fever of 102 end of march, ended up being an ear infection and brochitis. FINALLY fought all that off (long nights and meds). Sunday night, he wouldn't sleep, settle down and his temp kept rising. Tylenol did NOT bring it down. Called the doc. He agreed that if the next round didn't bring it down to bring him in. We did and he has a double ear infection. Our ped is liberal in their appts and getting you in. They don't question 'mom's instincts'. I know that fever means they are fighting something, but it is important, like others have said, to watch for other things or just know for your own sake how your child is telling you what is wrong. It is new to all of us :)

Yes, that's totally normal.

Lots of hugs, cuddles and milk are what will help you both. Also, cancel any plans you have for the next 3 days. You can give ibuprofen or tylenol if your doctor says it's okay. Holding your baby (or your partner holding her) is really great for her. She'll feel super warm and that giving her room will help her cool down, but her body is better able to regulate itself by being close to your bodies.

Anything 103 or below does not need to go to the doctor, it is normal for children to run higher fevers. Most say up to 104 they do not need to be seen.

you need a new doctor. I would call and find someone new.

our pediatrician likes us to wait and see them if the fever has lasted 3 days. 5 months is young though. my kids have hit 105, it is not fun. hope she feels better soon.

My son would sometimes spike a high (103F) temperature and then without any treatment it would be gone or very low grade an hour later when he was a baby. If it hung around for more than an hour, Childrens Tylenol would bring it down easily. Then I'd wait and see if it came back when the tylenol wore off.
If you are taking the temperature rectally (and I was told that's the most accurate way to take a temperature of a baby for up to 1 year), normal rectal temperature is 100.2F according to American Academy of Pediatrics recommended ranges.

Personally, if my child had that fever and was miserable and the fever did not let up in 12 hours or continued to go up, I would take them in. Ear infections are common in babies and can cause a lot of pain in some and others give you no warning other than a high fever until it gets so bad the eardrum ruptures and then they start screaming from pain. It can also be a number of other minor childhood illnesses. The key is to watch for other symptoms that are high risk like rashes (any rash take them in ASAP- in case of meningitis or something else that would require immediate treatment). Children and adults can die quickly from meningitis and there are many strains, so don't count on vaccines to guarantee protection. We had an adult family member die from it and I had a niece die from it at 4 months old.

You know your child and any strange behavior that seems like halucination or extreme pain would be worth getting checked out too. My son had a fever of 101.5 that was quickly rising at 1 am on a Friday night. I called 911 to see what I should do and they wouldn't advise me. The fire department showed up and they suspected an ear infection and one told me if it was his child he would take them in. (At this point fever was creaping over 102.) So we drove ourselves to the hospital. There he was already up to 102.5 and they were acting frighted and worked quickly to reduce his fever with Tylenol and then inspected his entire body looking for a rash. Couldn't find anything wrong with him and started talking about doing blood test for diagnosis to figure out what kind of infection he was fighting, when they cleaned out his ears and noticed a deep inner ear infection. They gave him a shot of antibiotics and sent us home with some and he was fine. This happened a second time and we took him in to his ped and the ped gave us a $6 bottle of garlic oil to put in his ears and the infectioned cleared up and never returned. So in hindsight, I wish I would've taken him into the ped right away the first time rather than waiting with a low-grade fever and having it suddenly spike up to cause such great concern.