Viral Fever Not Going into Its 5Th Day

Augmentin isn't going to do anything if its viral and viral stuff can take a long time to run its course. At this point I think you may need to go back to the doctors office and talk about treating the symptoms (cough and mucus) so that you can get that under control and start building his immune system back up. Make sure he's drinking a lot because all that coughing can leave him dehydrated.

I'm not sure where you live (your profile says California but some people don't use their real locations), or perhaps where your son has traveled since you mention they've tested for dengue fever and are giving the widal test for typhoid. Although my father had dengue fever twice, most of us in the US are not experienced with these tropical diseases. You also use the term "Haemogram" which is not customary in the US (we use CBC - complete blood count - most of the time). You don't say how high the fever is.

So I hesitate to impose my assumptions on you. Clearly the wbc indicates an infection, but it's not going to tell you whether it's viral or bacterial. It sounds like the doctor doesn't know what's going on, because your son is being treated with antibiotics (anti-bacterials) yet being tested for viruses. Certainly a person can have both at the same time, such as a cold creating a sinus blockage which leads to a bacterial sinus infection, or a respiratory infection leading to a bronchial or lung infection. So it's hard for you to know at this moment whether the augmentin is just the wrong antibiotic for the bacterial infection your child has, or whether your child has a virus which has to run its course. Usually, you leave low-grade fevers alone (no fever reducer) unless the child is really uncomfortable. You want his coughing to be productive if there are bronchial secretions and phlegm that need to come up, so push fluids for that (water is best, but watery foods can make it less monotonous - jello, popsicles, watermelon, for example). Dairy foods can increase mucus production so you might want to avoid those and find other sources of protein for your child. Fluids also help reduce fever and prevent dehydration. When I used to suffer from bronchitis, it could last for 3 weeks. Coughing interrupts sleep so do let your child rest as often as possible and wherever he is comfortable - if he's tired of his bed, prop him up on pillows on the couch but let him fall asleep naturally wherever he is. Frequent hand washing with soap (not just your child, but everyone in the house) can keep other viruses from being transferred to a weak child - handling dirty tissues, using the bathroom, and just being around other people can bring new germs into the mix which don't help the situation.

Good luck - I hope you get some answers soon. It can be so frustrating with viruses that jut have to run their course, sometimes without us ever knowing what our kids had. But if there is something more serious at play that the widal test will pick up, then obviously waiting isn't the only answer.

I agree with the others antibiotics are going to do nothing for a virus. They may want to do blood work to see if they can figure out if there is anything else going on. Let them do the test and give lots of fluids.

There's not much to do for a virus.
You monitor for additional symptoms, try to keep him comfortable and keep in touch with your doctor.
While 5 days with a cold isn't any fun - they can linger for several weeks.
Use a humidifier in his room at night, warm bath or shower will help him cough up phlegm in his chest and have him keep up with his fluids - water, soup broth, etc.
A few years ago I had a cough that lasted for about 2 months.
Doctor said it wasn't pneumonia or whooping cough - just a stubborn lingering cough.

What kind of doctor is your son being examined by? If it's a general practitioner, you may want to request an infectious disease specialist. You're talking about ruling out dengue fever, and Widal testing which is used in cases of suspected serious viruses, not just the ordinary sinus infection or typical cold.

So I'm guessing that you live abroad, somewhere not in the USA, or that you have perhaps traveled to where certain diseases are prevalent? A specialist in tropical diseases or infectious disease may be needed.

Another reason you should be more concerned with fever is if it is lasting more than 5 days. Of course, if you end up with a diagnosis where fever is known to last more then 5 days, no big deal, but otherwise, most fevers should be gone by then.

Some take a week to clear up. Some colds/coughs take up to 3 weeks to run their course.

Best thing is to ensure he's getting rest. It's inconvenient, but that was key for ours. If we rushed it (i.e. sent them back to school), they could become run down again, and the fever would return.

Antibiotics will not treat a virus so not sure why that was prescribed.

We always used Advil and Children's Tylenol (alternating) as recommended so our kids were never feverish. That was key for keeping them comfortable. Good advice below.

There are some good sites out there than can explain what to watch for. After 10 days, just make sure there's no sinus infection. My kids were prone to those and ear infections. There are clear signs with those though and you would know.

Fever though (unless burning up and child is listless) is pretty typical with colds and 5 days was pretty standard with my kids. After a week, I'd be more concerned. Hope he's feeling well soon.