My Son Has a High Fever and We Are on the 4Th Day...

Updated on October 25, 2009
H.S. asks from Marysville, WA
15 answers

My 3 year old son has had a high fever for about 4 days now. We went to the ER one day because it was 104 while on tylenol. We've been giving him motrin and piggy backing with tylenol but by the last hour of the motrin it spikes back up. The doctors have continued to say its just a virus but I just feel that this is going on way to long.
I guess I'm just curious as to if others are experiencing any of this.
Today I have noticed a cough and runny nose but still the high fever. If anyone can relate it would be helpful.

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So What Happened?

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone. This is the first time I've used this and it was nice to have someone relate. We went to the pediatrician Monday morning and were told that it is an awful ear infection(would have been nice to have known that @ the er ). She said to keep doing what we are, and gave antibiotics and drops for his ears. So far he is slightly better but still not a huge change.The fever is low but still a sick sad boy. We'll see what happens next.
Thank you for all your responses...H.

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T.F.

answers from Eugene on

My son just went through this about two weeks ago. It lasted about a week. You are almost there. It's almost done. My son lost his appetite off and on and wouldn't drink anything. So, I gave him those otterpops. He would feel better for a day and then fall right back into the fever. We didn't know what it was - My mom thought it was his molars coming in....but maybe it was more than that. Good luck and hang in there.

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B.G.

answers from New York on

My son is 6yrs and has come down with flu like symptoms just this thursday ,fever went as high as 105 ,really tensed took him to ER thursday night,didn't do swab test ,just checked his lungs and asked us to give him fluids etc,have himrest said it's viral,really anxious 4th day sunday also fever is spiking to 104,making me crazy shall take him to pediatric tommorow.he isn't eating or drinking either,very nasty nasal congestion,It's driving me crazy that the hospital did not check him for swine flu b'case if he is positive he should have been prescribed Tamiflu.let me know how your son is doing

E.B.

answers from Seattle on

My hub came home with this last wednesday. We all started showing signs of it yesterday. It started with a fever and runny nose for my youngest. my older one hasnt really had much but the runny nose but everyone deals with it different. I have had a small low low grade fever and runny nose and sore throat. In 2006 when we had those two bad snow storms and the power outages my then only had a fever of 105. We took him to the ER and they put an IV into him to get his fluids up and then doubled up motrin and tyenol. I have been doing the dose of tylenol and motrin on my 15 month old just to keep him comfortable. I am prego with my third so there is not much I can do for myself but it lasted about four days of misery for my hub and then he just had the sore throat. Good luck!!

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A.C.

answers from Seattle on

Your son is the right age to have Fifth's Disease/Slapped Cheek. My son got it a couple years ago. High fever for 4 days and on the fifth day he got a really funky rash. Nobody thought of it until after he got the rash.
If he's getting a cough and a runny nose it could be something else, though.....

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H.B.

answers from Seattle on

Fever's can be so scarry. Both of my son's rarely get sick with a fever, but when they do, they can get high.
There is a flu virus going around. We had it last month-all of us had it, including my husband (he's the one who got us all sick). We had fevers for 3-5 days. My older son, who is 12, who never gets sick got it the worst out of us all, and he had a fever for 4-5 days.
I write down on a piece of paper what you gave your son, at what time, and how much. I also write down what his temp was before I gave it to him. This way, you don't have to think the last time you gave him medicine, and you don't accidentally overdose him. You also have a mini journal of what's going on with him when you take him to a doctor.

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S.B.

answers from Seattle on

My son had the same problem a couple years ago. He went into the ER with a fever of 105. We did the same thing switching between the motrin and tylenol. I think I brought him in to see the doctor 3 times (plus the ER visit). They ran test after test on him (chest x-rays, blood draws, everything) but they said it was just a virus. He ended up having a high fever for almost 3 weeks. But after that he was fine and returned to normal. It really was just a virus. If they have run tests on him and everything was okay then I would say that it probably just is a virus. But I do know how scary that can be!

Good luck!
S.

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J.D.

answers from Seattle on

That is going around. The fever lasts for 4-5 days, then the nose and cough kick in. Lots of fluids including popcicles, and if the coughing gets really bad or sticks around for a couple weeks, see a Dr., it can turn into what they call "walking pnumonia". My son and I both ended up on Anibiotics.

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K.K.

answers from Portland on

Hi H.,

My 2yr old son had an exyremely high fever last August for five days. He didn't eat, slept nearly all day and night, and we could barely get liquids in him. I took him to his doctor three times and to emergency care once as his fever was up to 105. We just had to wait it out. There was no other symptoms other than his throat was pretty red. We were told he had a virus as well. We felt helpless as our son was so sick and only Motrin would help keep him comfortable. By the sixth day his fever had gone down and he started to drink more liquids. It was the worst week ever:(. Just have to wait it out.

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M.H.

answers from Portland on

OK, we are going into day 4. My 7 month old son has multiple symptoms. Fever, horrible cough, rapid breathing, vomiting everything up after a coughing fit! And now I think he has pink eye. Went to urgent care on saturday morning, they took a chest xray and gave him a breathing treatment. For the rest of the day and well into sunday all he did was sleep. I had to wake him up to give him liquids which he would throw up within the hour. He was lethargic, could hardly keep his eyes open. We called his pediatric clinic and got a call back from our pediatrician who thought it was just this bad viral bug, but to go ahead and take him in to Emanuel. Emanuel did back to back tylenol-motrin. listened to his chest and decided the ear infection we had just spent 7 days on was back. Gave him a breathing treatment and sent us home to weather it out.
Does anyone know of something we could do to help lessen the cough?? I can't give him any medicine on an empty stomach!

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L.S.

answers from Seattle on

yep - its going around .... some have vomitting and diahrea too.

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K.S.

answers from Seattle on

We've had it in my house for the better part of the last week. The three kids and I have just been miserable. MY fever actually hit 102 yesterday. Today is the sixth day for the boys, I think. And I think it's my fourth day. And everyone's temperature is almost back to normal but we're still coughing and sneezing. (Otherwise known in my house as the "green goo stage.") I've been doing the Tylenol/Motrin with my boys, too. With my youngest, I also had to use cool, damp cloths on his body to get his temperature under control.

This has been the WORST cold and flu season I can ever remember.

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N.M.

answers from Corvallis on

H.

Some say fevers are a way for children to move forward with themselves and experience growth. All growth comes with a little discomfort. Try and embrace this growth. There is a miraculous treatment traditionally used for centuries called hydrotherapy. It in theory pulls the fever from the body. We were avid users of hydrotherapy when our daughter was young and could not communicate with us using words. Many natureopaths recommend this type of therapy. There are many variations, so find the one that works best for you and your child. You can easily google it and find many forms. All the best! It Will pass and your child will have gone through a transformation. Remember you definitely do not want the fever to remain too high, and you can always temporarily relieve fevers by placing them in a cool water bath (this is what they do in hospitals for severe fevers-sometimes even ice, burrrrrrrh)

N. M
Toxicologist/Botanist and Lifetime Natural Mommy

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K.L.

answers from Yakima on

It is very worrisome that the fever remains high, even on Tylenol. That is when my pediatric books say it is time to get ahold of a Doc. The fact that you have and they haven't done anything more or even explain the situation is frankly annoying. Here is a link to what Dr. Sears says. http://askdrsears.com/html/8/T082100.asp

I'll repeat what he says. A fever with no other symptoms is nothing to be too worried about. If your child is visibly sick in other ways, then it becomes more of an issue.

It is my understanding that if you give fever reducers consistently, you may be increasing the duration of their illness. Fevers do serve a purpose in the natural healing process of our bodies. If you can, I would suggest reducing the amount during the day, and keep it ready for night time. I did a little experiment. My family just went through the flu. My kids didn't have much of a fever at all. But I did give them Tylenol if they couldn't sleep. Myself, I waited till the second night before taking some. My fever broke within an hour and I felt better from there on out. My husband immediately started taking pain killers as soon as he came down with it. And he was sicker than a dog for 4 days and kept spiking high painful fevers. So there you go, my two cents. Hope your boy is feeling better real soon.

M.B.

answers from Seattle on

H.,

I don't remember my son, 4 1/2, ever having a fever that high for that long. When he did have a high fever the tylenol would always bring it back down.

If it were me I'd be raising some H*** about now, for your son's sake. I would also be worried about dehydration, you didn't say if he's eating or not. I don't know about your insurance copay for the ER (ours is $50) but I'd seriously consider taking him back there and demanding that he be treated.

Hugs to your little guy and hopes that he gets better soon.

Hope this helps,
Melissa

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L.C.

answers from Seattle on

H.,

You need to get some Pedialyte! Keep your little one hydrated! That's number one in importance. Number 2, limit the Tylenol to the dosage on the limitations on the bottle. I wouldn't give Motrin or Asprin to a child with flu or a cold, because it is linked to causing Reye's syndrome. Finally, you need to contact your pediatrician! I can give you plenty of home cures for sick babies....but nothing will substitute the advice of a qualified MD.

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