I would be extremely concerned if my pediatrician said that to me. Fevers do matter and so do temperatures. Have you thought about finding a new doctor? I know when my son is sick, they always take his temperature and ask about any fevers. They have always told me anything over 102 is too high and I would need to contact them.
My 18 month old baby's pediatrician has always said to bring her in if she has a temp higher than 102 because it is very dangerous if it gets too high. I have heard a lot of people lately saying that some virus is going around and that there is really no explanation for the high fevers. I always thought that high fevers were associated with an infection? When did this change?
As a child, I had a 105* fever and ear infection which resulted in my having chronic Bell's palsy (facial paralysis). Fevers can be serious because high ones, can cause seizures. Fevers are a reliable symptom of the body fighting infection/disease. High fevers or long-lasting ones should definitely be treated. The doctor is right about finding out the cause however. My youngest daughter tends to run high fevers when she is sick, so I know how worrisome it is to have a hot kid :)
Some things that may help are tepid/warm bath - never cool - which can cause shivering and more temperature problems. Drinking cool liquids, cool washcloths, and Motrin. Here is a good link:
Good luck!
GET A NEW DOCTOR!!!!!!
Anything over 104 your baby should be seen or taken to an urgent care/ er situation. If their temps get too high they can have seizures!!! And at 120... your blood would be boiling.
I'd get a new doctor. Even if he is suffering from just a bad virus, this needs to be addressed. You can keep a child comfortable with Motrin and Tylenol (under directions from ANOTHER doctor.) If I were you I'd definately make another appointment somewhere or just take him to the er/urgent care. AND it is NOT a myth that high fevers don't do anything. It's a fact that high fevers can cause brain damage, seizures and other issues. You can also keep him comfortable with cold compresses behind the neck and knees. I used to work in a pediatircians office and most of the time if we had a very high feverish child we'd recommened the cold compresses and Tylenol / Motrin alternating for comfort AND a recheck in a couple of days if no changes in the child's condition.
PS. don't do ice baths or rubbing alcohol!!
Shanel - I don't think our doctor has ever said anything like that. He has told me to worry if I can't get the fever to drop within 30 minutes to an hour after giving something to reduce it. I don't know who your doctor is but if it was me I would be going some place else for another opinion. I love my sons doctor he has been great. He apologizes if you have to wait to see him and he gives you his cell number for weekend problems and will also meet you at his office on Saturday or Sunday if you need him to. We are blessed to have found him.
I have never heard that EVER!! I have though heard of just the opposite. People die from it all the time. I had fever convulsions when I was about 18 months old. My fever got too high and started to cook me. Go figure. My mom was told to put me in the bath with ice water until the ambulance got there. You need to switch docs. Anyone that would say that should not be practicing medicine.
I have never heard of that! My daughter's pediatrician said to bring her in if her temp EVER went about 102-103 degrees. She said baby temps are naturally higher than adults but it is dangerous for temps to be very high for very long. I dont know what your babies doc is talking about and would not trust it.
My advice is find another doctor. 4 days of high fevers is something to worry about. When my son was 3 months old he started running a high fever. It turned out he had an ear infection. A few days later it shot up even higher and I took him back to the doc. They sent me to the hospital. He had menengitis. A second opinion cant hurt.
Hello!
I would definitely worry about high temps! I'm not a doctor but everything I've heard indicates that high fevers can cause seizures, brain damage, etc. I would find a different doctor. Not only because of the current doctor's non-chalance but because he really did nothing to alleviate your fears! Like any employee, you can fire him!!!!
You are a mama. Your guts are better than any 'ol doctor. Changes doctors. Talk to your friends & see who they go to & who they like. Meanwhile here is an article from web MD talking about fevers, & phobia's. It gives good information on when to worry & when to sit back & wait. http://blogs.webmd.com/healthy-children/2006/04/dont-be-fever-phobic.html
Good luck
That's INSANE!!! Kids temps. can't go higher than 105 due to seizures! Anytime my child's temp. goes higher than 103 I was told to do give Motrin and Tylenol at the same time. Also give the child a cold bath! I have been in hospital with my first at 3 with high tempts. and they never let them get higher than 105. It was always aggresive measures right away such as wet compresses all over the body after she's taken meds. This doc. makes me mad! At 120 degrees your child can have searious damage and may die! Take your baby to someone else right away! So sorry you have to go through this!
hmmm, This is the first I have heard that we are not concerned about high fevers, although 101 does not concern me particularly. The 104.7, on the other hand, is very concerning.
I would question the physician's ability to practice safely. Does he have a person he works under? I would contact the person he works under. If he works for a hospital system then there would be a risk manager who would be very interested in his response. Or better yet, call a news station and see what they say about investigating the doctor.
At the very least I would be concerned about febrile seizures. Additionally, I am concerned about the baby's bad breath as this is unusual in infants. I generally associate that more with something bacterial. My first thought was a possible sinus infection, and this was confirmed as POSSIBLE diagnosis by and article in pub med. If this is in fact the diagnosis, there can be potentially serious sequelae if left untreated. I would consider a second opinion.
Good luck.
Well, I personally do not agree with your pediatrician about the "myth" of brain damage...in fact I'm rather disgusted. I've read that temps over 106 can cause febriel seisures and over 107 can potentially cause brain damage. I would highly recommend finding a new pediatrician. In terms of a regular high fever due to virus, my understanding is that as long as the temperature is coming down even a little bit with treatment (Tylenol, etc) and the child does not seem listless or dehydrated, and if the child is able to interact pretty normally then the doctors usually aren't that concerned. A fever over 103 you should be giving him a lukewarm bath for at least 30 minutes. The water should be warm enough to prevent chills or shivering because that will bring the fever up higher. I'd also ask whoever you do see if there is an over the counter medicine to make your little guy more comfortable with his cold.
I am still shocked that doctor had the nerve to say that to you....I think I probably would have slapped him.
My advice is don't trust this doctor! I have never heard that before, and if I were you, I'd get my child to another doctor as soon as possible! I have heard and read that extremely high fevers can cause brain damage. We are happy with Pediatrix, specifically Dr. Mitra or Dr. Nemivant. The office is at 39th Ave and Pinnacle Peak, in the far north valley. If you live near here, I'd give them a try. If not, find someone else near you, because I would not ever take my child to this doctor again.
Good luck and God Bless. I hope your little boy feels better soon.
HI SHANEL, I DON'T WANT TO PERSUADE YOU NOT TO TRUST YOUR PEDIATRICIAN, BUT I WOULD GET A SECOND OPINION. MY DAUGHTER HAD A FEVER WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT 9 MONTHS OLD, I BROUGHT HER IN AND GOT THE SAME RESULT...IN / OUT AND BARELY ANY COMFORT. TEMP DID NOT GO AWAY SO I BROUGHT HER BACK AND DEMANDED SOMETHING BE DONE, COME TO FIND OUT SHE HAD KIDNEY REFLUX DISEASE AND IS EASY TO TREAT, BUT CAN BE FATAL IF NOT. (not to mention painful) MY POINT IS...YOUR MOTHERLY INSTINCTS ARE NOT WRONG, YOU KNOW WHEN HE IS SICK, I THINK EVEN THE BEST DOCTORS GET OVERWHELMED AND TRY TO GET YOU IN/ OUT SO THEY CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PATIENT. ITS SAD TO THINK BUT THERE ARE ALOT MORE SICK PEOPLE THAN DOCTORS TO TREAT THEM. AND I HAVE NEVER HEARD ABOUT THE FEVER @ OR OVER 120. THAT SEEMS EXTREME...MY MOM ALWAYS TOLD ME OVER 103 IS MUCH TOO HIGH. A WARM BATH CAN BRING DOWN A TEMP. AND DON'T FORGET MOTRIN, AS FEVER REDUCER. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS I ASK MY MOM OR GRANDMA! HOPE THIS HELPS. AND REMEMBER WHEN YOU THINK YOU ARE GONNA GO CRAZY FROM SLEEPLESS NIGHTS...
"THIS TOO WILL PASS", BABIES AREN'T SICK FOREVER!
Wow! I'd always heard 105 was bad and 108 was the maximum a body could take. I'd look for a second opinion. For fever in our 22-month old, we use a staggered dosage of ibuprofen and acetaminophen laid out for us by our pediatrician.
Good luck!
It sounds to me like he is a QUACK!!!!! High temperatures can cause brain damage! I would see another doctor immediately! When my children were little, I would put them in the bathtub with tepid water. (lukewarm) and use a wash cloth to wet them down. You have to be careful when you take them out because they can get a chill and make things worse. I usually would close the bathroom door and make sure there is no cool air blowing in and I would keep them in about 5 minutes at a time. make sure you use a soft wash cloth because when they have a fever that high, their skin is very sensitive. Just make sure you keep them wrapped up in a towel once you get them out and take their temp. Keep repeating until the fever subsides. I hope this helps! Let me know how everything goes!
I completely trust my pediatrician & was told if fever is the only symptom, all you can really do is Ibuprophen and/or Tylenol. I prefer Ibuprophen because it lasts longer than Tylenol. My daughter had a fever for almost a week. I took her to the dr. twice to have her ears checked, etc. There was never anything else going on. Sleep, Ibuprophen, Pedialite Popsicles, less clothing - anything to make him as comfortable as possible. Check out "Your Child's Health" by Barton D. Schmitt, M.D. It was recommended by my pediatrician when my first child was born & is my BIBLE! It says you should call your dr. immediately if the fever is over 105, your child cries inconsolably, cries if you touch or move him, difficult to awaken, stiff neck, purple spots on skin, drooling. And if you have reservations about your pediatrician, I'd start looking for a new one. Get some recommendations here at MamaSource for your area! Hope your little guy gets well soon!
Get a new pediatrician, and check this one's credentials. High fevers in babies can lead to febrile seizures (very upsetting) and extremely high fevers (over 112 degrees) can lead to brain damage. Don't ignore the fever, but tepid baths are usually all that is required- but do get a different doctor who will actually listen to you. When he says 120 degrees won't hurt. he's probably being sarcastic- not what you need with your kid's doc.