My 3 year old son started coughing really badly Friday morning. I gave him some cough medicine and moved on. A few hours later I noticed he was pretty lethargic, so I took his temp and it was 104!! I gave him some children's Ibuprofen and got the fever down, but it came right back up a couple hours later. I gave him a tepid bath which brought it down again, but it came right back a couple hours later. His cough has worsened and he's having green snot just pour out of his nose. No matter how hard I try to get his fever to go away, it keeps coming back. His heart rate is through the roof and he's shaking uncontrollably (not like a seizure, but just like when you're really cold). He keeps falling asleep and then jumping up and saying weird stuff like "There's sand in my eyes!! Get it out!!" and "My hand has a spring in it.". I don't know if he's hallucinating or what.
Their pedi is open tomorrow, but I'm trying to decide if I should wait until then or if this is a case to bring to the ER. What would you do?
*UPDATE*
Sorry it took me all day to update. We've had a really busy day. I didn't take him to the ER. I took him to my bed with me and snuggled him all night. He woke up this morning feeling great!! No fever, cough is much better and the nose is clearing up. It seems like it was a virus that ran its course. I truly appreciate everyones concern. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!!!!
ER definitely
Wife to a wonderful man, and mother to five beautiful children. :)
In instances like that the fever would NOT be the only symptom, there would be other symptoms that would cause a mother to take her child in.
So yes, a mother who takes her child into the ER with ONLY a fever as a complaint, or a fever and cold/flu like syptoms, is making a poor choice. It's a waste of time for both the mother AND the doctor, and it's a waste of services which could be used to treat REAL emergencies.
If a fever can be controlled with tylenol and motrin, the child is taking in fluids, and you are able to wake them easily, then yes it it stupid to take them into the ER.
Quoting T-HoneyLuv:
So the Mother who takes her child in for high rate rate, high fever and disorientation is an idiot? Tell that to the Mom who has a child in the ICU battling Meningitis or Sepsis. The only idiot is you and your attitude.
Quoting Anonymous:No. I'm just not an idiot. I'm a mother of 4 healthy kids, who have had fevers off on on through the years. However, both of my in-laws are RNs and I call the advice nurse at our pediatricians clinic when I need advice. Our kids range in age from 4 years to 12 years. Two of them have had febrile seizures caused by a rapid jump in temperature. Just recently my middle daughter had a nasty virus that caused a temperature of righ around 105 for 3 days followed by two more days of 102-103. My youngest (4) now has the same thing. Amazingly enough, with proper treatment at home, both will survive.
Quoting Jennyanne322:
Do you have any medical background? The child has had a fever of over 103 for more then 3 days. The child is not acting like themselves, and is hallucinating. It calls for a visit to the ER where they can find out what is causing it.
Quoting Anonymous:All of you claiming she should run out to the ER right now and one of the main reasons healthcare costs are so damn high.
You're looking at a $1000+ to treat a freaking FEVER that was most likely cause by a virus, for which there is no cure only to let it run its course. So, we have 100 people in here who would run their kid up to the ER for a fever caused by a virus that can and SHOULD be treated at home with tylenol and motrin and lots of fluids and rest. So, right there that's a cost of $100,000+ that is a pointless waste. Unless there are other symptoms (trouble breathing, severe sore through and refuses to drink fluids, unable to wake, etc) the ER is pointless. The ER is the EMERGENCY ROOM, PLEASE bother to learn WTF an emergency is!
Quoting Anonymous:
hes probably dreaming if it goes above 105 take him to the er but below that just wait
Quoting Anonymous:In instances like that the fever would NOT be the only symptom, there would be other symptoms that would cause a mother to take her child in.
So yes, a mother who takes her child into the ER with ONLY a fever as a complaint, or a fever and cold/flu like syptoms, is making a poor choice. It's a waste of time for both the mother AND the doctor, and it's a waste of services which could be used to treat REAL emergencies.If a fever can be controlled with tylenol and motrin, the child is taking in fluids, and you are able to wake them easily, then yes it it stupid to take them into the ER.
Quoting T-HoneyLuv:
So the Mother who takes her child in for high rate rate, high fever and disorientation is an idiot? Tell that to the Mom who has a child in the ICU battling Meningitis or Sepsis. The only idiot is you and your attitude.
Quoting Anonymous:No. I'm just not an idiot. I'm a mother of 4 healthy kids, who have had fevers off on on through the years. However, both of my in-laws are RNs and I call the advice nurse at our pediatricians clinic when I need advice. Our kids range in age from 4 years to 12 years. Two of them have had febrile seizures caused by a rapid jump in temperature. Just recently my middle daughter had a nasty virus that caused a temperature of righ around 105 for 3 days followed by two more days of 102-103. My youngest (4) now has the same thing. Amazingly enough, with proper treatment at home, both will survive.
Quoting Jennyanne322:
Do you have any medical background? The child has had a fever of over 103 for more then 3 days. The child is not acting like themselves, and is hallucinating. It calls for a visit to the ER where they can find out what is causing it.
Quoting Anonymous:All of you claiming she should run out to the ER right now and one of the main reasons healthcare costs are so damn high.
You're looking at a $1000+ to treat a freaking FEVER that was most likely cause by a virus, for which there is no cure only to let it run its course. So, we have 100 people in here who would run their kid up to the ER for a fever caused by a virus that can and SHOULD be treated at home with tylenol and motrin and lots of fluids and rest. So, right there that's a cost of $100,000+ that is a pointless waste. Unless there are other symptoms (trouble breathing, severe sore through and refuses to drink fluids, unable to wake, etc) the ER is pointless. The ER is the EMERGENCY ROOM, PLEASE bother to learn WTF an emergency is!
leaving baby alone while i do laundry?
- DevinAnnesmom
on Dec. 24, 2012 at 12:47 AM