when to worry about a fever?

id012

Ds has a fever. Hes 2.
It started this morning around 1030. He was acting super clingy. When we got home he fell asleep and when he woke up around 230 i took his temp and it was 100.4. I.gave him some tylonal and he kind of just hung out on the.couch all day. At 630 he seemed to ve getting worse and i took his temp and it was 101.9. I gave him more tylonal since it had been.4 hours. He fell asleep. I just took his temp again and its 102! Crap. Im worried.
Hes totally not acting him self. He ate around 330, but nothing since then and hes been drinking fluids ok. He is just not himself.. he is laughing a little but not moving around much.
What should i do? I thought i read somewhere that you can give them alieve too? Should i go get some? Would you let him sleep and not give him more meds ? Should i call the doctor?
I know kids get fevers and its fine and im trying not to worry but i cant help it! I cant remember the last time he was sick!
Help. Iv googled and that was the worst idea ever.

trizzie

My son spiked a fever of 105 once - scared me half to death.  The doctor told me that a fever by itself isn't something to worry about, it is the body fighting off infection. But, fever combined with lethargy and other symptoms is something to worry about.  You can alternate Tylenol and motrin as well.

bridein08

Tylenol is not my medication of choice for a fever. Motrin is better at relieving the aches and pains that come along with fever, and it is better in general at keeping the fever down. You can rotate Ibuprofen (motrin) with Acetaminophen. I always recommended to parents when I worked as a triage nurse to rotate every 3 hours to make it easy to remember. 

For example, 3pm Tylenol, 6 pm motrin, 9 pm Tylenol, 12am Motrin.

102 isn't that high for a four year old. How is he acting? Push those fluids (popsicles are fine!) Let him sleep if he is sleeping. He will wake when he is uncomfortable. Unless the fever is above 103, we always recommended treating the child, not the fever. Having said that, I always give my son Motrin if his temp is over 101, even if he is acting normal.

Get off google, and calm down. Fevers don't mean death!  

notreallyirish

scatteredtrees:

Our pedi and the nurseline consider anything over 103 to be a noteworthy fever. I'd just give LO some ibuprofen and keep the fluids coming. 

This.  102 is warm, but not alarming at that age. DS's fever frequently gets higher when he's sleeping.  So if it's 100 or so when he's awake it might go up to 102.  I just wait for him to wake up to give him medicine, and while he sleeps I try to keep blankets off, pull off some of his clothes if I can, and make sure the room is cool enough.  Then do the alternating ibuprofen and acetaminophen every 3 hours and give lots of fluids.  I second the popsicles.  They are about the only nutrition I can get in DS when he is sick.  Pedialyte makes those little plastic baggie popsicles.  They look gross but DS likes them.  Regular popsicles are fine too.

And the lethargy is probably just from being sick and hot in general.  DS sleeps and watches cartoons all day when he's sick.  He would never do that when not sick.  Unless he's acting really strange or not making sense, I wouldn't worry too much.  I know it's hard, though!

Edit: Also, if he won't take the medicine there's no need to force it.  The fever itself won't do any harm, the medicine is primarily for comfort.  If the fever is high enough to be a concern (104 plus), you should go to the doctor/hospital anyway.