would you have gone to the ER?

Genevieve_kris · November 2010

Yesterday my two-month old vomited at 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. and had a slightly elevated temp (about 98.8 in the armpit). When we took her temp at 9:30 p.m. (she felt warm) it was up to 100.4 in the armpit. I called the peditrician's nurse line, she got my pediatrician on the line, and the pedi suggested we go to the ER just to rule out an infection.

Little did I know, they use a urine catheter to check for infection. It was terrible. Luckily it looks like it's just a stomach virus, but, being paranoid first-timers we were in the ER for a few hours on Saturday night. Today LO is fine - just grumpy, tired (and perhaps a bit traumatized by the cath).

The whole thing kind of seemed like overkill to me, but again, we didn't want to miss anything (i.e. if she had a more serious illness). Would you have gone into the ER?

grlmom16 · November 2010

If the doctor suggested it, then yes. You called first...I think you did the right thing. With a baby around 2 months or under you can never be too careful.

tresmama · November 2010

Our doc said he will put the baby in the hospital with a spinal tap if the baby has a fever- so no, I don't think it is overkill. Better safe than sorry.

searcy7 · November 2010

Yes, after the dr. suggested it and since it was the weekend and you never know with a baby.

Genevieve_kris · November 2010

Thanks, ladies. I am feeling a little bit like a wimpy first time mom here, but the doctor at the ER kept saying "we don't take any chances with babies this small."

nadinethequeen01 · November 2010

If the pedi suggested it then yes, I def would have. I actually probably would have anyways just to ease my mind. Overkill or not that's my child and it's worth it to me to make sure she is okay.

KaramelSutra · November 2010

I work in a pediatric ICU. A temperature in a baby under 3 months can mean serious infection (sepsis) and/or meningitis. We get babies in all the time that are rule out sepsis. Just for fevers and vomitting. I think your pediatrician was absolutely right in checking. The hospital will run her urine (and blood if they took it) to check for bacteria and if it grows positive, they will call you with what antibiotics to do. You are NEVER paranoid with a fever.

Glad baby is ok

LCB34 · November 2010

Yes I would have gone to the ER. A fever is not something to mess with at all.

K had a fever one time and thankfully we started to investigate. I know we are in the minority but, we are now facing either a very serious auto immune disorder or a leukemia diagnosis due to picking up on abnormalities in her blood work. Yes her blood draws, caths, test, etc have been hard on both of us but I am thankful that we took action as we will be able to hopefully treat (and beat) her issues ASAP. And, FYI, she is totally asymptomatic - we never would have thought that she is as sick as she actually is.

hnyloven · November 2010

I would have definitely gone. I took my DS to the ER for what was probably just a growth spurt but in my eyes he was refusing to eat and lathargic. Our pedi wanted us to call an ambulance which I knew was overkill but like PPs said, you can't be too careful with young babies. Too many people wished they had done something but I don't think any wish they had done nothing.

nosoup4u · November 2010

tresmama:
Our doc said he will put the baby in the hospital with a spinal tap if the baby has a fever- so no, I don't think it is overkill. Better safe than sorry.

Seriously??? That is overkill. Blood draw and urinalysis, I can see, but to do a spinal tap at the first sign of fever seems too aggressive. I'd ask to wait a few hours before going that far.

My DS1 had a spinal tap when he was 6 hours old, for a suspected infection that was never found (most likely because he didn't actually have one). They had already put him on antibiotics when they did it, also. It still makes me feel horrible that we weren't more assertive in asking to wait a few hours and have him observed...

To the OP: I don't know what I'd do! Definitely don't feel bad taking her to the ER, babies who are sick are no fun and really scary, no question - glad she's okay!

makclair · November 2010

nosoup4u:

tresmama:
Our doc said he will put the baby in the hospital with a spinal tap if the baby has a fever- so no, I don't think it is overkill. Better safe than sorry.

Seriously??? That is overkill. Blood draw and urinalysis, I can see, but to do a spinal tap at the first sign of fever seems too aggressive. I'd ask to wait a few hours before going that far.

My DS1 had a spinal tap when he was 6 hours old, for a suspected infection that was never found (most likely because he didn't actually have one). They had already put him on antibiotics when they did it, also. It still makes me feel horrible that we weren't more assertive in asking to wait a few hours and have him observed...

To the OP: I don't know what I'd do! Definitely don't feel bad taking her to the ER, babies who are sick are no fun and really scary, no question - glad she's okay!

Yes, you did the right thing going to the ER.

To the pp, a spinal tap and other sepsis workup in a baby less than 2 months is NOT overkill, it's actually the standard of care. You can google Philadelphia protocol.

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