high fever in 1 year old

eperey · Apr 17, 2005

I have 11 months old baby and had experience the same. I understand that their current stage of teething may caused it.

My daughter just turned a year old and for the past 6 days has been spiking high temps (the highest being 103.4). I took her to the doctor and they said that everything looked ok (throat, ears, and urine). I called again today since she still spikes (101.4) today, they said to continue to watch it and call back in two days if it hasn't gone away. Motrin helps, but the fever still comes back and I just want to help my little girl. Has anyone else experienced this? My doctor's office also told me today that they have had other calls of kids with high fevers and no other symptoms. I guess the nurse in me just wants to know a cause and it bothers me that she keeps spiking these fevers with no other symptoms for 6 days.

mugwump · Apr 17, 2005

The same thing happend to my daughter and it turned she had a urinary tract infection. I found out after i took her into the ER.

VeryPlainJane · Apr 17, 2005

My 3 year old daughter has been fighting something off too. She will be just fine and boom fever! It's been about two weeks now....She has already lost 5 lbs. three weeks ago she had double ear infection and double pink eye she is over that now, but the fevers just keep coming and going! I'm in the same boat as you; her pd doesn't know whats going on either. :uhoh3:

live4today, RN · Apr 17, 2005

Had the same problem with my two year old granddaughter. The hospital kept saying "watch her, give her motrin, tylenol....no urine infection, no sore throat, all labs were fine, etc., etc.,..................well, she ended up having two seizures, rushed to the hospital, transferred to a major children's hospital nearby, had a spinal tap that proved she had viral meningitis. She was in the hospital for eight days, mostly due to the mri showing signs of ADEM brought on by the high fever, a glucose of 40, and the viral meningitis. So, in my granddaughter's case, the hospital proved to be wrong :angryfire until she got to the major children's hospital. Only they knew what was wrong with her. I should say her dad's in the military, so the first hospital that kept telling her parents she was okay was the military hospital. :stone She's better now. Was put on heavy doses of antibiotics, iv steroids now tapering on po steroids. Makes me want to ring a few healthcare providers necks. :angryfire

All I can say MOMS........if something in you tells you there is more to your baby's continued fevers, don't give up until something is done about it. We could have lost our little one due to neglect.

caringRN · Apr 17, 2005

She only has her two bottom teeth, and today I did see a top one poking through, however I have trouble thinking that she would spike as high as 103.4 just for teeth. I would however be relieved if that was it, but what a horrible past 6 days just for a tooth :) And if these fevers continue, what am I going to do about daycare, they will not take her with a fever.

glascow · Apr 17, 2005

How is she acting? Does she appear ill?

caringRN · Apr 17, 2005

She only acts ill when the temp is high (fussy, tired, not eating) but once the fever breaks she is fine.

SusanJean · Apr 17, 2005

I would get in and ask for some blood work to be done, plus a UA.

I think they are betting that the fever is viral.

Went through the same w/ my daughter around that age and I finally was exhausted from the illness, worry, dr. visits, etc. and insisted they "DO SOMETHING!"

She was hospitalized for +week for septicemia -

I was told by the dr. the up and down fever is typical of viral, along with the behaviour you described. (ok during lower temp, fussy during high temp)

My daughter's fever would spike 105 F. :uhoh3: (Pre hosp., tyl + motrin would bring down to 101F.)

A simple blood test a few days into this probably could have avoided the long hospitalization and severe illness she suffered. She was "touch and go" for awhile. Very scary. I did not leave the hosp for the entire time she was in.

Granted, this is the "zebra" but I think parents have to follow their gut and ask for tests if they don't think things are progressing.

It is the ins. companies that hold the doctors back from doing them.

SJ

Jolie, BSN · Apr 17, 2005

I strongly recommend that you return to the peds office and insist on some studies. At the very least, a CBC and urine culture seem to be in order with an illness of this duration.

I don't think that teething is an adequate explanation for a fever this high lasting this long.

I know you are concerned about work, but please keep her home until she has been fever-free for a minimum of 24-48 hours.

Good luck, and I hope she is feeling better soon!

TeriLuvsER · Apr 17, 2005

Had the same problem with my two year old granddaughter. The hospital kept saying "watch her, give her motrin, tylenol....no urine infection, no sore throat, all labs were fine, etc., etc.,..................well, she ended up having two seizures, rushed to the hospital, transferred to a major children's hospital nearby, had a spinal tap that proved she had viral meningitis. She was in the hospital for eight days, mostly due to the mri showing signs of ADEM brought on by the high fever, a glucose of 40, and the viral meningitis. So, in my granddaughter's case, the hospital proved to be wrong :angryfire until she got to the major children's hospital. Only they knew what was wrong with her. I should say her dad's in the military, so the first hospital that kept telling her parents she was okay was the military hospital. :stone She's better now. Was put on heavy doses of antibiotics, iv steroids now tapering on po steroids. Makes me want to ring a few healthcare providers necks. :angryfire
All I can say MOMS........if something in you tells you there is more to your baby's continued fevers, don't give up until something is done about it. We could have lost our little one due to neglect.

I work in a military hospital and have found that whenever a little one under two is brought in with a high fever (this is the ER, mind you) a septic work up is done to r/o meningitis. This means the whole nine yards...we do a cath urine, iv to draw blood and administer antibiotics, RSV, etc....the really little ones will get a lumbar puncture. Not sure if this is the same in other areas or if it's just protocol for where I work. Most get IV Rocephin.

Teri

SharonH, RN · Apr 17, 2005

She only has her two bottom teeth, and today I did see a top one poking through, however I have trouble thinking that she would spike as high as 103.4 just for teeth. I would however be relieved if that was it, but what a horrible past 6 days just for a tooth :) And if these fevers continue, what am I going to do about daycare, they will not take her with a fever.

My daughter spiked temps of about 104 over a period of about 10 days when she was teething. I had to leave work to pick her up from daycare everyday. I took her to the pediatrician 3 separate times, they did cultures of every type and I poured Motrin in her and did the baths to try to cool her down but nothing helped. When the teeth broke through, the fever broke.