My 19 month old is sick for the first time... help!

Hi

I'm totally out of my depth, and I am confused as to what I should/shouldn't be doing....This is the first time DD has ever been sick!

On Saturday afternoon, DD felt very hot, so I took her temp and it was 39 degrees. However she seemed happy enough (babbling away, eating, etc) but she was lethargic and tired so we gave her a bath and some nurofen and put her to bed. She awoke for dinner, and was happy again, with no temp in sight.

On Sunday morning she woke and was totally fine - eating, playing, chatting. Sunday afternoon rocks around and she felt boiling hot again. Took her temp and once again it was 39 degrees. This time she was more irritable so we gave her nurofen again and put her to bed. Just like Saturday, she woke up at dinner time, but this time she was quite distressed and still felt hot. After having a cuddle with her on the couch and watching some TV her temp returned to normal and she even ate dinner. She seemed happy enough.

Then Sunday night she woke at 3am and was hot again and very upset. I slept with her in the spare room as she wouldn't let me put her down in her cot without screaming. She slept fitfully and woke at 7am this morning - once again she was quite upset.

She doesn't seem to have a temp anymore, however she is definitely on edge and unhappy. She keeps telling me she is hungry, but will barely eat a thing I make her. Even her fave foods aren't being touched - despite the fact she keeps dragging me to the pantry repeating "hungry hungry hungry!". I thought maybe she had a sore throat, but she wouldn't eat her yogurt, which I would have thought would be OK if she had a sore throat. She is drinking a bit of fluids, but not as much as I would like.

I would have thought if she had a cold/flu, she would have a cough or sniffle or runny nose or something, but she has none of these things. She isn't touching her head or ears (to indicate headache or earache), she has no rash, she doesn't have diarrhea, and she hasn't vomited. What on earth causes fever and irritability, but nothing else? If she gets another temp of 39 should I be worried?

So, what do you think I should do? Do I leave it another day, and if she is still the same tomorrow take her to the GP? Or should I be taking her today? Keeping in mind it's now 2 days since she first had a fever and she doesn't seem to be getting better yet.

TIA

Hi

I would be taking her to the doctor today if you can, just to be sure. It is concerning when they don't eat very much and aren't drinking enough fluids so best to go to be on the safe side. Keep offering her the food and giving her plenty of fluids.

If it is day two and the nurofen hasn't kept the temp down the doctor may be able to give you something else for her!

Take care

Get her checked out, could be an ear infection or sore throat (something viral). I'd probably give her paracetamol every 6 hours instead of nurofen to keep the temp down. Make sure she's having plenty of fluids.

Duckie.M.B wrote:
Paracetamol is more effective for fevers than nurofen.

Trip to the dr can't hurt tho.

Yeah I agree, I have been told that you should alternate between both.

Thanks for all the advice ladies.I have booked her into see our GP later this afternoon. Interesting that you mention UTI Alva, I'm now wondering if this could be it? I will also get some Panadol while I'm out. I didn't realize it was better at reducing fever than nurofen. Thanks again, hopefully my DD feels better soon, I hate seeing her so unhappy sad

I have to agree. I wouldn't worry. My DD1 gets fevers with no other visable symptoms. They last a few days and that's it. Fingers crossed she's better tomorrow for you.

She seems better thanks Avla. She is still irritable and not herself, but she is eating and drinking a little more than yesterday so that's encouraging. The doctor said she probably has a virus, but he sent me home with all the necessary equipment to get a urine sample in case she doesn't get better, and then we can test for a UTI. I just want my happy little girl back! She's so grumpy and unhappy it's tough to see her like that.

Did he manage to check her throat? My DD had very similar symptoms about a month ago and after 3 days we went to Dr as I managed to look at throat and saw white spots. It turned out it was bacterial tonsilitis. My GP said she was exhibiting classic signs i.e. High temp, no coughing, enlarged lymph glands and not really many other symptoms. DD only really took milk in decent amounts while sick (children often revert to more baby like ways) Also the dr explained that she probably wouldn't like much food and the white spots are pus oozing from tonsils and creates a bad taste in mouth which spoils normally liked foods. He did suggest brushing her teeth prior to eating as that sometimes helps, but we didn't notice much difference. The difference within 2 days of starting antibiotics was amazing

He did sort of check her throat, but she was acting like a wild animal (thrashing around screaming NO NO NO NO!) whenever he touched her - he couldn't really even get an accurate temp cause she was impossible to keep still. He said her throat didn't look infected, but I doubt he got a great look at it. Thanks for the heads up though, if she doesn't improve in the next day or so I will take her back to the docs. She is eating a little more than yesterday so I am hoping she is on the mend smile

No worries. I'm very lucky I have a little girl that is an absolute angel (for everyone else) and follows all instructions. So the Dr just had to ask her to open her mouth and she did, so he was able to get a good look at her tonsils. He couldn't really see white spots, just said it looked red. But he knows I'm a nurse so accepted what I saw, also said once pus has drained spots disappear, as does high temp, however because it is bacterial and bacteria is still there the pus will just build up again and it just ends up going in cycles. Really hope it isn't this as it took 12days to get rid of it fully. Glad she is a bit better