what is a normal temp for a 2 yr old... what is considerd high he is burning up but only reading 98.5?

Question

he is fussy and miserable and i been trying the doctors office for the last hour and they are out to lunch.. i am going to take him to the er becuae i think this thing is broke it is only saying 98.5 and just holding him was making me sweat.. and as wasting my time on here my husband has him upstairs getting his diper changed.

todays day 2 with tylenol i took him to the er yesterday they put him on a iv because he was not drinking at all. gave him some medacation there to bring his fever down and they said he got a cold and gave me tylenol which i already had. and that temp was wrong i got a new one yesterday and he was at 103

Answer 1

I am so glad that you brought him in. As important as the thermometer is, your intuition was right.

I am glad you have a working thermometer. All the best baby books say "Trust yourself."

Great job!

Answer 2

Hopefully your thermometer is working properly. Take his temp with a different one and see if you get the same reading. 98.5 is normal. A slightly elevated temp is nothing to really worry about. It just means your body is trying to fight off whatever it is that is making you sick. Let the fever do its job before you give him any medication. If the fever reaches 100 or goes over, give him some childrens motrin or some other kind of fever reducer. Extrememly high temps in children can be dangerous and cause siezures and even braiin damage if left untreated. If the motrin doesnt bring his fever down in a few hours, call your pediatrician and let them know you need to be seen today. In the meantime, you can cool you little one off by placing a damp washcloth on his forhead. Do not immerse him in ice cold water if his fever spikes! This sudden change in body temp will cause seizures, and if he is in the bathtub, that will not be good at all. He could drown in a few seconds. Never leave him unattended, not even for a second.

Answer 3

He may just be hot. Sweating does not always equal fever. What type of thermometer are you using? I don't trust the accuracy of ear thermometers on toddlers because they squirm. My daughter would be as you described, fussy and miserable, whenever she had an ear infection, and she very rarely ran a fever with them. I'd skip the ER and wait for the Dr office to reopen...unless they take Friday afternoons off. If you really think that your thermometer is broken, run out and buy a new one really quickly so you don't have to wonder anymore. If the new one agrees that there is no fever then I'd stop worrying as much...could just be a new tooth...they do get those big, bad painful molars when they are 2.

Answer 4

Try using a different thermometer. If you are using the ear ones sometimes they can be a bit fickle. If you really think he has a fever,then don't hesitate to try another thermometer or take him to the doctors. A low grade temp is considered in the 99;s. A real fever is anything above 100. But just because his temp is normal doesn't mean he is not sick. Lots of infections can be present with no tempreture or a low grade fever.

Answer 5

First of all get a new thermometer. Second of all, when your child has a fever, alternate Tylenol and Motrin every 4 hours. Bathe your child in a luke warm bath with a cool (not freezing cold) compress on his head, in his armpits and groin area. Try to figure out what it is that could be wrong. Is your child pulling at his ears? Is he acting fine? I know you said he's fussy, but does anything console him? Does he eat normally? Watch for tears when he is crying and make sure his mouth is moist. Is he urinating normally. Lack of these could indicate dehydration. Provide plenty of fluids. If he's hungry, feed him, but if not thats fine, a child will eat when he's hungry. Fluids are KEY. IMPORTANT! Call his doctor if fever over 102, if he's acting lethargic (limp and unstimulated) vomiting/diareha, no urine output, no tears, fever does not come down with the previous mentioned meds, or if fever persists for more than 2 days. Only you know your child and what is normal for him. When in doubt, always refer to your physician, not a public forum.

Answer 6

Is it possible that your thermometer is broken or you are not taking his temperature correctly? I know I have to try a couple of times before I get an accurate read-out for my 18 month old. 98.5 is a normal temperature, but if your child is fussy and miserable it is definitely worth at least a call to your doctor's office. That is what they are there for. Good luck

Answer 7

For 2-3 year old a temperature over 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius) you should take them do the Doctors immediately.

If you should is acting fine and the only thing wrong is the fever then he is fine. Fevers mean they are working with the body to fight anything off.

If he is not eating, drinking, and seems tired a lot then I would take him to he Doctors.

Answer 8

Normally it is said that the average temp of a person is upto 37 C or 98.6 F

Look at signs he might be showing - his behaviour / activity amount - maybe he is going to be ill and this is the build up.

Could have a viral infection / to do with immunizations / overdressing etc..

Seek help from GP / health centre - better to be safe!!

Answer 9

His temp sounds normal...are you using a digital thermometer? If so, it might need new batteries if you feel he is running a temp. Most doctors will say a small temp is okay as long as the child is acting normally. Otherwise you might want to make him an appointment.

Answer 10

98.6 is normal. Did you take it rectally or under arm? Some thermometer don't read correctly. Always have 2.
Give him some Tylenol or Motrin and see if that helps. If all else fails, take him the dr. and have him checked out.
I hope everything is okay.

Answer 11

ok 98.5 is normal anything above 101.5 is high give him/her 1tsp of tylenol only if fever gets worse he/she is most likely getting molars. i have a two year old and a 1 year old im a very experienced mom