When 1 yr old gets fever, when do you go to the ER? How high?

Question

My little one is fine but I want to be prepared.

How high should the fever be before you bring them to the ER for immediate observation?

Can anyone explain the rotating of motrin to tylenol? Its every 4 hrs for tylenol and every 8 for motrin? If you give them motrin its a long time before you can rotate.

Thanks

Answer 1

For almost all kids, fevers aren't a big problem. Once the cause of the fever is treated or goes away on its own, your body temperature comes back down to normal and you feel like your old self again. Most doctors say that kids with a fever less than 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 degrees Celsius) don't need to take any special medication, unless their fevers are making them uncomfortable. It's a different story for newborns and very young infants, though. They should be evaluated by a doctor for any fever that reaches 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38.0 degrees Celsius) or higher.

If a kid has a higher fever, the doctor usually will tell a parent to give the child medicine. The two medicines most often recommended are acetaminophen or ibuprofen. The medicine will reset the hypothalamus and bring down the fever. One medicine kids should never take when they have fevers is aspirin because it can cause a rare but serious illness in kids.

If you have a fever, your mom or dad will probably ask you to drink fluids. That's important because as your body heats up, it's easy for it to get dehydrated (say: dee-high-drayt-ed), which means there isn't enough water in your body. You have a lot of choices when it comes to fluids - juice, water, sports drinks, soup, flavored gelatin, and even ice pops.

Answer 2

Anythign over 103 warrants a call to his pediatrician at 12 months old. If you can get it under 102 with tylenol or motrin then might wait 24 hours to see what happens. A lot will alos depend on other symptoms. If he has fever of 103 but is playing like nothign is the matter then chances are he's fine. If he's got 102 but acts really ill then he probably needs to be seen. As for when to visit the ER, that call really is up to you...Just go by not only temp but by how your child would be acting.
As for the rotating meds, I use one every 4 hours, then the other, so it's still 8 hours for motrin but they arent getting bombarded with the tylenol either.

This website has tons of info on baby fevers.

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/toddler/toddlerills/todfever/11430.html#1

.

Answer 3

i just had my son at the dr this week for a high fever. this is what they said. you can give motrin AND tylenol at the same time. they are two completely different drugs (that do similar things) and are safe to take at the same time. so keep giving tylenol every 4-6 hours and keep giving the motrin every 6-8. that way, some kind of medicine is in their system and should keep the fever undercontrol.

Answer 4

I start to worry when it gets above 102 but my dds says not to panic until it reachs 104.
I never give Tylenol until it gets to 100 and once it reachs 102 I give tylenol and then 1/2 an hour later I give motrin. It is every 4 hours for tylenol and 8 for motrin. Also, it is a great idea to put cool cloths on their groin area and underneath their armpits.

Answer 5

OK ... this is what my children's doctor has always told me to do. But be sure to ask your child's doctor before doing anything drastic.

I would say 103.5 or higher then call the doctor. My son was 104.5 while we were in the ER and they gave him both Mortin and Tylenol at the same time. The whole rotating the medicine is so that the child will always have some form of fever reducer in their system while fighting the fever. Our doctor said I could rotate between the two every 4-6 hours. But like I said check with your doctor because every situation is different. But that is what I have done with my kids and it does work.

Other tips for high fever along with medicine is to get a luke warm washcloth and cool the baby down with that. The tub is also good as luke warm ... but not always easy to do when your child feels bad.

Well I hope a little of this has helped you. It is always good to be prepared. Best of luck to you.

Answer 6

The pediatrician will usually tell you to call when it gets to 102. If you call before then, they will just tell you to watch them and let them know if there are any changes.

I always used Tylenol for my kids, still do (they are 4, 2 1/2, and 6 months). I think it is easier on the tummy. Motrin always made my kids throw up. It is probably just stronger medicine and that is why there is a difference in rotation times.

If you are ever worried about your child call their doctor. There is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to your child and their health.

Answer 7

I'm not 100% but I know that 104 is like 102 for the rest of us.

And the tylenol - motrin, it is every 4 hours between each dose.

Next time you're at the doctor's office just ask or if you need to know sooner, and one dose of tylenol dosen't bring down the temp. call the Dr.'s office or ER.
(you can get a quicker response if you just ask the nurse at the Dr.)

Answer 8

Foodguru hit the nail on the head... But if in doubt, double check with your doc. I made it my rule that, if my child was running a high temp for more than 24 hours without my being able to break it, that required a call to the doctor. I did the Tylenol and fluid thing. My kids used to hit 102 or 103.. I only worried if I could not break the fever after 24 hours. 105 does require a call to ER Asap.. But actually.. it is non stop low grade temps that should worry you more. High fevers mean the body is fighting something, low grade continuous temps can indicate something more going on than an ear infection or common virus.

Answer 9

If the fever gets 100 degrees or higher, go to ER. Motrin/Tylenol is switched off every four hours. Good Luck.

Answer 10

anything over 103 that will not come down with medication. so if they have it for over an hour, them go. rotate the Tylenol and Motrin just like anything else. say if you start at 12 noon giving Tylenol. then at 4 or 6 you can give them Motrin. at midnight give them Tylenol again. like that. i try to give my son a dose of Motrin at bed time because he will sleep longer.