How many days of fever before calling the doctor?

[Deleted]

DS (11) is on Day 4 of a fever. Before his last dose of meds it was back up to 102.7. Friday morning before school he told me his throat hurt, I looked at and it wasn't red or anything. By midday he was sent home from school with a slight fever of 100. He's been at his Dad's since then and the initial reports that I was getting were that he was complaining of stomach stuff and throwing up. He's home from school today and I just asked his Dad for clarification of his symptoms and was told that he is "coughing, tired, and fever". 

I just hate going to the doctors this time of year because I feel like the waiting rooms and offices are just so germ filled and likely to make you more sick than you already are. But at the same time, 4 days of fever seems to be a bit much.

[marie]

I would take him in today. I would want the throat looked and his for his breathing/lungs to be listened to. 9 times out of 10 I cannot see anything significant in the throat when my kids have had strep.

[oswin]

Sore throat and stomach discomfort usually mean Strep for my kids. So I'd take them in to get tested and get antibiotics ASAP if it is strep.

[ECB]

Yes, I'd go to the doctor today. Especially as rampant as the flu is right now!

[puppylove64]

I would take him to the dr when he was sick enough to miss day 2 of school.

[revolution]

I'd go in since it's been 4 days of a temp like that.

[Deleted]

Thanks all. I'm thinking that it might be Strep as well. I just called and got him an appointment this afternoon. I just feel so bad. He's my healthy kid, he almost never gets sick, not even so much as a cold. I was initially willing to just let it run its course when I thought it was a stomach bug, because my DD had that earlier in the week and was back at school after 2 days.

[cleo29]

Yeah, our pedi wants a call after three days. I hope he feels better soon and you all get some answers!

[sent]

DD had this recently, I took her to the doctor at day 3. They said it could take up to 5 days to turn the corner and that's exactly what it took. Usually I am very breezy about a fever up 102-ish with no other symptoms. I would get worried if it was like 104 with no signs of dropping. But I've learned that everyone else in DD's life is not breezy and gives me hell if I don't drag my kids to the doctor and get their blessing (her dad, my parents who are backup sitters, her other grandparents if they know she's sick and in this case they knew). So I tend to take my kids around day 2 or 3 for this type of stuff.

[cottoncandy]

This time of year we go to the dr the day we catch the fever to check for flu. We ended up taking my son at 7pm to a minute clinic when he came home from school saying he was tired and had a low fever. He had flu A and we got him on tamiflu that night and he was fine by day 3. Sorry your kiddo is sick:-(

[cottoncandy]

This time of year we go to the dr the day we catch the fever to check for flu. We ended up taking my son at 7pm to a minute clinic when he came home from school saying he was tired and had a low fever. He had flu A and we got him on tamiflu that night and he was fine by day 3. Sorry your kiddo is sick:-(

[readyin07]

I'm definitely not the type to rush to the dr, but I would take him in for that probably by day 3 of a fever that's still relatively high and not feeling any improvements.

[nicolewi]

Our doctor's office says fever for more than 72 hours warrants a check.

[Deleted]

Just got home from the doctor. They said it's probably the Flu but given that it's day 4 and his symptoms are fairly mild-ish, they didn't even bother to test. So, he's in bed now with a dose of advil and his water bottle and we're just gonna wait it out. Well that, and I'm going to be carrying around a bottle of Lysol for the next 48 hours.

[Shreddingbetty]

I was going to say flu, you typically have high fever cough fatigue sore throat body aches etc. You don’t usually have vomiting or nausea but this season we’ve seen a lot of people presenting with exactly that. Hope he feels better soon

[cleo29]

Feb 24, 2020 14:15:16 GMT -5 @sameoldstory said:

Just got home from the doctor. They said it's probably the Flu but given that it's day 4 and his symptoms are fairly mild-ish, they didn't even bother to test. So, he's in bed now with a dose of advil and his water bottle and we're just gonna wait it out. Well that, and I'm going to be carrying around a bottle of Lysol for the next 48 hours.

Poor guy. High fevers can make you feel pretty wonky in the stomach because all the digestive processes slow down. Good news, only contagious for two more days!

Seriously though, I hope he gets rest and feels better soon!

[Deleted]

Feb 24, 2020 21:28:58 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

Feb 24, 2020 14:15:16 GMT -5 @sameoldstory said:

Just got home from the doctor. They said it's probably the Flu but given that it's day 4 and his symptoms are fairly mild-ish, they didn't even bother to test. So, he's in bed now with a dose of advil and his water bottle and we're just gonna wait it out. Well that, and I'm going to be carrying around a bottle of Lysol for the next 48 hours.

Poor guy. High fevers can make you feel pretty wonky in the stomach because all the digestive processes slow down. Good news, only contagious for two more days!

Seriously though, I hope he gets rest and feels better soon!

Thanks! His Dad had only been giving him Tylenol all weekend, but I gave him Advil yesterday and it knocked the fever right out and he started feeling a ton better. He's still probably going to feel pretty crappy today, but he definitely turned a corner yesterday afternoon.

[cleo29]

Feb 25, 2020 7:13:31 GMT -5 @sameoldstory said:

Feb 24, 2020 21:28:58 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

Poor guy. High fevers can make you feel pretty wonky in the stomach because all the digestive processes slow down. Good news, only contagious for two more days!

Seriously though, I hope he gets rest and feels better soon!

Thanks! His Dad had only been giving him Tylenol all weekend, but I gave him Advil yesterday and it knocked the fever right out and he started feeling a ton better. He's still probably going to feel pretty crappy today, but he definitely turned a corner yesterday afternoon.

Yeah, Tylenol does not do much at all, poor kid! So glad he is feeling better.

[scorpio72]

Feb 24, 2020 14:15:16 GMT -5 @sameoldstory said:

Just got home from the doctor. They said it's probably the Flu but given that it's day 4 and his symptoms are fairly mild-ish, they didn't even bother to test. So, he's in bed now with a dose of advil and his water bottle and we're just gonna wait it out. Well that, and I'm going to be carrying around a bottle of Lysol for the next 48 hours.

We had the same situation with my 10 year old.  Went to the Dr after 3 days of fever and turns out it was the flu.  I almost didn't go since they can't do anything for it.  He was fine a day later. Luckily no one else in the house got it.