Yesterday my son who is almost 6 woke up with a fever of 102.3. I was worried because he's never had temp of that even when he's been really sick. I call the doc's office and the nurse told me that wasn't a severe temp just a moderate temp, to just give him tylenol and fluids. He has no other simptoms except being tired. The thing is he had a temp of 101 two weeks ago and no simptoms. I took him in to the doc's office last night because his temp went up to 103 and they took blood and everything came back slightly below normal but she said that was because his body was fighting a viral infection. His temp is 101 today and he's a little more talkative.

My main concern is that the nurse on the phone told me that the temp wasn't to concerning and then when I brought him the nurse that brought us in the room told me that it was a big concern and then the doctor told me that it wasn't. I'm really confused. I don't like that idea of 104 being when they get concerned. I will not wait till then.

With children they can get much higher body temps than adults and it really not be an emergency. A temperature of 103 is fairly typical for a sick toddler or even a sick child in the age range your son is in.

I never liked hearing that either but I found that combining a dose of motrin with tylenol almost always brought the fever down fast and then I alternated in 4 hrs just tylenol and 4 hrs later motrin and so on the same way. They are two different medications that both have fever reducing benefits. Tylenol has never been effective in breaking a fever for my kids by itself but helps with the pain of it.

It sounds like your son has the flu. Its been going around something awful here in the midwest. My temperature 2 yrs ago with the flu got up as high as 105. It was awful and the people I was with wouldn't call me an ambulance or anything.

I digress..sorry...I was going to say (since I have the flu myself right now and I'm thinking about it clearly) to get him pedialyte to drink. It really does help keep the fluids in the system better than the other clear liquids (not just for diarhea folks ...it is very good w/flu). Just keep that running through him and alternating the two fever reducers and you should have his fever broke or down at least quickly.

The flu can last 2 weeks or longer but its not typical to go longer than about 2 weeks. If you can't get his fever down or break it combining the two fever reducers....I would be seeking a second opinion. Local hospitals often have a nurse line where you can speak with a triage nurse.

I hope he feels better very soon!

Thanks for the advice. The doctor suggested the motrin but he won't take it. I tried giving it to him but he just spits it out, I tried tricking him one time and boy was that a mistake wearing my work clothes.

It just seems funny that the only simptoms that he has from the flu is tired and fever. Last week my mother couldn't fill him up, he just kept eating everything.

I haven't been vomiting or anything with my flu either.....just a headache, fever, extreme fatigue and my Mr. Man was the same way when he had the flu last week.

They have different flavors or you can have your pharmacy inject a different flavor into the motrin. Also...mix it in his drink. I use to have to do that...or ask the pharmacist for a syringe dispenser. Its a lot harder for a child to spit it back out when its already shot down the back of the throat.

I'd agree with the nurse. But you do need to keep monitoring temperature.
IMHO, I won't give my son any medicine at that temperature. All medicines have side effects. I will just let him take showers every few hours, and keep him hydrated. If he has good appetite, that's great.

Well I just called my mom and she said that his temp is 99. When I talked to him he seemed to be almost back to his usual self. I just hope the night terrors are done. He had two of them yesterday afternoon and one was really bad. He hasn't had those in years. I know they were caused this time from the fever.

I agree with alternating motrin and tylenol until it goes down. Also make sure the dosage is right. Here is my ped's website that has dosage info on it: http://www.intensivecaring.com/

As for getting him to take it: Try chewables. Also hold him down and blow into his mouth as you give the meds. (it really works if you can hold him down).

I myself have resorted to dum dum suckers as a bribe.

Good luck!