Fever

[HGMorgann]

Morgann has a low grade fever -ranging from 99.5 to 100.4 (armpit). She has no other symptoms at all - just teething ones. She is drooling a lot and knawing on anything. She is sleeping/nursing/pooping/peeing just fine. She is sleeping a tad bit more than normal, but nothing really out of the ordinary. She is 4 mo 1 week. Should I be concerned? My mom (nurse) said its just the teething. A ped. nurse at church said it could be her ears or maybe UTI, and to call if the temp got over 101.5 rectally. She said 100.4 would really be 101.4 rectally. I feel like she is OK. Should I call a doctor? (that means finding one since we just moved...bad mom, here!) Or wait it out for a little longer?

[SaphirimalMei]

I dunno. I'm a nervous new mommy here, so I'd call the doctor.
DDs pediatrician said to definitely give a call if she had a fever of 100.5 or above. Since you dont have a regular ped yet, do you think the urgent care near you would speak to you over the phone? It is probably just be teething, but I'd still give a call. Just my .02 :)

[Renrel]

Gabe has not been sick much but if I remember correctly my ped did not concider anything 100 or less a fever. Just normal infant temp. But it is always the best course of action to call your ped to get their take on it. My sister called her ped when my niece was very young just wanting to know the dose of med to give my niece for her fever (I think it was 101 and I think my nieces was less than 2 months old). The ped sent them to the emergency room due to my niece's age. My sis thought she were just humoring the ped. This was her second and she was no longer a panicy mommy. Turned out my niece had RSV and pnemonia, though she really did not seem very sick at all. Just a cold. She ended up in the hospital for a couiple of days.


Keep in mind, as you deal with future childhood illnesses, that a fever is not in itself an illness, it is a symtom. The body will raise its temperture to try and kill off an infection since may of the bugs that cause illness can't live in a climate over a certain temputure. With out more symtoms or tests it is unlikely your doc will be able to diagnois anything. Low grade fevers are usually best not treated with meds to lower them unless the child is uncomfortable. When fevers start getting higher they can do damage to the body so they should be treated, though I don't think there is usually big concern until you start getting in to fevers of 103 and higher that don't break. But with the newborns you really should check with your ped to be sure.