Conflicting Medical advice?? UK?

Question

I have spoken to several Drs tonight regarding my 4yr old who is unwell with high fevers.

My own GP agreed to see him as an emergency appointment earlier this evening, she told me to stop giving him Calpol because he is too old for it (it's for use up to the age of 6) then refused to examine him!!! She gave me a prescription, when I got the prescription it turned out to be Calpol, the very thing she said not to give!! she also advised me to sponge him down with tepid water.

Being confused about her advice and fever still not down I rang NHS direct who told me NOT to sponge him down because it's dangerous, then told me to give Nurophen for kids and discontinue the Calpol, and DO NOT give them together they also referred me to emergency Dr who would call me back.

Emergency Dr calls me and tells me to wrap him in a wet towel and open the window, also to give the Nurophen and Calpol TOGETHER, he also got very annoyed when I explained that I had been told different.

Answer 1

Get him to the hospital to the A+E dept.

40*C is getting close to a deadly high fever.

Do not mix medications.

If you know he is OK to take paracetamol, then use it, otherwise don't (but check with the emergency services).

This is what normally reduces the body temperature, but in some curcumstances paracetamol is not good, for example if he is on another drug.

The energency services would be able to tell you if it is a good idea or not.

He needs to be wrapped in a wet sheet, towels or what ever to stay cool.

41*C and above is usually lethal.

Get him to A+E

NOW!!!!

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First aid for fever...

http://www.umm.edu/non_trauma/fever.htm

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Snow Man

Answer 2

You should take him to the hospital. The fever could be caused by a number of things, and to leave it may cause the problem to get worse.

Answer 3

Oh dear.

Well, as a fellow mum, not a doctor, I am very surprised that you were told your daughter is too old for Calpol, that's nuts. My son still has it and he's nearly 12. Not only that, but it always works.

Calpol is magic as far as fevers are concerned, so if it's not working then nothing will.

When my son has had fevers I was always advised to try and keep him cool with cold flannels etc. Bear in mind, a fever is evidence that the body's fighting off an infection so you don't want to suppress it too much.

I would follow your instincts on this one - just keep an eye out for the sinister danger signs and do what you need to keep her comfortable.

She'll almost certainly be totally fine in a day or two - they always are.

:-)

Just read your extra bit. You should feel reassured by his lack of any other symptoms, no headache, nasty rash, vomiting etc. A high fever isn't in itself an illness, just an indication that the body's supposed to be doing what it's meant to. Poor you, it's scary but it'll be over soon - just keep doing what you're doing.

And stop frightening yourself with thoughts of febrile convulsion - it probably won't happen.

Answer 4

Fever is how the body fights off certain diseases so it really depends on how serious the fever is.  Fevers become dangerous over 103 F or 39.4 C.  Those drugs just lower the fever and help with headaches.  

I think the two are closely related and an overdose, like with tylenol is very dangerous so I would agree with your seeming concern with taking them TOGETHER.  One of them is just made for kids so it is sweetened but I think they are essentially the same thing.  If it were me, I wouldn't risk liver damage by taking two similar medications and I would be very careful not to exceed the dosage.  If the fever were dangerously high, I would cool them with water but be very careful not to chill them and see the doctor again.

Answer 5

STOP GIVING your child any and all meds!   The reason he has a fever is because his adrenals are working overtime to get the poisons out of his system.  

You need to see a less conventional style physician.  Doctors are salespeople and make money from the scrips that they write.  Take a natural and holistic approach in healing your child.