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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Fever And Stuffy Nose In A Child?

My 8 month old has been running a fever for the past few days ranging from 101 to 105 F. His nose is really stuffy, his breath smells a little funky and his ears are full of earwax. His doc put him on antibodics for a viral and bacterial infection and he s been on that for 3 days now. Should I be worried about his temp? He s cutting his first tooth right now if that matters.
Mon, 13 Jun 2016
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Pediatrician 's  Response
Dear parent,

At this age, it is very common for children to get viral/bacterial infections while they are building their immune systems. Normal healthy children can have up to 8 viral respiratory tract infections every year at this age, and fever is usually a symptom! Symptoms from a viral infection can last for up to 14 days, however if the fever is persisting for longer than 5 days, this is a reason to get another review with your local pediatrician.

It is very difficult to say without seeing your child if you need to be worried about his temperature. However, here are some things that can you can look for yourself which help you decide if you have to be worried. If he has any of the following symptoms, these are red flag symptoms that mean that he needs to be checked by a doctor in person again.

1)Colour - pale/mottled
2)Activity - High pitched continuous crying, difficult to rouse, not responding to you / not smiling
3)Breathing - breathing heavily or faster than usual
4)Hydration - passing less urine than usual or not tolerating fluids
5)Rash
6)Neck pain / headache / dislike of being in bright lights
7)Swelling or redness of a limb or joint or pain when you move his arms or legs.

If after giving him some Acetaminofen or Ibuprofen, his temperatures are coming down, and he becomes active and playful, you can be more reassured that the temperature is just a symptom of his current infection. Let him get plenty of rest, give him regular fluids and he should soon get better.

My final piece of advice is: Go with your gut feeling, if you are worried that he is not improving, it is always best to get him checked out by a doctor in person again.
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What Causes Fever And Stuffy Nose In A Child?

Dear parent, At this age, it is very common for children to get viral/bacterial infections while they are building their immune systems. Normal healthy children can have up to 8 viral respiratory tract infections every year at this age, and fever is usually a symptom! Symptoms from a viral infection can last for up to 14 days, however if the fever is persisting for longer than 5 days, this is a reason to get another review with your local pediatrician. It is very difficult to say without seeing your child if you need to be worried about his temperature. However, here are some things that can you can look for yourself which help you decide if you have to be worried. If he has any of the following symptoms, these are red flag symptoms that mean that he needs to be checked by a doctor in person again. 1)Colour - pale/mottled 2)Activity - High pitched continuous crying, difficult to rouse, not responding to you / not smiling 3)Breathing - breathing heavily or faster than usual 4)Hydration - passing less urine than usual or not tolerating fluids 5)Rash 6)Neck pain / headache / dislike of being in bright lights 7)Swelling or redness of a limb or joint or pain when you move his arms or legs. If after giving him some Acetaminofen or Ibuprofen, his temperatures are coming down, and he becomes active and playful, you can be more reassured that the temperature is just a symptom of his current infection. Let him get plenty of rest, give him regular fluids and he should soon get better. My final piece of advice is: Go with your gut feeling, if you are worried that he is not improving, it is always best to get him checked out by a doctor in person again.