Steph Peters My baby has a fever and I don’t know what to do! It’s one of those situations you’ve been through yourself, but not as a parent. I was worried and felt the panic of “let’s get this fixed NOW!” Then of course I find numerous thermometers in the bathroom and none of them seem to work right. I felt like I didn’t even have time to read the instructions; how do I turn this on? how do I know when the reading is done? why is it blinking red? and of course he won’t sit still. I try the ear thermometer but he keeps pushing it away and crying. I try the oral thermometer and he doesn’t want that either. I try his armpit and finally get a reading…102.6 degrees?! I take it again just to make sure and then frantically research what was the temperature I need to go into urgent care, what medicine can I give him, how much can I give him, etc.
As I start feeling like I can’t move fast enough, I dig thru my folders of notes from the pediatrician and finally find my answers. Our doctor said we should go in if the temperature gets over 103 degrees and/or if the fever persists for 5 days. Also I can go ahead and give him 5mL of liquid baby medicine every four hours. Thankfully he takes his vitamin D out of a dropper everyday so he had no problem taking the medicine. Now it’s a waiting game and since he can’t talk of course I’m worrying even more… Should I be keeping him under a blanket or trying to cool him down? The last time I had a fever I was in labor with him! They put cool clothes on my forehead and back of the neck so I try to do the same to him. Of course he doesn’t like that at all so I just try to get him comfy on the couch with his favorite stuffed animal and some ice water.
I have one of those flashes of “wow this is my life now” as I’m sitting there comforting my son while he isn’t feeling well, and think of all the times this will happen thru his young life. I’m almost comforted by this thought and picture myself as a young girl with my mom taking care of me during those sick days. You know the famous saying of how much more you appreciate your parents after you become a parent, this is one of those times!
