Health
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    • Topic: 
    • Repetitive High Fever in Infant
  • From: luvs2bamom77
  •   To: All
  • 1 of 3
  • 10/3/08

My one year old baby girl has come down with a fever of 105 + twice in the last month. She has had no other symptoms, no vomiting, runny nose, cough,, nothing... The first time they put her in the hospital, did tests and released her saying it was a virus. The second time her White Blood Count was doubled, they gave her a high powered antibotic and a lot more tests, including an Xray. They have concluded it is Bronchitis. So...

1? Can she have Bronchitis with no cough, congestion or breathing problems?

2? Can this be caused by exposure to mold and mildew? We found out that there was a water leak under the floor in the hall and bedroom where we sleep, back in 2002. My daughter has been walking now for about 3 months. Quite often she places her hands on the sides of her head like she has a headache and also rubs her eyes all the time. Can this sickness be caused by what might be caught under the flooring and carpet???

Thank you for any input from a grateful Mom!

Serenity

 

 

  • From: _ABCNewsMedUnit_
  •   To: luvs2bamom77
  • 2 of 3
  • 10/7/08

*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****

 

Luvs2bamom77, we are forwarding your question to an expert, but we may not be able to get a very helpful answer as your situation sounds complex and may require in-person evaluations. In the meantime, we suggest you continue to push forward with your doctor(s) until all your very specific questions about your baby are answered.

 

*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****
  • From: _ABCNewsMedUnit_
  •   To: luvs2bamom77
  • 3 of 3
  • 10/13/08

*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****

 

Hi luvs2bamom77 and thank you for your question. Here's an answer from Caroline Hall, M.D., pediatrician and professor of pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center:

 

Children during the first couple of years of life acquire infections with surprising frequency, often 4 to 6 per year. Most of these are mild and commonly have respiratory symptoms, such as nasal stuffiness and slight cough. Usually if fever is present, it is not as high as 105º. However, one virus very frequently causes this degree of fever and is very common in the first year of life. This virus is called HHV6 or sometimes "the roseola virus." Essentially all children acquire this infection within the first 2 years of life. The prime manifestation is fever with few other findings, but occasionally with some mild respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms, or a rash. It usually lasts for several days and then the child is fine. Most infections acquired during the first few years of life are viral, and most of the time we do not know which virus is the cause.

 

To have two episodes of illness with such high fever is not common, but the important thing is whether your daughter has recovered well and now is playing, acting, and eating normally. The diagnosis of "bronchitis" is often used as a general, non-specific diagnosis for a variety of symptoms. Most commonly this does involve some respiratory symptoms, such as you mentioned, or sometimes the findings may be noted only when listening to the child’s chest.

 

From what you describe, it seems unlikely that this is related to mold, mildew or what might be under your flooring and carpet, particularly since that occurred 6 years ago. If we looked, most all of us would find interesting surprises under our carpets!

 

NOTE: Top medical experts on the cold and flu answer questions like these on the OnCall+ Cold & Flu: http://abcnews.go.com/health/coldandflu.

 

*****FROM ABC NEWS MEDICAL UNIT*****
 
 
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