Mysterious Fever and No Other Symptoms

Updated on December 18, 2009
L.K. asks from Myrtle Beach, SC
20 answers

My 2 1/2 year old daughter has been a little sluggish today, but nothing out of the ordinary. After she took her routine nap, she woke up and felt a little warm. Once we took her temp, it was 99.9. It is fluctuating a little (went up to 100.2). I geuss what is bothering me and making me nervous is she hasn't had any symptoms what so ever to even clue us in that she didn't feel good. She is a little winey, wants to be held. She was complaining a little earlier today that her left leg hurt, but other than that nothing. I don't really know what to do?! I am one of those moms who freaks out over every little thing, so I really just don't know what to think about my daughter having a fever and no other symptoms. Has anyone else experienced this? Help?!

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone so much for your responses! Today my daughter told me her ears were hurting, so I said thats it, I am taking her to the doctor. Once there her pediatrician couldn't figure out where the fever was coming from, so I asked her to run a strep test (my husband was very adamant about having that ran!).Her pediatrician said, I will go on and tell it's not strep, but to please your husband, I will run it. Well well well...low and behold she tested positive! So, we are starting her on the atibiotic and looking for a new pediatrician! Thanks again everyone for your advice and responses!

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A.C.

answers from Charleston on

My son did this in september. He had a 102.9 fever I was worried but he had no symptoms other then a little sluggish. I took him to the dr and he said it was a virus in his body somewhere and it had to run it coarse and to give him tylenol if its over 101 but under that let it be cause they need to have a fever to heal. A few days later he had a little rash on his belly took him back and they said it was a "viral rash" so that confirmed it was a virus. I hope you daughter is better soon

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A.R.

answers from Knoxville on

My child used to do this all of the time. I had the doctors do all sorts of tests because it made no sense. She is five now and it hasn't happend in two years.

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C.B.

answers from Charlotte on

She could be coming down with a virus. This has happened to many of the children who attend the same school as my son. Just a fever and not feeling great but nothing else. I am sure that she is just fighting something off. If she has a fever then her body is doing what it is supposed to do. Sometimes we get fevers and just don't know why (the technical term is FUO or Fever of Unknown Origin) However, if it is still going on Friday, have her seen by her pediatrician. Don't want a sick child during Christmas!!

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S.D.

answers from Nashville on

She is not running a fever. She is running a low grade temperature. Technically it needs to be over 101 for it to be considered a fever. She could be cutting a tooth, starting to come down with a virus, or she could have an infection some where. If it doesn't go away take her to the pediatrician. One of my children had ear infections with no other symptoms except the low grade temperature. He has a high tolerance to pain and the ear infection would have to get really bad before he complained about his ear hurting.

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A.T.

answers from Charlotte on

I went through this recently with my 2 1/2 year old daughter. The preschool kept saying that she had a fever (it was never over 99.9 when I took it) and the doctor couldn't find anything wrong with her the two times that we went - it was the week of my finals so I didn't have the time to take off and just watch her. Technically being sluggish is a symptom and if she's clingier than usual and sleeping more those are symptoms too. However if her temperature doesn't go over 101 the doctor isn't going to classify an elevate temp as a fever and will most likely just tell you to watch her. It's always worrisome when our little ones don't feel good and act sick but I think you should be good through the weekend if you just keep a close eye on her. If there is not a temperature over 101 the doctor will probably tell you to wait until she's been acting funny for a week, I would call and ask since the weekend is coming up and I would check to see where the nearest Urgent Care Clinic is that takes your insurance just in case you need to get her seen this weekend. I hope your little one feels better soon.

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S.T.

answers from Nashville on

whiney?? needy?? leg hurting??? sounds like symptons to me!!!

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J.L.

answers from Lexington on

Hi Lydia,

I just went through this with my two year old and I truly think it's teething. Last Thursday she layed on the couch, or in my lap all day long with a fever ranging from 100 to 103. On Friday, she was back up and at it. I remember my son going through this too. "Fever of unknown origin" is what the doc called it after blood work, antibiotic injections and a return trip. Needless to say, I didn't take my daughter to the doc and just waited it out. (I called the doc's office to ask if this was a common symptom, and the receptionist said that there were all kinds of viruses out there and to watch her. She now has a cold, as do I, so I'm not going to say that it's not connected or not, but... Call the doc if your still worried though.

Goodluck and Happy Holidays!

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E.M.

answers from Louisville on

shes fighting off something just let it run its course unless it gets too high then call her doctor. good luck!

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C.P.

answers from Chicago on

We had something like this a few months ago. She had a high fever in the afternoon for two or three days and then developed a rash on her torso. We called the ped and they just told us to watch it.

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L.R.

answers from Greenville on

It sounds exactly like a 24-48 hr fever that's going around here in New Bern. My friends son just got over it today he is a little over 2. He attends Tabernacle Preschool, not sure if your little one goes there or not. My child goes there as well and he and his little sister just last week had a mysterious 24 hr earache. My son also complained that his arm was achey. After the 24 hrs they were both fine. Hope this helps a little!

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L.C.

answers from Raleigh on

I too always freak out about every little thing. Our youngest had same thing couple months ago .....lasted 4 days. Have no idea what it was. Friend's son had it as well, for over a week......Just watch her.

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B.L.

answers from Jacksonville on

I know you've resolved this already, but I just thought I'd throw in for future reference that my kids have had fevers with no other symptoms a number of times over the years. Sometimes it will go on (off and on) for up to three days, but sometimes just a day. It will often resolve on it's own. A doctor once said about my one-year-old son that based on his symptoms, (a high fever and she couldn't hear any lung sounds, possibly meaning pneumonia - which she later decided it was just a bad cold anyway) he should be hospitalized, but he was running up and down the hallway at her clinic, so he must not have been all that sick. She treated the child... Anyway, this time something was definitely up with your child, but that hasn't always been the case with us. Go with your gut!

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B.D.

answers from Charlotte on

Hi Lydia - I really don't want to scare you, and most likely your daughter's fever is just that - a fever!! (They say when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.)However, if your daughter's symptoms continue, I would schedule an appointment with her pediatrician for an exam and blood work. 10 years ago, my son was 4 1/2 and complained of leg pain and was also sluggish with a slight temperature. His DR's office suggested he come in. When he was examined, his spleen was enlarged, and he was slightly pale. They ordered blood work - he was diagnosed with leukemia. He is 15 now, and doing beautifully. Leukemia is typically a very treatable cancer, but it is best if it is caught early. As I said, it's most likely your daughter is perfectly fine, but I thought I'd pass my story along.....

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C.O.

answers from Huntington on

Hello, i have been dealing with this for about five years now. Only my daughters temps would go up to 104 and have no other symptomatology. When she was still an infant, they catheterized her twice to see if it was a urinary tract infection and it was negative both times. They could find NOTHING physically wrong with her. She would do this two to three times a year, now it is down to about one or two. I personally think it is growth spurts, i know i am not a doctor and i am sure they would disagree but i really think that is what it is. When she has these spikes, she eats me out of house and home and usually she does not eat enough to keep a chipmunk alive SO that is my experience with unexplained temperatures.

I would, however, recommend her being seen by her pediatrician....it could be something she cannot tell you or the start of an infection. If you get it early, it might not be so bad.

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B.J.

answers from Charlotte on

First off, you should ask your doctor.

With that said, I'll share my view. When the body has a fever, especially low grade (which is what your daughter has) her body is doing it's job. Never medicate a low grade fever as immune system efficacy decreases by 50% after a fever reducing medicine is administered after just one dose. Let the body do it's job and just keep your child hydrated. The biggest risk associated with any kind of flu is dehydration. It's natural for our children to get mild fevers from time to time. When no other symptoms are present, normal activity can presume, but do get those fluids in her.

I used to get anxious over sickness/illness, until I started doing homeopathic study. The more you can learn about the human body and natural remedies, the more calm you will feel about mothering during these times.

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W.M.

answers from Nashville on

About once a year my son get a fever and no other symptoms. It usually goes away within 24 hours. If you feel uneasy about it, call her docs office. They can tell you over the phone what to do. Give her Tylenol or Motrin to lower her fever.

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W.C.

answers from Lexington on

easily could be an ear infection. Also, we recently had similar virus go around the nursery at church, fever, no other symptoms. if it continues for a coupla days and she doesn't seem to get any better, I'd take her to a ped.

Good luck!

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D.P.

answers from Raleigh on

Hi Lydia, does your daughter have her 2nd molars yet? If they are coming in, that could be the issue. If she is not fussy, I wouldn't worry.

Or it could be some sort of bug that may manifest other symptoms later. My dd recently started with a fever ... than later complained of a stomach ache and her mouth hurting ... but it took a few days before some mouth sores popped up. She had a mouth virus ... similar to hand, foot, and mouth. Nothing to panick about, but very painful for her and contagious. So, just in case, you may want to keep her from other children while she has a fever.

Good luck mommy! She will feel better soon.

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D.P.

answers from Raleigh on

My son had something similar recently. I only took him into the doctor because I suspected his tubes had fallen out of his ears, and he might have developed an ear infection. Before tubes, he would get an ear infection and just spike a fever with no other symptoms. However, the tubes were still there, and the doc said it was just a virus and would pass in a couple of days. It did!

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M.R.

answers from Clarksville on

Both of my daughters have done that in the past. I chocked it up to "growing pains," for it happened right around the same time they had a growth spurt. Unless your daughter begins exhibiting other symptoms, I wouldn't stress it just yet. =)

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