Question
My baby is coughing, has a fever, runs a nose, and has diarrhea. The timeline of the symptoms: The coughing started the day before yesterday, and it became severe yesterday. The fever started in the afternoon, and today there is a runny nose and diarrhea. Detailed laboratory examination results: Previous treatment and effectiveness: I gave the baby two doses of cefixime granules yesterday, and also two doses over the past few days, each time 2/5 of a packet. I also gave two doses of Huitong yesterday, half a packet each time, and today I also drank some diluted salt water. I had a slight fever in the afternoon yesterday, which escalated in the evening to a high fever of up to 38.5 degrees. Generally, it’s around 37-38 degrees. The fever subsided half an hour after taking Huitong, but it came back a few hours later. Originally, I thought it was due to catching a cold, but then I remembered that the baby received the measles vaccine last Friday. I called the health station, and they said it was not a vaccine reaction; vaccine reactions are usually 24-48 hours. They advised us to drink more water and if it gets worse, to go to the hospital. But I searched online and found that many people only started coughing and having a fever 5-8 days later – what a frustrating experience! Hello, my baby, what is actually causing this? Should we go to the hospital? It’s not easy for us to go to the hospital here; we have to wait in line for several hours. It’s too painful for the baby to go to the hospital, and doctors usually administer intravenous fluids. Last week, the baby ate too much at night and vomited; we went to the Children’s Research Institute and waited for three hours in the emergency department before an experienced doctor recommended intravenous fluids. I couldn’t bear to give my baby an IV – the doctor said not doing so might lead to high fever, nausea, and vomiting. So I endured and gave my baby medicine; she got better that day without any symptoms of fever, nausea, or vomiting. This time feels more severe; the baby is constantly burning up and I am very worried. Is it just a fever or is it a measles reaction? Should we go to the hospital? The measles usually clears up after two or three days when the rash appears, but I’m not sure if my baby is experiencing this. The baby is mostly in good condition, playing by herself when she feels well, but cries when she’s uncomfortable and needs comforting. What should I do? Should we go to the hospital or should I just buy some medicine at home? Thank you doctors for your help first.