What is wrong with my baby if he keeps getting fevers with swollen glands and fussiness?

Time to see the MD: While there are some periodic fever syndromes (i.e. Marshall syndrome) that might give what you're describing, it's always best to check it out with your primary care physician, especially if fevers seem recurrent, or any time they last longer than 72 hrs.

Likely nothing: Talk to your doctor and get and exam. But most kids are sick very often because they are kids and havent been exposed to much illness. This is especially true if the child attends day care, has older siblings or is around kids a lot. That means lots of illness and lots of infections. So this is likely normal amount of illness. Kids can be sick 10-12 times per year with lots of exposure.

He's communicating!: When children display recurrent abnormal symptoms, they are communicating to all that are tuned in that something is wrong. The next question then becomes what is that something? The list of possibilities is what the medical professional is trained to consider and determine/rule out. Listen to the body's communication; have your child evaluated asap by a competent caring medical professional.

Exposed to a lot: When illness is recurrent (more than 3-5 times a year), the immune system is being overworked. The list of possibilities is long and that is why it is important to be seen. I often consider food allergies...Dairy can be a problem for many children. Some are vitamin d deficient. Some need probiotics. A detailed history and physical and appropriate labs can help.

Needs the MD: Your baby may be suffering from something simple like repeat viral infections, but the symptoms you're describing require more medical attention. A typical course of action would be a complete physical exam, probably some laboratory studies (blood work), and possibly consultation with a specialist.

Infections: Your baby is probably in the process of developing his/her immune system! at about 6 months, or earlier if the baby is in child care, he/she will often seem to catch virus after virus..Common symptoms include fever, swollen glands and changes in sleep or feeding. Consult with your pediatrician to be sure.

Needs further eval.: These symptoms are concerning. It will help to know baby's age, frequency of fevers, the location of the glands, and most improtantly how baby is growing and developing. Your baby needs to be assessed thoroughly by your healthcare provider urgently, until then it will be prudent to practice proper infection control measures and if cleared to update all recommended childhood immunizations.

PFAPA syndrome?: Pfapa stands for periodic fever, aphthous ulcers (sores inside mouth), pharyngitis (redness of throat), and adenopathy (swollen gland over neck). Affected infant/child experiences periodic fever along with swollen glands which lasts only a few days. The etiology is still unknown but short course of steroid has been proven effective.

Maybe nothing.: Infants and toddlers get, on average, 12 colds and infections a year. About 6 of these will be bad enough for them to see a physician. If your child is sick more often than this, your physician may want to run some basic blood work. If not, then treat with increased fluids and lots of tlc. See your physician if not getting better after 3-5 days, of if getting worse after a week.

Probably infections: A baby who gets repeated episodes of fevers must be evaluated by a doctor. Likewise, for a baby who gets recurrences of swollen glands. Therefore, any baby who gets both fevers and swollen glands definitely needs a medical evaluation. The more common cause is infections, but in some cases other, more rare, diseases can be the cause (such as immune system problems and/or blood cell disorders).