Aspiration pneumonia...

My 23 month old son was recently under general anesthestia for a MRI.  When he was extubated he vomited.  He was suctioned and appeared to be stable, so he was released about 1 hour after.  His fever spiked 105 axilary.  He was admitted with iv abs for 36 hours with only mild temps for aspiration pneumonia.  The night after discharge his fever spiked 104.3 axilary.  
He is on antibiotics, but 5 days later is still having spikes in fevers and today has vomited twice.  His oxygen levels have been hanging around 95.  
We returned to the ER, but were told we should expect fevers for a few more days.  I am just curious how long should he should be spiking fevers?

Thank you,

Gina Taranto

[National Jewish Health]

You should not expect fevers, especially of 102 or higher, 5 days after the initiation of antibiotic therapy for pneumonia, with optimum therapy, and definitely not for a couple more days after your son was seen in the ER.  In addition, his course could now be complicated by dehydration, due to vomiting.

You should call his primary doctor and arrange for him to be seen today, for re-examination, a complete blood count (CBC), a chest x-ray and blood cultures, if he still has a fever and/or the chest x-ray no better.  If it is not possible for his doctor to see him, you should take him to the ER, with the same requests and do not accept further assurances that it is normal for him to continue to have fevers.  If he is still as sick as you suggest, he may have to be admitted to the hospital.