# Persistant cough, mild fever for a week in almost 7yo



## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

My DS (who will be 7 in a couple of weeks) has been sick for about a week. He started getting sick last Monday, with a mild cough and low-grade fever. He had a fairly high fever on Tuesday (can't find my thermometer so I'm not sure of the exact numbers) and then it was much lower on Wednesday. He had very little appetite when he had the fever, and his appetite has increased somewhat when the fever went down, but it's still not back to normal.

He's had a low-grade fever on and off since then- and when he has the fever he's lethargic and snuggly, when the fever is lower he's closer to his usual bouncy self. His appetite waxes and wanes with the fevers too. I haven't been giving him any medication to lower the fever or suppress the cough. I'm trying to give him lots of vitamin C but he's not exactly co-operative with that. I took him to the chiropractor twice this week. I'm making sure he stays hydrated.

I haven't noticed any change in the cough all week. It's not a "dry, nonproductive" cough, but neither is he coughing up tons of phlegm. It doesn't seem like there's too much in there to be coughed up.

My daughters' colds have always lasted 4-5 days, so this is unfamiliar territory for me. He's definitely not getting worse, and I don't think there's any need for antibiotics. But neither does he really seem to be getting any better. Is this still within the range of normal? Is there anything else I could or should be doing to help him?


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

it sounds like it is within the range of normal, but I'd be getting a little more intensive with treatment at this stage. not to scare you, but I think it is possible he has an infection in his lungs.
As well as as much vitC as you can get into him, I'd be giving Echinacea tincture, or pills if he wont take tincture. I suffered for a long time with chronic lung infections, and echincea was in the end what broke the cycle and cleared it up.
steam can help a lot as well, pour water from a boiling kettle into a large bowl, add a drop or 2 of eucalyptus essential oil, or a small dab of tiger balm, and breathe the steam. for best results cover your head with a towel to trap the steam in.

Definitely don't give him antibiotics. cut back on mucus-producing foods like dairy (except for fermented dairy), and rice. oranges, while a good cource of vitC, (well, not that great) are also mucus-producing.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Rice and oranges are mucus producing? I didn't know that! I have had him off dairy since the cough began (except for one bowl of cereal with milk my mom gave him before I told her not to give him dairy.) What other foods should I be keeping him away from?

I've been letting him have orange juce (though he prefers lemonade when he's sick) and I haven't been restricting rice- but then again I don't think he's had any rice recently- last night I served rice with the chicken but I think he was full after the soup course (chicken broth, carrots, and potatoes.)


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## Fiestabeth (Aug 4, 2006)

Someone here recommended oil of oregano to me a year ago when dd2 was having chronic ear infections and I now swear by the stuff. It's a natural antibiotic (as well as antifungal and antiviral). It's just super powerful stuff. Last year dd had been on two rounds of antibiotics but it was the oil of oregano that finally cleared it up.

Recently I got over a bad cold within 4-5 days instead of my usual 10-14 by taking it twice daily.

It's really strong tasting, but dd tolerates one drop in a spoonful of pure maple syrup twice a day. I take it in syrup or agave nectar because I can't handle it straight.

Hope he's feeling better soon!


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

oh yes! seconding the oil of oregano! make sure you get a good quality pure oil from a HFS or herbalist.


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## FuzzyOne (May 3, 2005)

my two were diagnosed with RSV on this last monday and the symptoms are very similar to what you are describing. my ds was worse (and he has a weaker immune system) so meds were required (he's 3). my dd (17 mos.) has not required meds at all - just a watching approach. my dh and i also have RSV. mine has been a lingering cold for a week now. dh ended up going to the doctor on friday - RSV for him turned into a terrible sinus infection.

i would describe RSV as a cold, but suckier. and it has definitely lasted longer.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Does this mean I should keep him away from the ped's office so he doesn't infect any newborns who could get VERY sick from him?

What meds did your 3yo end up needing?


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## vegmom (Jul 23, 2003)

Garlic is great at fighting infection. I don't know how well he would take it.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Yeah, I use a lot of raw garlic for myself, but I'm not sure how to administer that to DS.

His cough is sounding worse now. I'm not sure if that means he's getting worse, or if he's finally having productive coughs and doing more intense healing.

I'm also wondering if I should take him to the pediatrician. I honestly don't know what the ped might do to help, and afraid they might suggest something harmful (such as antibiotics) but I'm also worried that the school might accuse me of neglect or something for haivng a sick kid (he's been out of school since Tuesday) and not taking him to a dr. Then again he has been to the chiropractor so maybe I'm covered in that regard....


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

if school is a concern, what about calling the ped to get an opinion? (assuming you have a good ped you can trust)


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

I have a random ped that I picked out of the insurance company's list after "the ped I trust" fired us for not fully vaxing. I selected one dr out of a large clinic-like setup and I've met her exactly twice- when I took the kids for their annual physicals this summer.


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

hmmm. well, i don't see how it could hurt to give her a call if you want.


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## FuzzyOne (May 3, 2005)

he ended up having to have an antibiotic (because he also had a very bad secondary ear infection and his eardrum was about to burst), some kind of steroid thing and also another medication to prevent it all from turning into pneumonia - not fun stuff at all. the test they do to check for RSV is a simple nose swab. it is very highly contagious. if your ds seems to be getting better, it will probably just run it's course. that's what we've been able to do with dd.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ruthla* 
Does this mean I should keep him away from the ped's office so he doesn't infect any newborns who could get VERY sick from him?

What meds did your 3yo end up needing?


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Now my Mom is pressuring me to take him to the ped tomorrow. I honestly don't think there's anything an allopathic doctor can do to help him, but I might take him just to shut her up.


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

if you take him, you know there;s a good chance he'll come home with an Rx for abx.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

True, but I don't have to fill the prescription.


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

true but then your mom will be hassling you to do that too. and once the prescription is in your hands, it's pretty easy to say 'i'll just fill it, since it's covered on my insurance any way, but i wont give it to him unless he gets any worse'. slippery slope









not that i'm saying you shouldn't go to the ped.
i probably would at some point too.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Oh, she won't come WITH me to the ped. I'd come home with the Rx in my wallet and tell her that we went to the dr and not mention the meds at all.

Part of me is thinking "he's sick, I shouldn't drag him around town, even a trip to the dr is too much for him right now- bundling him up, taking him outside, walking all the way from the parking lot to the building, all the way down the hall to the ped department, etc. And what if he breathes on another child there (either an infant or a child already ill) and gets somebody else very very sick? If this is RSV, it could be very serious if a preemie catches it- but I'm not REALLY worried about DS.

OTOH, I'm not 100% comfortable with the way his healing is going. I expected him to have a high fever for a day, then a mild fever for another day, and then be ready to go back to school. It's been a week and the cough and fever are lingering. I'd be less worried about the lingering cough if he hadn't had that one day of really high fever- but it seems like that fever should have "burned out" the illness and she should be OK by now.


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

this might be useful information to you:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/lung/rsv.html

interesting snippets include:

Quote:

Almost all kids are infected with RSV at least once by the time they are 2 years old.

Quote:

Generally, in healthy kids, it's not necessary to distinguish RSV from a common cold. But in cases where a child has other health conditions, a doctor might want to make a specific diagnosis. RSV is typically identified in nasal secretions, which can be collected either with a cotton swab or by suction through a bulb syringe.

Quote:

Fortunately, most cases of RSV are mild and require no specific treatment from doctors. Antibiotics aren't used because RSV is a virus and antibiotics are only effective against bacteria. Medication may sometimes be given to help open airways.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Hmmm. From another page on that site:

Quote:

When to Call the Doctor
Most childhood coughs are nothing to be concerned about. However, consult a doctor if your child:

has trouble breathing or is working hard to breathe
is breathing more quickly than usual
has a blue or dusky color to the lips, face, or tongue
has a high fever (particularly in a young infant or in the absence of congestion or a runny nose; contact your doctor for any fever in an infant younger than 3 months)
is an infant (3 months old or younger) who has been coughing for more than a few hours
makes a "whooping" sound when she breathes after coughing
is coughing up blood
has stridor when inhaling
has wheezing when exhaling (unless you already have home asthma management instructions from your doctor)
is listless or cranky
He's listless, but that's the only thing on that list that I can check off. The cough has lasted less than 3 weeks, the fever isn't dangerously high, he's not wheezing or whooping or coughing up anything with funky colors...it really sounds viral to me.

Add to this the fact that *I'm* not feeling too great myself, and I don't want to schlepp him out to the ped just to have her tell me he's fine.


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

i'm liking that site more and more









so you have your answer. no need for the ped. show it to your mom.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

I've been wholly unsucessful in getting him to take vitamin C. I have both chewables (that he doesn't like the flavor of) and powdered ascorbic acid. Nor have I been able to get to a HFS for oil of oregano (and then, even if I got it, would he take it?)

He's staying hydrated and getting lots of rest though. His cough is getting more productive and IMO his body is doing what it needs to do for healing.


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## momma4fun (Jan 23, 2007)

we have a similar thing from your description, ruthla!

a wet cough, that's not very productive, but it's also not a choking cough, and it's tickly, but not unbearably so

the girls have mild fevers on and off, it's been about five days

it IS odd for us because i swear none of us has ever had a fever for more than 3 days in a row......

i got it first, and just today, i woke up and my cough is much better, but i had a lot of head congestion.......my girls' coughs seem to be a bit better and they have clear snot now, too

i've just been using a vaporizer at night, steamy bathrooms, getting fresh air in a quiet setting and putting everyone to bed/nap earlier than usual

ours really doesn't seem that bad


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Steamy bathrooms, oh I wish we could do that right now, but the hot water heater is broken! I literally had to boil a pot of water on the stove this evening for washing dishes!


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## momofmine (Jan 8, 2007)

Ruth, I would try this with him, if you have one of those humidifiers. You can add a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and filtered water into it, and this is very effective in getting deep down into the lungs, if there is any infection. See this link for the directions and the ratio of how much hydrogrn peroxide to use. Read down at the bottom of the article where it says "healing mists". I have just used a steam humidifier for this (the kind that heats up the water), although in the article he says to use an ultrasound humidifier.

http://www.nutritionreview.org/libra...fluseason.html

HTH


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## momofmine (Jan 8, 2007)

Also, I mix sodium ascorbate powder into smoothies or diluted juice for my kids, and they usually can't tell.


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## mamaverdi (Apr 5, 2005)

It sounds more like mono than RSV.


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## karlin (Apr 8, 2004)

Can you get him to take a Vitamin C pill (swallowing)? My DS hates the chewables, but he'll swallow anything not too foul tasting with a little water. I've heard the best thing for viruses is vitamin a and vitamin c. Can you get him to swallow a CLO pill or vit. c? Also, my DS loves raw honey for coughs. It seems to perk him up a bit too. I hear grapes and nice yellow butter work too.

I hope he feels better today!


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Ugh, I can't get this child to take ANYTHING!!! When I put vitamin C into his lemonade, he won't drink the lemonade. My primary concern right now is preventing dehydration, so I don't want to try sneaking too many things into his lemonade.

I bought some elderberry cough syrup today, along with echinachea/goldenseal and an herbal brochial inhaler (basically an herb mixture for lung health that comes in a spray bottle). I wasn't sure if these are all safe to take together, or which would be better, but I also figured it wouldn't hurt to have a well stocked medicine cabinet so I bought all 3. I couldn't find any oil of oregano at the store today. There is another HFS I can try, but I don't want to keep running around if I don't have to.

The elderberry syrup said to take 1-2 tsp 2-4 times a day, "safe for children, call for dosage" and I figured 1/2 to 1 tsp twice a day is probably the right dosage for a 45 lb child- and a higher dose when he's this sick (and this is the first dose, he hasn't been taking this for days already) makes sense. So I measured out 1 tsp in a medicine cup and he took a sip, said it tasted horrible, had a lemonade chaser, then took another small sip, another sip of lemonade, etc. He wouldn't even take half a teaspoon before he refused to take any more. I'll try to get him to take the rest of the dose later.

I may take him to the ped tomorrow, if only to get a diagnosis. If it is mono, I'll reschedule his birthday party (currently scheduled for Nov 16th.) I don't want to take him today because we're going to the chiropractor this afternoon, and I want the ped to examine him AFTER the adjustment (and minimize the chance of an unnecessary abx being prescribed.)


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## Fiestabeth (Aug 4, 2006)

Here's some info about coughs:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/general...lds_cough.html

Honestly I think I would take him in at this point because he's still having a fever and the cough isn't going away. He could have pneumonia or bronchitis, and need some antibiotics and/or breathing treatments to get it cleared up. Has he had any wheezing or trouble breathing, particularly when he's coughing?

ETA: I hate giving antibiotics to my kids, but if they refuse all natural remedies I wouldn't feel that I had much of a choice, yk?


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## momofmine (Jan 8, 2007)

I would probably still just watch the child, and also the fever at this point. If his fever was spiking back up higher to 102 or 103 at this point, then that would tell me that there is something more going on like bacterial pneumonia or bronchitis. Otherwise, if the fever is mild, and the child is acting fine, not having trouble breathing, has no other symptoms, I actually think it is perfectly normal that this stuff can hang on like that. However, I would be trying my best to get stuff into him. It's not like he's going to take abx any easier, that stuff tastes nasty, so I personally would just get my herbs and SA and etc into them however I could. Bribes, pleading, whatever it takes.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

DD2 managed to get him to take some more of the elderberry extract by calling it "invisibility potion" and telling him he'd turn invisible if he drank it.

I have similar reservations about his willingness to take abx, plus with those there's real risk of damage (abx resistant bacteria developing) if he doesnt' complete the course. At least with herbs I can stop them as soon as he's feeling better.


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## mamaverdi (Apr 5, 2005)

If he has mono, it is not safe to take abx. I wouldn't give him abx with a positive blood and xray dx of something that abx would fight.

We have had good luck with the elderberry as well as with an echinacea and goldenroot (not goldenseal---it's a little strong for kids imo).

I hope he gets better soon.








I







: the idea of invisibility potion.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

I called the dr's office, kept getting put on hold, kept getting bumped back to the main operator asking me "what department are you holding for?" "Pediatrics" more waiting music, back to the main operator. I finally asked the main operator what time they're open til today (7:00 PM) so I'll try again later.

I wouldn't mind being on hold for half an hour if I was on the queue with the pediatrics dept and knew that I would be heard in turn. But when I keep getting bumped back to the main operator, I figured I was just wasting my time. My old ped (the one that fired me for not vaxing) was much easier to get ahold of.


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## mamasee (Dec 1, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ruthla* 
DD2 managed to get him to take some more of the elderberry extract by calling it "invisibility potion" and telling him he'd turn invisible if he drank it.

Kids are amazing! That really made me smile.

If vitamin A is good, as others have posted, then you might try canned pumpkin - we have organic canned pumpkin at our HFS. My dd loves it. We usually mix it with yogurt and some maple syrup, but just plain or with maple syrup might be appealing. It is super high in vit. A.

I am reading your post because my dd has been sick for about two weeks now. However, I feel pretty confident that what she has experienced (and our whole family is experiencing) is one "cold" followed directly by another one of a slightly different nature. No fun.

I plan to look for zinc for kids tomorrow.

To hide the medicine....does he like popcicles? We have one of the "make them yourself" popcicle molds (unfortunately plastic, but we still use it) and I make popcicles with juice (my dd only drinks water, no juice except the popcicles) and maybe maple syrup. Or, maybe find a yummy fruit sorbet and mix the meds into it and then refreeze and serve (don't let him try it before you do this -so he doesn't know what it is "supposed" to taste like). Then offer it up like it is no big deal one way or the other if he eats it. Your dd might be able to come up with just the right approach to this one, too!

Lots of hugs to you and your family.


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

still sick?

the popsicle idea is a good one. when dd was in hospital recently for a concussion (fell down stairs and knocked out) they gave her rehydration salts in a popsicle







worked a treat.
also, see if he will swallow a pill- my dd swallows pills easier than taking nasty medicine.


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## kjbrown92 (Dec 13, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ruthla* 
DD2 managed to get him to take some more of the elderberry extract by calling it "invisibility potion" and telling him he'd turn invisible if he drank it.

I love this!! I'm going to use it on DS next time I need him to take something.

I was always told that a typical cold will last 10 days whether you medicate (decongestant, cough medicine, etc.) or not. I was always a medicator, until I was pregnant with my first. DH and I both caught a cold. He medicated all over the place. I did nothing. They both lasted the same length of time with the same symptoms. Though he probably slept better with the Nyquil.

Last time I was worried when DD1 had a fever for 7 days, I called the Nurse Line that our insurance offers (staffed 24 hours, free). Can you see if your insurance has that?). I said she wasn't eating much at all, I wasn't treating the fever, she'd had laryngitis at the beginning, then was coughing, but didn't seem to be getting worse. And I was keeping up her fluids. Should I see the doctor? And the nurse said no and bravo for not medicating away the fever. So I felt vindicated, and as luck would have it, the next day the fever broke and she was fine.

I have had a cold for 2 weeks. Started out horrible sore throat, then progressed to coughing. The cough is lingering. But I'm not feeling any tightness in my chest. No pain on breathing. Or anything. I am more tired than usual, but it's my body's way of saying Go To Sleep.

You can go to the ped and say, this is what he has, this is what I've been doing. I don't want abx but I just want to know it's not something worse than a cold.

And you're doing the right thing keeping him out of school if he has a fever. The school's policy is probably just that. You can also ask the school nurse what viruses are going around and they'll usually tell you. That's the other thing that our ped. is very good about. They know the symptoms of the common ones that around our area at any given time.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

I'm taking him into the ped this afternoon. I called this morning and got him an appt for 12:15.

If he was getting better I wouldn't be worried, but he's not. He's more lethargic now than he was a few days ago. He's developed laryngitis in the past day. Yesterday he started to have shallow/rapid breathing, and the fever went all the way down to his feet (last week he was only hot down to about his waist.) There was some improvement after the chiropractic adjustment.

I'm still not getting decent amounts of any supplement or herbal medicine into him. If I could have gotten vitamin C to bowel tolerence into him since the first day I'd feel a lot more confident about his health now.

And this child won't eat popsicles. He's not a big fan of them even when he's healthy. The last time he was offered rehydration salts as a popsicle he completely ignored it- the (former) ped didn't listen to me when I told him that DS might drink the pedialite in liquid form but he won't touch a popsicle when sick. DS has been drinking enough lemonade that I'm not worried about dehydration.


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## momofmine (Jan 8, 2007)

So sorry he's not doing better. When my first child was about 3, he was sick with something, I believe a virus that maybe turned into a bacterial thing. And it just hung on, and then he started to get worse. Fever spiking up high again, lethargic, etc, after about 10 days of being sick. He did wind up taking antibiotics. I had taken him into the doctor earlier in the week, and they said his lungs sounded clear, but when I went back, they wound up drawing blood, and because he had a really high WBC count, they did some kind of scan and did find some pneumonia in his lungs. So even though his lungs sounded clear when listening, he did have some pneumonia. And I was able to get all kinds of natural remedies into him, had been on the phone with the homeopathic doctor, etc. But, everything turned out fine. The antibiotic he took at that time did not seem to mess up his intestinal tract. (There was a different kind of antibiotic that did that at another time.) In fact, his intestinal stuff actually improved after that.

Anyway, I hope he's feeling better, and that all is well. Keep us posted.


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## mamasee (Dec 1, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *momofmine* 
Ruth, I would try this with him, if you have one of those humidifiers. You can add a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and filtered water into it, and this is very effective in getting deep down into the lungs, if there is any infection. See this link for the directions and the ratio of how much hydrogrn peroxide to use. Read down at the bottom of the article where it says "healing mists". I have just used a steam humidifier for this (the kind that heats up the water), although in the article he says to use an ultrasound humidifier.

http://www.nutritionreview.org/libra...fluseason.html

HTH

We did this in our bedroom last night and I think it really helped us. I felt like I was breathing in healing air all night long. And, my dd seemed to sleep more comfortably. Thanks for the info.!


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

good luck with the ped. let us know how it goes.


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## mamaverdi (Apr 5, 2005)

Ruthla, how is he?


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

This is DD2, posting an update about ds. Ruthla took him to the doctor two days ago, and from there took an ambulance to the hospital. He has pnmonia. He's staying there a few more days because he needs to have oxegen. I visited him yesterday and he seems to be getting better, eating more, playing games, acting more like himself.


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## momofmine (Jan 8, 2007)

Wow, oh, hugs to him. Hope he is back to feeling strong again soon. Thanks for posting!


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

:


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## Ornery (May 21, 2007)

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.


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## mamaverdi (Apr 5, 2005)

Oh my goodness! I hope he recovers quickly and completely!


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

just a quick update on behalf of ruthla, who is in the hosp with her DS;
seems he's doing much better and the O2 is being reduced


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## Ornery (May 21, 2007)

Thanks for the update majikfaerie. I'm so glad he is doing better.


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## mamasee (Dec 1, 2007)

:


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

He's home now.









I'm going to start a new thread about post-pneumonia healing so that CURRENT health concerns won't get lost with people responding to what was going on last week.


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## Fiestabeth (Aug 4, 2006)

So glad he's home.







Hugs, mama! I know hospitalization is extremely stressful.


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## KatWrangler (Mar 21, 2005)

Glad you are home.


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## majikfaerie (Jul 24, 2006)

woo!







and more healing vibes!


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## lightheart (Jul 2, 2005)

Hi Ruthla, I've read through this thread and the post hosptalilazation one and just wanted to comment on your fear of 'spreading' things around at the doctors office.... _I understand that this isn't your concern right now but it may help someone in their thoughts by reading this today tommorrow, next week..._

Quote:

And what if he breathes on another child there (either an infant or a child already ill) and gets somebody else very very sick? If this is RSV, it could be very serious if a preemie catches it- but I'm not REALLY worried about DS.
There are a couple of ways you can approach this...

when you call and make the appointment ask for an isolation room, tell them you think your child is extremely contagious, see if they have a back or side door that you can enter through.

or as soon as you sign in tell the receptionist the same thing that you don't know but think that your child is extra contagios and if there is any way that you guys can get a room. If your child is throwing up this usually gets you back in a room pretty quick, doesn't mean that the doctor will see you any sooner, you will still have to wait, but at least you won't be around others.

Ask for a mask for yourself and your child or bring your own.

If you drive to the office in a car, stay in the car, call the office, tell them you think your child is extra contagious and that you will sit in your car and they can call you on your cell or they can step outside to get you when it is your turn. This works good when it's a free standing office... if it's in a huge building it's difficult to do this because the logistics of time it takes to get from point a to b.

Also remember that you are going to a place of 'sick people' it's not like you are taking you sick child to a play outing where your exposing unexpected folks with the ickies. If you make an appointment at a doctor's office you should know there are extra germs floating around that place so if you have that special needs child. You will be very aware of the precautions to take to keep your child as safe as possible.

Some steps you can take...

Sit way from people. If people approach your corner you have staked out and there is extra open seating either get up and move away or ask that they don't sit next to you or your child.

Bring your own toys, don't read their books or mags, bring something to pass the time. It's ok not to not make your child 'share' at the doctor's office.

Don't use their inkpen, don't use their clipboard, bring something to write with and on, take their forms fill them out and hand them back.

Try not to use their bathrooms. Do not get water from their fountains, bring your own.

The treasure chests that some of the doctor's have where the kids get to pick a toy out, say no, ask the nurse not to offer your child a toy from there. (keep some stickers, tattoos, something small in your bag and slip it to the doctor or nurse while your child isn't looking so they can give your child a treat but one that hasn't been mauled by possibly sick kids... you can have a short note telling them why you want these stickers offered instead of the toy chest Hand it to the nurse as she's walking out the room with the chart. (this is also a good thing if you really don't want the commercialized stickers or the plastic toys from the treasure chest... you get to decide what 'character' is introduced to your child.

Our one doctor's office has a set of chairs labled 'lab and pregnancy waiting area" I like that because many of those folks are just in there to get a blood draw or a belly check, they are not sick, make sure you are not sitting in an area like that with yours sick child.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

It's pretty clear that this isn't RSV or mono or some other super-scary germ; it's most likely a fairly normal "cold" germ that for some reason his body didn't clear up before it settled into his lungs. I'm no longer concerned about him coughing on other kids in the waiting room- I'm more concerned about getting him well and then keeping him well.


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