Anyone Experience This With A Sick Child? UPDATE

[scanne]

My DD (16months) is going on her 8th day of an upper respriatory trat infection. She has a horrible cough and is sneezing and has a runny nose and gunky eyes. She's been to the pediatrician twice. First time was told it was a virus and would pass and to treat her symptomatically. (Tylenol and robitusson). 2nd time, the Dr. heard some wheezing and put her on albuterol (which is making her crazy jumpy) and singulair at bedtime. No improvements. In fact, the mucous that had been green (sorry if TMI) and changed to yellow and almost clear is now green again and she's runny and has eye gunk AGAIN. She is not eating or drinking much and is very lethargic. Her diapers are not very wet - in fact this morning's was dry. I am taking her to the Dr. yet again this afternoon. I'm a nervous wreck thinking of what it "could" be and am hoping that they give her something to clear it all up. She hasn't been sleeping well, and in turn, neither have I or her dad. We've been taking shifts, but it's still so hard to work a full day then be up all night. I'm just so distraught. My baby's health comes first, but I just feel so helpless right now.

Any advice on how to keep it together? I'm on the verge....

Thanks for listening!!


UPDATE:

Well, DD was diagnosed with an ear infection. Now I suspected this from the start of all this - 2 1/2 weeks ago - and the doctors did check her ears each time, but it was only yesterday that they saw inflammation. She's been tugging at her right ear for the past 3 weeks and the doctor had to get a smaller instrument (otoscope?) and looked a bit deeper than he had on Monday. I'm just wondering if it could have been her ear all along and it got overlooked?

Anyway, she is on amoxacillan (sp?) and hopefully will start to improve. When I got her home last night she drank some water and milk, ate some dinner and started to act like her normal self. Sleeping is still an issue, but it's getting better. Her cough is still daunting, but it's really bad only in the morning and if she's been crying.

So I hope this is a turning point in this sickness for my baby. She has a follow up visit in 3 weeks to check her ear and her breathing. I've taken her to the Dr. 4 times in the last 2 1/2 weeks - CRAZY!!!

Thanks for listening!!

 

[disneygals]

it's so hard when the little ones are sick!

 

[Skylarr29]

Well after taking her to the doctor if you dont see any results or liek what they are telling you I would just give up and go to the ER. After 8 days with feveer etc our doctor would always run routine blood work to ensure nothing else was there that wasnt being noticed. Also is she doing the breathing treatments ... I think you mentioned albuteral???? Just hang in there having a sick child with no sleep is so hard. One of teh children I watch everyday was soooooo sick as a baby and always with a breathing machine etc etc and it was a nightmare. I would say just ask the doctor as many questions as possible also until you are satisfied. 3 doctor visits in 8 days with them telling something different evertime doesnt sound good to me.

 

[mickeyboat]

Wow! I sure hope your doctor can offer some help. My DD's have never really been very sick, but I know how frantic I felt when they were. I hope your little one is feeling better soon.

Denae

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

Try popsicles, gatorade anything to get some liquid into her. my kids refused pedialyte but would drink gatorade.

Check with Dr. if she can do less albuterol. I do one inhalation rather than reccomended two with Dr.s okay because it gives me relief and reduces the jumpiness.

Sometimes with a bad cough i have had to use halotussin with some sort of narcotic in it.

Is there a humidifier in her room? Is the top of bed elevated by a book under crib legs?

Hopes she gets well soon!

 

[luvwinnie]

She wasn't given antibiotics???? I thought green always meant bacterial infection. Prayers being said.

 

[luvwinnie]

When was the last time she urinated?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Demand an XRAY. Could be pnemonia. My dd has had it and showed up on XRAY but doc's couldn't hear it.

 

[lil mermaid]

to you, Mama. It is so hard when our little ones get sick.

Did they do any bloodwork on her? Specifically, did they check her for RSV?

 

[anewvance]

Is she on liquid albuteral or breathing treatments? The breathing treatments work like a charm... I'd ask the doctors office to set you up with one. If that doesn't clear it up in a few days, demand an xray for pneumonia.

 

[Nicolepa]

Any time my son has had gunky eyes they have given antibiotics. If it's just the eyes they give him antibiotic eye drops, if there's green snot they will give him oral antibiotics. (Just went thru this last week.) It could be a sinus infection which again would need antibiotics.

I would also agree with getting an xray, my DD had pnmonia once and it was pretty sad to watch her labored breathing.

 

[kilee]

Usually after a week- w/ the colored discharge I would think antibiotics would be in order. Many viruses can lead to a secondary bacterial infection of the sinuses.
I hope your little one feels better very soon.

 

[rnd4life]

Demand an XRAY. Could be pnemonia. My dd has had it and showed up on XRAY but doc's couldn't hear it.

Exactly what I was going to say!! Our DS had pneumonia when he was 18 months old and had many of the same symptoms.

Prayers and good thoughts for you and your DD

 

[scanne]

Thank you all for your replies and well-wishes. I am fearing pneumonia since she hasn't cleared up. I'm hoping the doctor visit today gets her the treatment she needs. I am so worried it's been hard to focus on work. Only 40 minutes left of my day then I can go get my baby.

I'll keep you posted. Thank you again for the hugs and prayers.

 

[floridafam]

She sounds dehydrated. That can happen fast in a little one.

Our DS had that and they had to give him IV fluids because he became dehydrated so fast (and this was with us keeping a constant eye on him and giving him plenty of fluids.)

I would also ask for a x-ray.

Good luck. I hope you get some answers.

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

Thank you all for your replies and well-wishes. I am fearing pneumonia since she hasn't cleared up.

I'll keep you posted. Thank you again for the hugs and prayers.

This is exactly what happened to my DD right after she turned 2. On the 3rd trip to the pediatrician in 2 weeks, I was sent to the hospital where DD was admitted for dehydration and pneumonia for 2 nights. Of course I actually knew we were going to the hospital befoer we showed at the peds since she had not had a wet diaper since first thing in the am (appt was at 4pm), and she had only drunk about 3 ozs of water that day.

I hope it all works out. It is scary when little ones are sick, but don't panic if they send you to the hospital. My DD really needed the IV fluids and antibiotics!

 

[kikipug]

Specifically, did they check her for RSV?

That was my first thought... my son had it at 9 months old... that was the worst week of my life.

They can test for it without a blood test.... ask the MD...

 

[suzannen]

Poor baby (and poor worried mommy!). It seemed every virus my oldest DD got always turned into a bacterial infection either in her sinuses or chest. Once there was a green discharge, that's when her pediatrician gave her antiobiotics and it cleared up pretty quickly. Good luck.

 

[Christine]

Yes, this would happen to both of my kids. They were both in daycare so they would end up with some of the most awful infections.

Things would always seem to start out as a simple cold and we'd let it go. Then it would progress to what you are describing. Gunky, running eyes, mucous everywhere. We always would get an antibiotic at this point and it was AMAZING how they would clear up within a day or two.