Uggghh need to vent...

[CzyDsnyFan92]

My kids got invited to a birthday party last Sunday and they went. Well when it was time to go get them I went down the street to bring them home. When I got their all 4 of my kids were bare foot and not wearing coats while playing outside on a trampoline in 50 degree weather. At that point I was freaking out because we were down to 11 days before we leave for FL to go on our first Disney Cruise.

DH and decided to give them all cold medicine just in case. Well today I picked up DD from the busstop and she didn't look well. She looked like someone slapped her across the face and was acting off. Well now she has a low grade fever while on Tylenol and my younger DS didn't finish his dinner saying he wasn't feeling well. He has ADD and normally fights me when we talk about homework but tonight he didn't make a peep and just did it. So now I am watching him.

I am freaked out because we are now down to 7 days and I really don't want to cancel my anniversary trip especially since I was able to convince DH to stay in a suite. I hate the kids not feeling well and I want them to have fun on the vacation too. Just not sure what to do now.

 

[kawing123]

You get sick from germs not from the cold weather or mailman, and all outdoor workers would constantly be ill. While this situation at the party was not desirable, it was probably not the bare feet or lack of coat that made them sick. Perhaps coming into contact with a germ at the party or elsewhere is what actually happened. Take Lysol wipes to disney and air out the room and clean with wipes anything that will be touched. Sorry to hear the kids are sick but the bare feet and coat do no cause illness.

 

[Hannathy]

First of all you don't get a cold from not wearing a coat or going out with wet hair and all the other old wives tales!!!!!!

Giving cold medicine without symptoms does nothing it is only to treat symptoms not prevent anything.

they probably are just catching whatever virus is going around school and all the other hundreds of kids have right now! this is a year with a tremendous amount of illness. Last week my son's clas had 49% of the kids out My DD's school had over 300 kids out.

Give them plenty of fluids, a vitamin (if it makes you feel better) and plenty of sleep and keep your fingers crossed they don't pick up anything else at school. If your vacation is in 11 days whatever they have now will be over.

 

[CzyDsnyFan92]

I know it probably wasn't the bare feet that made them sick but our weather did change and they had some sniffles because of it a couple of weeks ago but nothing major. In fact DD had the flu a few weeks ago. Thought we were over it but guess not. And yes, there are plenty of germs going around our school system. I use hand sanitizer and lysol wipes all the time. The kids take vitamins everyday so not sure what else I can do. But keeping my fingers crossed that they are over whatever it is in 7 days for our trip.

 

[mjkacmom]

I agree with the PP - being out in the cold did not cause this, and cold medicine is only to treat symptoms, not to prevent or cure a cold. I turn my back for a second, and my kids are outside with no shoes or coats - dd6 didn't wear one to school today (we drove instead of walk, and I didn't realize it).

 

[daisyduck123]

Honestly,10 days before a cruise, I wouldn't of even let my 4 kids go to a birthday party. I would've been wayyyy to paranoid about them catching something...not worth it to me.

Here's some hoping that your family is well soon!

 

[CzyDsnyFan92]

Honestly,10 days before a cruise, I wouldn't of even let my 4 kids go to a birthday party. I would've been wayyyy to paranoid about them catching something...not worth it to me.

Here's some hoping that your family is well soon!

Thanks. I figured with the Mom being a school teacher she would be paranoid too but who knows. My boys just told me that they played some donut game...they blindfolded them and then bite a donut and whatever donut they bit was theirs. Never heard of that game before.

Either way my fingers are crossed it is a short lived bug and nothing serious.

 

[Scurvy]

DH and decided to give them all cold medicine just in case. Well today I picked up DD from the busstop and she didn't look well. She looked like someone slapped her across the face and was acting off. Well now she has a low grade fever while on Tylenol and my younger DS didn't finish his dinner saying he wasn't feeling well. He has ADD and normally fights me when we talk about homework but tonight he didn't make a peep and just did it. So now I am watching him.

You may already know about this, but just in case --- If she really looked like she was slapped, you might ought to take her to the doctor. There's an illness called "Fifth Disease" (which actually used to be called "Slapped cheek Disease") and one of the first symptoms is a rash across the cheeks. Later you develop a lacy looking red rash elsewhere on the body. It can also be accompanied by joint pain and a fever. It's very common in children (and fairly contagious - once it's in a school it can spread rapidly). It isn't particularly harmful to children, though of course it's unpleasant, but it can be very dangerous for pregnant women. It is very easy to treat, but I think it can last quite a while without treatment. (I know someone on another forum whose son has it now, and he had it for a couple of weeks before the doctor realized what it was and started treatment.)

 

[CzyDsnyFan92]

You may already know about this, but just in case --- If she really looked like she was slapped, you might ought to take her to the doctor. There's an illness called "Fifth Disease" (which actually used to be called "Slapped cheek Disease") and one of the first symptoms is a rash across the cheeks. Later you develop a lacy looking red rash elsewhere on the body. It can also be accompanied by joint pain and a fever. It's very common in children (and fairly contagious - once it's in a school it can spread rapidly). It isn't particularly harmful to children, though of course it's unpleasant, but it can be very dangerous for pregnant women. It is very easy to treat, but I think it can last quite a while without treatment. (I know someone on another forum whose son has it now, and he had it for a couple of weeks before the doctor realized what it was and started treatment.)

Thanks for the tip. I was planning on calling the doctor in the morning and now I will make sure to get him to look at her cheeks. I completely forgot about 5th Disease. It looked like she got slapped and she didn't. DH just thinks she looks flushed. Gave her tylenol and she is sleeping. Planning on checking up on her before I go to sleep and then again in the middle of the night. Hopefully it is nothing serious but can't hurt to make sure she is ok.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Honestly,10 days before a cruise, I wouldn't of even let my 4 kids go to a birthday party. I would've been wayyyy to paranoid about them catching something...not worth it to me.

Here's some hoping that your family is well soon!

Why kids can pick up germs anywhere.

You aren't going to keep them home from school and thats about the germist place there is.

You do your best and hope for the best. We leave in 3 weeks. My kids are sick now so I hope this will be the end of it.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Why kids can pick up germs anywhere.

You aren't going to keep them home from school and thats about the germist place there is.

You do your best and hope for the best. We leave in 3 weeks. My kids are sick now so I hope this will be the end of it.

Yes, they can pick up germs anywhere but I swear everytime we went to a playgroup etc. there was always some child with a face full of boogers that would zone in on my child the whole time. I swear they had a mission to get my kid sick! We too used to stop all playgroups for a week or two before vacations. Some people will send their kids anywhere no matter how sick they are and while you can get sick at the supermarket, being confined in a room with the sick person for and hour or two it is more likely.
OP- I hope the kids get better soon.

 

[mjkacmom]

Thanks for the tip. I was planning on calling the doctor in the morning and now I will make sure to get him to look at her cheeks. I completely forgot about 5th Disease. It looked like she got slapped and she didn't. DH just thinks she looks flushed. Gave her tylenol and she is sleeping. Planning on checking up on her before I go to sleep and then again in the middle of the night. Hopefully it is nothing serious but can't hurt to make sure she is ok.

If it's fifths, there is nothing the doctor can do. I wouldn't risk a trip to the pediatrian, where you know a ton of sick kids have been, for a viral illness. I'm trying to call our pediatrician right now (busy), because ds11 has had a bad sore throat (no cold symptoms) for 24 hours. It's probably strep, so I have no choice, but it kills me that I have to bring him into that germ-infested environment!

 

[Hannathy]

If it's fifths, there is nothing the doctor can do. I wouldn't risk a trip to the pediatrian, where you know a ton of sick kids have been, for a viral illness. I'm trying to call our pediatrician right now (busy), because ds11 has had a bad sore throat (no cold symptoms) for 24 hours. It's probably strep, so I have no choice, but it kills me that I have to bring him into that germ-infested environment!

I'm right there with you!!! Didn't take mine in with the flu but then when both ears started hurting after the flu and Motrin and decongestant didn't help I had to take him in. I really don't understand what all those kids are doing in there other than spreading it and picking up new diseases!

 

[ChillyWilleys]

As previously stated: cold weather and bare feet do not cause illnesses. I also thought of fifths disease when the slapped cheek was mentioned. My DD just had that a few months ago. Nothing you can do for it but treat the fever with Tylenol or Motrin. But I also wanted to throw in there that cold medicine wouldn't prevent or even help shorten the duration of a cold. It treats symptoms only. In fact when you give a child something to supress a cough it could even make it worse because they are not doing what their body needs them to do. You should never give a child cold medicine just in case. Its pointless. I'm a nurse and by no means opposed to medication but the human body is a beautiful thing and usually takes care of itself pretty well. Interfering too much can actually make you sicker or just not recooperate as quickly.

 

[RMulieri]

Getting sick before a trip, or before a major holiday is NEVER ideal.But you do the best you can.It is highly unlikely your kids got sick from being barefoot on a trampoline in 50 deg weather.They would have been just as likely ( in fact more likely) to get sick at school.Do the best you can, but if they are too sick to go, then cancel.The best place for sick kids is at home, not running around a themepark. I am facing the reality myself of having to possibly cancel a trip I spent the last 12 months planning, if any of us gets sick before we leave (12/12) and with all the Flu, my DD in Kindergarten AND beforecare daycare, and DH and I both healthcare providers...The odds are pretty good one of us will be sick.

 

[KAMLEM]

I know it probably wasn't the bare feet that made them sick but our weather did change and they had some sniffles because of it a couple of weeks ago but nothing major.

You don't get sick because the weather changes, either.

 

[mjkacmom]

If it's fifths, there is nothing the doctor can do. I wouldn't risk a trip to the pediatrian, where you know a ton of sick kids have been, for a viral illness. I'm trying to call our pediatrician right now (busy), because ds11 has had a bad sore throat (no cold symptoms) for 24 hours. It's probably strep, so I have no choice, but it kills me that I have to bring him into that germ-infested environment!

UPDATE - it's strep, so we didn't endure an hour wait with sick kids for nothign!

 

[princessmom29]

You don't get sick because the weather changes, either.

you do if you have pollen allergies. The change in wether changes what plants are producing pollen and i usually get sick within a few days of a new bloomout. Sinus infection b/c I am plugged from the allergies.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

First of all you don't get a cold from not wearing a coat or going out with wet hair and all the other old wives tales!!!!!!

Giving cold medicine without symptoms does nothing it is only to treat symptoms not prevent anything.

they probably are just catching whatever virus is going around school and all the other hundreds of kids have right now! this is a year with a tremendous amount of illness. Last week my son's clas had 49% of the kids out My DD's school had over 300 kids out.

Give them plenty of fluids, a vitamin (if it makes you feel better) and plenty of sleep and keep your fingers crossed they don't pick up anything else at school. If your vacation is in 11 days whatever they have now will be over.

Exactly.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

you do if you have pollen allergies. The change in wether changes what plants are producing pollen and i usually get sick within a few days of a new bloomout. Sinus infection b/c I am plugged from the allergies.

But the weather didn't cause the sinus infrction. Rather like saying the flu only kills 36,000. They've finally changed that stat to say flu related causes.