What do you think it is virus or something else?

[Mellie2162]

My DS9 is sick. I thought it was a virus, now Im not so sure. Here are the symptoms.

1. Ok last night before bed he's complaining his tummy aches.
2. This morning around 6 a.m. he wakes up crying that tummy is still aching and he has to throw up. He goes to the potty but no vomiting. He is warm but I cant find stupid thermometer so I dont get a temp.
3. About 7 a.m. he calls for me to walk him to the bathroom because he is dizzy. I take him. He goes. We go back to his bed where he...yes you guessed it...in true projectile fashion throws up. Luckily I had brought in a bucket and like a true pro...he hit it.
4. Ok so he ends up sleeping just about all day only having taken a few sips of coke. No more vomiting. He gets up and tells me his tummy feels much better now but has a headache. He's still warm. I give him a Tylenol and put him back in bed with a few more sips of coke. He goes back to sleep and continues to sleep a few more hours.
5. About an hour ago I go in to check on him again and now he's awake and crying that his ribs hurt on his left side. He's still warm and again no more vomiting. This time I call the pediatrician. He says it doesn't sound right and he wouldnt begin to know where the pain could be coming from but doesnt think its serious. We talk a bit with him asking symptoms and he decides that I should give him another Tylenol for the pain, keep a close, eye and see him in 24 hours if no better or if worse take to ER. So, I take him the Tylenol and some more coke and I guess he's just so thirsty that he takes a huge drink of it before I can get it away. And then he vomited.

Now my question is...does this sound like the typical virus going around or could it be something else? Do you think that second time vomiting was just because of the big gulp or because it truly is a virus? Ped wasn't sure without seeing him and at the time I talked to him he had only vomited the 1 time. I have since found the thermometer and his temp was 100.3 about 20 mins after the Tylenol. Wait. Maybe he threw it back up. I really would like another "mom" opinion on this or maybe any nurses out there seeing this kind of thing in the ER. I really don't want to go there if I can avoid it but im not gonna let him lay there in pain if its something that needs looking into. Also, the ped on-call was not the one he usually sees, I dont know if that would make a difference but when I talk to his ped she knows him like a book and can usually tell me dead on what to do with him. ai yi yi....

 

[tekmom]

Strep...my daughter always has those symptoms. Call your Dr. for a culture.

 

[Mellie2162]

Strep...my daughter always has those symptoms. Call your Dr. for a culture.

Really!? Strep with vomiting, fever, and rib pain. No sore throat at all.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

It could be a stomach virus, the rib pain could be from the vomiting or something else.

Nausea, vomiting, fever, dizziness, and abdominal pain could be symptoms of many things, so they really can't tell you without seeing the child.

I hope he feels better soon, though. Poor kid.

 

[CEDmom]

It sounds like a virus to me. I'd give it 24 hrs like the dr said. Has he been dry heaving or coughing? That could make his ribs hurt. Throwing up the coke doesn't surprise me since he drank it so fast.

I hope he's better soon.

 

[Cool-Beans]

When you get medical advice from strangers for free, you're getting what you pay for.

I only skimmed the post, but if my kid had a fever and was throwing up, I wouldn't consider that an emergency.

Also, I wouldn't attempt to lower the fever. The body is trying to raise its temperature to one that is incompatable with life for the invader. If you lower the fever artifically, you aren't helping the body, you're helping the bug.

My only real advice is to call the doctor, give them the symptoms and follow their instructions.

 

[Mellie2162]

Ok, just went and checked on him again. He said the rib pain is better but still there. No dry heaving or coughing which is what has me confused I guess. Just the one vomiting this morning and the once this evening. I just checked his temp again and its gone up to 101.4. I guess I will just keep a close eye on him tonight and call the ped tomorrow if he is no better.

 

[cruisnfamily]

... but if my kid had a fever and was throwing up, I wouldn't consider that an emergency.

I read the post and while I wouldn't consider it an emergency either, I would watch closely. My doc always said that fever and throwing up is a bad combination that can lead to dehydration very very quickly. What I would do is offer DS some popsicles or plain water in very small amounts but keep doing it frequently. If the fever stays and the vomiting continued I'd be concerned. If the fever stayed with no more vomiting, I wouldn't worry at all and would just offer fluids/popsicles.

 

[tekmom]

Really!? Strep with vomiting, fever, and rib pain. No sore throat at all.

Very rarely when DD10 has strep will she actually have a sore throat. Hers always starts with a fever, stomachache and vomiting for one day and then just the fever. Sometimes her fingers or hands will peel.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Very rarely when DD10 has strep will she actually have a sore throat. Hers always starts with a fever, stomachache and vomiting for one day and then just the fever. Sometimes her fingers or hands will peel.

Strep for my kids always included a horrendous, horrible terrible sore throat...but...they were often very queasy too(but didn't throw up). They also usually (but not always) had the "strep rash" around their tummies. What the OP is describing doesn't sound like strep to me but what do I know?

 

[phorsenuf]

If he continues with the fever and vomiting and the pain moves to the right side get him checked. Could be appendictis. Someimes the pain can start more to the left and than radiate over. I've had alot of experience with appendicitis and its not always cut and dry. I have one child with chronic appendicitis and its a pain in the tushie cause you never know when its going to fully develop into an attack. He's actually my second one with that. The other 2 boys had theirs removed. We've battled it alot here. PM me if you have any questions.
Kep him hydrated though!

 

[Mellie2162]

Ok fever has gone up to 102.4 but no more throwing up so I think its just virus. He also said ribs dont hurt too much anymore but he is complaining of neck pain, headache, and dizziness which I think is from the fever. He is urinating so I dont think he's dehydrated. Thanks for your opinions everyone. Im going to keep a close eye on him tonight and pray no one else gets it.

 

[mjkacmom]

Lots of experience with stomach bugs here. Sometimes they come with a fever, sometimes not. When the rotavirus was here, fevers lasted longer than a week, as did the vomiting . A couple of sips of liquids, every 15 minutes, no food, and I'd hold off on tylenol until at least 103. We had a horrible one where the intestinal contractions were so bad, my kids were screaming - it was horrible. Hopefully it's only a 24 - 48 hour bug!

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

Viruses can be horrible. We had rota or something go through our house last winter. I don't think I have ever been that sick before and then after, I felt like I had been hit by a truck. DH could barely walk for 2 days.

 

[shortbun]

Very rarely when DD10 has strep will she actually have a sore throat. Hers always starts with a fever, stomachache and vomiting for one day and then just the fever. Sometimes her fingers or hands will peel.

Mine too. The sore throat is usually a minor symptom. Vomiting and a headache with leg aches and dizziness are also often present. It could be anything. Keep an eye on him, monitor the sore area and the temp. I use Ibuprofen to control a fever and aches for my son. It's always worked better for him than Tylenol.

 

[sassyat30]

Ok fever has gone up to 102.4 but no more throwing up so I think its just virus. He also said ribs dont hurt too much anymore but he is complaining of neck pain, headache, and dizziness which I think is from the fever. He is urinating so I dont think he's dehydrated. Thanks for your opinions everyone. Im going to keep a close eye on him tonight and pray no one else gets it.

Regardless of what a previous poster said, I would definitely give him some Tylenol/Motrin to get his fever down and keep him comfortable.

Being a Mom is hard, isn't it?? I hate it when my kiddos are sick.

Hope he feels better soon and you're all able to get a good nights sleep!

 

[Christine]

I'm voting for virus.

Also, really, if you went to the ER at this point what are they really going to do for you? You'd wait a few hours and they'd check him out and there's nothing they can do except monitor for signs of dehydration.

Being that he's 9 years old, he is not going to dehydrate like a toddler.

I agree with one poster who says to push some popsicles.

The left sided pain is probably due to the stomach really hurting. I remember when I was younger and I used to get stomach viruses, my stomach REALLY hurt. The left side is exactly where the stomach is.

Me and my kids also get low-grade temps (around 100 degrees or so) whenever we have a stomach illness. I would just try to get through tomorrow and if he's not better by Wednesday morning you might want to see the ped just to rule out appendicitis.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Sounds about the same way I feel right now, minus the vomiting (so far). It's been going around my office, so I'm guessing a virus.

 

[Axel]

When you say coke, I'm assuming you mean Coca-Cola the soft drink. And just from my perspective, that's not something I'd give a kid if they were throwing up and complaining of stomach pains. I'd go with ginger ale or carbonated water. Coke is very corrosive to the stomach and probably isn't the best thing to give to a sick child.

Also- just because he's urinating doesn't mean he isn't dehydrated. Check the color of his urine (yes, I know, that's weird) to see. If it's clear then he's probably not getting enough nutrients and is only getting water. Yellow pee means that the body is getting enough nutrients and the excess ones are being expelled along with the water and other wastes in liquid form.

Try water and salteine crackers if you have them. If not, Ritz are probably the next best thing. With a pill like Tylenol, taking it without food can be harmful to the stomach lining, especially when taken with a corrosive soda like coke. Very small bites at a time, possibly even a whole cracker, just make sure it's something. Water works, too. Sugar water is another good alternative, it isn't heavy but it's something to keep them going. A juice may also be a good thing to give him.

See your pediatrician, though if things aren't better by tomorrow.

 

[KristiKelly]

There is a terrible stomach virus going around here. DD2 was sick for 4 days over Christmas. She complained with "tummy hurting", low grade fever, no appetite, vomiting. Then DH got it, only lasted for 24 hours with him, then I got it for 24. I have to admit - it's awful. Everyone that I've spoken to around here has said that it lasts longer for children . Anyway, I'd give it another day and let him get plenty of rest. I ate or drank NOTHING for 24 hours because I was so afraid of throwing up - I only got out of bed if I had too.

I hope your son feels better soon.

ETA, his ribs could be sore from vomiting, maybe his muscles are sore in that area.