(His first cold at 5 months)
For the better part of his entire life, Logan had been a super healthy kid. He had one cold and one ear infection his entire first year and a half of life. But since then, I swear he has been sick at least monthly. Cold after cold, fever after fever, two more ear infections, and pneumonia. Seriously...what did I start doing wrong???
So now I have this whole predicament. Fact: Logan gets sick fairly frequently. Fact: He often gets a pretty high fever (around 103 under his arm) for at least 24 hours. Fact: I hate taking him to the doctor only to have the doctor tell me, "give him fluids and use a humidifier in his room." Fact: Occasionally it is a good thing that I take him to the doctor's because he has ended up with ear infections and pneumonia before.
Well, there are the facts before you...so when do I end up calling and making an appointment? I figured I'd give the fever 24 hours to break and if it doesn't, then I'll call. But I don't want something to be really wrong with him and let him be in unnecessary pain for too long. And at the same time, I don't want to be that mom who takes her kid to the doctor's every time he sneezes. So where's the balance? What makes me a good, responsible mom versus the hypochondriac?
Now that I'm graduating, maybe I should apply to med school and become a pediatric physician. Then I'll know.
Or not.
6 comments:
I feel your pain. Elena's went through a period where she had high fevers (no other symptoms) four days out of every week. What's a mom to do? Remember that part in Little Women when Beth gets scarlet fever (the first time) and they call Marmie because "Marmie will know what to do," and she gets home and sure enough, she knows how to heal her daughter? I want to be that mom. Oh, and my mother in law is a pediatric nurse. Has saved me many a trip to the office. Maybe good mothering is all about networking after all :) Good luck with Logan!
Poor boy. I never know what to do either. SOrry.
I would say when his fever is that high, I would take him in. I don't think that's being a crazy mom cuz that's a really high temperature.
I could always call the pediatricians office and speak with a nurse. Usually I asked her what was going around at that time. Often if you call, they want you to come it - but it's nice to get that opinion first. And yes, it feels terrible to take them in when they aren't really sick, but better to be safe than sorry. And Blessings can work wonders.
I hate viruses.
I took Asher in with a barking cough and fever (102) and they said it is croup- nothing to do except give him some steroids to help the inflammation of airways I guess. The steroids cleared up his eczema for a few days so that was nice.
Basically nothing to do but keep the fever down and wait. He said it is the collapsing of the top of the airway that causes the bark- it happens when he breathes in not out- I guess asthma is when you breathe out? Strep is going around here but that's not a cough so....
And at 18 months he entered nursery- there is probably the difference... Kaden used to get sick all the time but he has been much healthier since he turned 2. Now Asher is sick all the time... Hopefully Logan just has to get a few bugs through his system and then he will be able to fight it on his own.
I suggest talking to a nurse. My doctor's fairly difficult to talk to, hard to schedule appointments with, and not the most attentive listener. BUT, his nurse is fabulous! I have always gotten better following her advice. My mom's a nurse, so I was always partial to listening to nurses...
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