General discussion - Mom and Dad Esq.

[lawyer_princess]

Originally posted by viet_mom
Has anyone ever had an episode with their little one where they had consistent diarrhea (or some other symptom) and was diagnosed with a virus (an Enterovirus or other virus) that in turn caused red spots on their body which was diagnosed as Erythema Multiforme ("EM")?

We've had losts of rashes--coxsackie (which I think is an enterovirus), fifth disease, scarlet fever, chicken pox, and some Mystery Rashes. Kids get scary looking rashes. If your doctor isn't worried, you shouldn't be.

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by lawyer_princess
We've had losts of rashes--coxsackie (which I think is an enterovirus), fifth disease, scarlet fever, chicken pox, and some Mystery Rashes. Kids get scary looking rashes. If your doctor isn't worried, you shouldn't be.

I'll take Mystery Rashes for $500, Alex. Don't forget my favorites, roseola and HFM (hand, foot and mouth disease*). Nothing quite like a two-year-old with HFM. They're charming.

*A form of coxsackie, which I will continue to call coxsackie because it narrowly beats HFM in the "best name for a childhood rash" competition. Say it with me: "coxsackie."

[viet_mom]

...sackie. I agree. That word is a goody.

Thanks for the input. Glad to know other kids have had rashes, and that at least one on here had an enterovirus along with a rash.

I could care less about the rash itself. It doesn't seem to be bothering her. She already has various spots on her permanently. It's the diarrhea I'm concerned about (and what could be the cause of it). Literally, pure liquid since last Thursday, not a formation anywhere. I have her on a lot of pedialite but since it's been almost a week I'm watching her dwindle to even smaller than she is (she will be 1 year old in less than 2 weeks and still wears 0-3 month clothes). She cries all day. I don't understand how the Doctor can do nothing. I've already given her everything to "bind" her and it isn't working already. What's the longest your kid spurted pure liquid? Any of them gone 7 days?

Would someone please give my kid a chunky stool???????????????????????????????????????????????

Have you tried feeding her a slightly green banana? This works wonders for diarrhea.

Good luck to both you and Vietbabe, and wishing her a quick recovery. Nothing sadder than a sick kid who doesn't understand why she's so miserable.

Allytigator

[viet_mom]

Thanks again for everyone's input and I'm sorry to clog the board, but I have this inquiry out to all my friends/family but would appreciate your input too as you seem an experienced bunch.

How high does your child's temperature's have to be before you hit the emergency room? After one week of diarrhea, but no temperature, Vietbabe got feverish yesterday in the late afternoon, hitting 101.5 at 6 pm. Despite both Motrin and Tylenol in the right dosages at the right times as per my call to the doctor, she awoke at midnight with 102.5. More Motrin and Tylenol but hard to give her b/c she's so upset and feeling bad.

At 3 am, she awoke next to me with heat waves emanating from her and soaked in sweat. Her temp was 105.5.

I doused her with cold water, threw her in the car and hit the emergency room where they were able to get her temp down to 102 by using a Tylenol suppository. I'm not going to go into my efforts to find out what's causing all this. For now I've been told that her fever will probably spike up again tonight. I'm scared, and don't know what I should do. I got the Tylenol suppositories . The docs act all nonchalant about the 105.5 thing because they say an infant can't get brain damage until about 110 or more. But how high should I let her temp tonight before I get in the car? Should I hire a night nurse to help me medicate her in the middle of the night and to help me take her temperature? I don't know that having someone here is the issue. I think beyond 105 or 106, I'm simply not comfortable unless I know that there is stuff outside the room like that machine that jumpstarts the heart and every other gadget, as well as people who know how to use them (in other words, a hospital!!)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by viet_mom
How high does your child's temperature's have to be before you hit the emergency room?

Depends. If it's your first child, about 101. By the time you hit the third or fourth, it's up to 105.

Seriously, at 105, it's time to take measures, like cold rags and the like. (A cold-soaked towel around the torso drops temp fast. Lots of screaming, 'cuz it's COLD, but it's worth it at that point.) The doc's right about no brain damage in an infant until 109-110, but it's still scary as hell, and you're never sure if you're on an up-tick or a cooling phase. So, don't hesitate to bring her in at 105-106, like you did. That's why you have insurance. Pass off the doc's comments as dicta at that point.

Watch for fever convulsions as temps approach 106-107. Fever convulsions are fairly frequent when they get that hot. If they do happen (arched back, shaking, teeth (okay, jaws) clenched, eyes maybe rolling) do the cold wet towel trick immediately, and get the temp down before leaving for the ER. (The convulsions will stop as the temp drops a degree or two.) And remind yourself about fifty times, the convulsions are fairly common, they do no damage to the child, and just signal a rapid temp increase.

(Not trying to scare you with the convulsion thing - but I found out the hard way with KidOne, and would have been much more comfortable that first night if I had even ever heard of them.)

[lawyer_princess]

Originally posted by viet_mom
How high does your child's temperature's have to be before you hit the emergency room?

You totally did the right thing. I think 105 is about the limit. Never apologize for taking your baby for treatment when your instinct tells you to. Better safe than sorry, as they say.

BTW, my mom told me that I routinely got 106-107 when I was a baby, and I turned out OK.

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by bilmore
{about fever convulsions}

Holy shit. In the words of Dana Carvey as Johnny Carson, I did not know that. And I'm far from the dumbest father on the block (I think). Why do they not teach this stuff at some point? Knowing that an infant's temp can go much higher than an adult's without damage, and that convulsions are (shudder) normal but a sign of rising temp, would be much more useful to learn in Lamaze than that stupid breathing shit.

My kid's never exceeded 104. Before today, if he had, I'd probably have crapped myself and called 911.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Holy shit. In the words of Dana Carvey as Johnny Carson, I did not know that. And I'm far from the dumbest father on the block (I think). Why do they not teach this stuff at some point?

They do. In my experience, they teach it to you as you stand in the emergency ward shaking with fear as you try to wrap yourself around the concept that your small child, who was deep in a grand mal-type seizure, really isn't going to die right then and there.

I think it could be done sooner, really.

[viet_mom]

So, don't hesitate to bring her in at 105-106, like you did. That's why you have insurance. Pass off the doc's comments as dicta at that point.

I agree and I have no compuction about being a ninny or pain in the ass and will certainly tap into my expensive non-HMO cover. (I did, though, forgo the drama of dialing 911 if only for a free ride but ONLY because I thought the bright lights would have scared Vietbabe as well as the "whooh" of the horn).

Still though it seems that bringing her in is not going to do much good. In the end all they did, besides stick a tylennol suppository up her butt, was test her blood, pee and poo. I already have the tylennol suppositories here at home and she already had the tests so I guess I don't need to bring her in if she goes over 105, but.....still!!!! That's so high!!!

Watch for fever convulsions as temps approach 106-107.

After your description, I'm going to watch for them alrighty. BUT NOT ALONE. Time for a friend or Mom to sleep over to help me do the temp cooldown/medicine thing. Jesus, I'm so dreading tonight. The fever is already rising today. I feel like I'm in the movie, The Fog. (Though I look nothing like Adrianne Barbieu**)

BTW - at what age do kids generally stop the bulk of these frightening fever incidents? `Cause that's the minimum age the future kids of this home will be adopted at. I'm imposing a minimum age AND WEIGHT requirement.

**NTTAWWT

[bilmore]

Originally posted by viet_mom
BTW - at what age do kids generally stop the bulk of these frightening fever incidents? `Cause that's the minimum age the future kids of this home will be adopted at. I'm imposing a minimum age AND WEIGHT requirement.

Don't get too freaked out by all of this. (I can say that now, 'cuz I made it through these stages repeatedly. Ha.) What you finally realize, once the crises ages pass, is that they do more damage to you than to your kid. And, as kids pass though different age ranges, the character of the crises change, but the parental-effect (terror, sleeplessness, gray hair, etc.) remains constant.

We had one child who was fairly severe in terms of fever and its effects. It happened regularly for about nine months, (age 0.9+, approx.) and then less and less frequently after that, completely terminating at age 2.5. Docs told us this was "normal", and all kids outgrew it by about that age.

My wife was home alone one night when a convulsion occurred. Neighbors tell me we had four police cars, a fire rescue unit, and an ambulance in our driveway that night, lights and sirens all the way in. So, don't worry if you feel like you are overreacting. It's the norm.

Now, we're in the "stitches and casts" age group in my house. It's no less frightening than the "fever" age, the "choking" age, the "falling down the stairs" age, the . . . If I were to make cutoff decisions regarding adoption based on these issues, I'd be looking for cute 20-year-old girls.

Not to say that I'm not looking for cute 20-year-old girls now, but the rationale is different . . .

[tmdiva]

Originally posted by bilmore
Seriously, at 105, it's time to take measures, like cold rags and the like.

I would do it even before then, and in conjunction with the max medication you're comfortable giving. Give meds, strip babe and put in lukewarm tub, like, just barely cooler than you would want to bathe in yourself. It's going to feel way cooler to babe because of fever, and you don't want to upset her because screaming can raise temp further. Use a washcloth to get water all over the kid, and watch her affect change as her temp comes down.

tm

[viet_mom]

Originally posted by tmdiva
Give meds, strip babe and put in lukewarm tub, like, just barely cooler than you would want to bathe in yourself. It's going to feel way cooler to babe because of fever, and you don't want to upset her because screaming can raise temp further. Use a washcloth to get water all over the kid, and watch her affect change as her temp comes down.

This is exactly the advice given on websites and in Dr. Sears' Baby Book. I have a better appreciation for what a fever "is" now. I've set up a "triage" section in the bedroom and bathroom with Motrin and Tylenol in every flavor, aceteminophen suppositories (the way I think I'm gonna have to go as she's a Tiger and spits out anything I give orally and at least I'll know she's gotten exactly 120 mg) and perfect size towels and sponges to bathe her. Bag is already packed for possible emergency room visit with binkies, bottles, and a change of clothes for both of us (she peed on me in the emergency room and I had to borrow scrubs which had an opening in the genital area for a you know what that I don't have).

I wait and wait but all signs look good so far.

Thanks to all for all the good advice and especially the good humour which brought me back to reality. A wise and witty bunch you are.

VietMom

[dtb]

Originally posted by viet_mom

It's the diarrhea I'm concerned about (and what could be the cause of it). Literally, pure liquid since last Thursday, not a formation anywhere. I have her on a lot of pedialite but since it's been almost a week I'm watching her dwindle to even smaller than she is (she will be 1 year old in less than 2 weeks and still wears 0-3 month clothes). She cries all day. I don't understand how the Doctor can do nothing. I've already given her everything to "bind" her and it isn't working already. What's the longest your kid spurted pure liquid? Any of them gone 7 days?

My youngest (who is just a little younger than yours) has had diarrhea for the past month (more or less). It's not total liquid, but it certainly ain't solid. On the good days, it's more of a mud puddle than actual liquid.

Pedialyte it is, and all the hydration she can get. You must check that she is hydrated by looking at her tongue to make sure it isn't too dry, and pinching a little skin to see that it "rebounds" right away. If it "stays in place" when you pinch it, go to the nearest emergency room.

Other than that, there's really just nothing you can do. (The BRAT diet -- Banana, rice, apple, toast -- is a start -- just to get some calories in if she's not eating.) Gastrointeritis has to go away by itself. I checked with the many doctors in my family (who all said what I've just stated here), and then called the pediatrician, who said exactly the same thing.

It sucks, but, that's the way it is.

[bold_n_brazen]

After birthing the Brazenette, I've been out on leave for the past 24 weeks. Yesterday was my first day back.

Brazenette is home with her Daddy. She is eating solids nicely, but refusing bottle/sippy cup regardless of its contents. BUT that isn't my problem.

My problem is me. When will I stop weeping? I miss her so much. I long to cradle her little body and bury my nose in her little head (albeit coated in bananas and cereal). I can't stand a whole day without her infant chatter. What will I do?

Bn'(sniff sniff)B