Sick Again :-(

Decent · #1 10-24-2007, 01:35 AM

My son is sick again :-( He has it really bad. Poor thing everytime he almost falls asleep he has to get back up and run right back to the bathroom. He doesnt get sick like this, it's been a LONG time since he's been this bad. I wonder if it's because this is his frist year back in public school since 2005. He seems to be getting everything this year. Every time I take him to the doctor, the doctor always tells me he/she has seen a bunch of other kids with whatever it is.

When he got sick a couple weeks ago, he was running a fever, like 103 and he had a really sore throat and lots of conjestion, they said it was an upper respiritory infection, checked him for mono, strep, pnuemonia etc, all came back negative, put him on meds and sent him home.

Right now he's got diarreah, he's throwing up, he's got a low grade fever. sore throat, swollen lymph gland on the sides of his neck, (the left side is about as big or bigger than a golf ball, you can see it just looking at him), and a headache. The doctor says it's viral, because he just finished ten days on anti-biotic and it didnt help. Told me to bring him back in a week if it wasnt better.

I need to do something to boost his immune system, the kid can't keep getting sick like this. It HAs to be because eh's back in school, I can't think of what else it would be.

Anyone have any suggestions?

(He's 15, will be 16 in December)

Thanks

Can a mod move this to Health and Wellness, please?

Pythoness · #2 10-24-2007, 02:11 AM

He didn't come into contact with any reptiles, did he? Diarrhea and vomiting are symptoms of salmonella and E. coli. Salmonella he could have gotten from coming into contact with turtles, iguanas, uncooked chicken or chicken eggs (sometimes they dissect raw chicken wings in high schools or at least I know we did). But it can also come from raw fruits and vegetables. Lots of times they use chicken manure to fertilize those and so cantaloupes and other things have been known to be causes of salmonella. There recently was a recall on pre-made chicken pot pies because they were tainted with salmonella.

E. coli of course comes from undercooked beef.

Neither one are usually cleared up with antibiotics, in fact I'm pretty sure they discourage the use of antibiotics in treating E.coli, because it tends to make it worse.

If he's got either, he'd also have some severe abdominal cramping that usually comes and goes, but when it comes, it HURTS. REAL bad. If he doesn't have that, it's not E. coli and it's probably not salmonella.

The diarrhea could also be because he's just finished a course of antibiotics. We have beneficial bacteria in our guts that help us break down foods so that we can digest them, and antibiotics tend to kill them. If enough die, diarrhea is the result.

So it could be that his symptoms for the present illness are actually just vomiting and sore throat, and the diarrhea is secondary to the antibiotics that he's taken.

If so, that could be any number of flu-like bugs that kids get and give to each other all the time, and yes, is probably viral in nature.

Keep him hydrated, try some Pepto Bismal to see if that doesn't help the loose stools.

Ask him if anyone he knows has been sick or is now sick, and definitely ask him if he's handled any turtles or other reptiles, or raw chicken or chicken eggs.. eating raw cookie dough, that kind of thing.

Schools are little germ factories just waiting for the right conditions to explode.

How long as he been sick with the present illness?

Green Lantern · #3 10-24-2007, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Decent

Can a mod move this to Health and Wellness, please?

Moved to Health and Wellness as per your request - GL

Decent · #4 10-24-2007, 02:22 AM

Well, this just started Monday, but the bathroom stuff didnt start til this evening. Monday he woke up and he was just really tired and had a sore throat, by yesterday he was running a low grade temp and had a golf ball on his neck, so we went to the doctor. Then this evening, (Tuesday eve) is when he started the runny stuff. He's been drinking gatorade when I can get him to do it. Right now he's jusy trying to go to sleep. I hope he'll be able to rest soon, lord there can't be that much left! Oh, and no cramps, not like what youre talking about anyway.

Pythoness · #5 10-24-2007, 02:30 AM

That's good.

I've had salmonella (twice) before, and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. It SUCKS.

As far as immune boosting stuff.. anything high in vitamin c is good, echinacea is supposed to do good stuff for the immune system, and, amazingly enough, honey is very good for your immune system.

Other than eating right, getting enough sleep, washing your hands often and trying to steer clear of people who are obviously ill, there's not much you can really do. And even steering clear of people who are obviously ill doesn't do that much good - with a lot of stuff, by the time you're obviously sick you've passed the contagious stage.

I hope he starts to feel better soon!

Slacker · #6 10-24-2007, 06:59 AM

Hope he gets better soon. Seems schools are the place to get nasty germs. Constant hand washing is a good thing, but we all know alot of kids do not do this. So thats why the sickness's

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Rusty · #7 10-24-2007, 07:04 AM

Add my well wishes to the bunch... it must be so hard on him to be constantly sick.

and Py...

JoeyCat · #8 10-24-2007, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Decent

I wonder if it's because this is his frist year back in public school since 2005. He seems to be getting everything this year.

What, kids don't get sick in private school!?

Hope he gets better soon...

tricksterde · #9 10-24-2007, 09:27 PM

You said he was checked for mono, might want to double check. My kid got mono took sick on Sunday, went to doctor Monday, went to my doctor because he was worse Wedsnesday. Doctor called advised it was mono that turned into viral hepitis. He was 4 at the time!! He lost 1/3 of his body wait and was sick for a month.
My best to you both.

Slacker · #10 10-24-2007, 10:20 PM

I was thinking mono also.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tricksterde

You said he was checked for mono, might want to double check. My kid got mono took sick on Sunday, went to doctor Monday, went to my doctor because he was worse Wedsnesday. Doctor called advised it was mono that turned into viral hepitis. He was 4 at the time!! He lost 1/3 of his body wait and was sick for a month.
My best to you both.