My Little Sir has been prone to different allergies, and has had "allergy-induced asthmatic episodes" in the past, sometimes accompanied by croup. Anyone familiar with this sort of thing knows how scary it is to sit with a small child in the emergency room as they gasp for air and cough their lungs out.
We've been back and forth to the pediatrician in the past few weeks, with what was first diagnosed as "just a cold." We had to go to the emergency room one night, with Little Sir using a nebulizer/oxygen/steroids, etc. Then, the ER doc. prescribed an inhaler of Albuterol, along with an antibiotic, which he said I could use, or not use, at my own discretion, since the x-ray showed no pneumonia so far. (So far???) The ER doc and our regular pediatrician do NOT agree on almost all the treatments. (oh, goody.) Back and forth, back and forth, phone calls galore...thank God, CVS has a drive-through. (What a concept!)
Anyway...long story, shortened...
Talked to another mom of a 4-year-old (this one's in kindergarten.) Her son's been through the same thing...she brought the inhaler (with the spacer...I'm learning all kinds of new skills here...oh, joy...) She said she got a prescription for an extra one to keep at the school nurse's office. When she brought it there, the school nurse opened the closet and showed her BASKETS full of the same thing for many other children in younger elementary grades.
Ok. So...the media tells us about the killer viruses around, particularly the one in Rochester area which manifests itself as an ear infection in little kids, but does not respond to any antibiotic known to work on pedes. Only works with a specific adults-only antibiotic, and the only way to tell if your child has this, is to request the pediatrician do an ear tap. (Ouch.) If not treated properly, deafness results. (Again, oh joy.)
My school mailbox is almost daily manifesting the latest warning from the administration. It MRSA, it's scabies, it's______...you name it.
The "experts" say we are over-run with all this because of overuse of antibiotics, and the viruses just get stronger. The mom I spoke about was wondering if her son's school might have particular environmental issues, as well, as soooo many little kids are sick enough with lung problems to need inhalers...the school nurse said, "Hmmmm...never thought of that. Maybe I should bring it up to the administration." (Ya think???)
It's not my imagination. The bugs are getting stronger and more diverse. The international community does not necessarily agree on how to treat these things. (When we were in Turkey, they seemed to use stronger drugs than we do here (when I brought our scrips back, the pediatrician told me we couldn't even get that stuff here, but that it was really good.) And, my mil was told not to let the U.S. hospital but him on any kind of inhaler (???) because it would cause other lung problems. I asked the dr. here, and he had no idea what I was talking about. (Nothing like discussing 4th hand info...))
So...I am exhausted from running from dr. to dr., dealing with medicines and treatments, making nutritious remedies like chicken soup, herbal teas, honey & lemon drinks, shower treatments, Vicks Vapo-rub...take him outside so he can breathe...no, he's cold...take him in the bathroom with the steamy shower running...make sure you dry his hair right away...
Oh, and DH has been sick with several viruses too (including gastro-intestinal. That's just loads of fun.)
Everywhere we go, wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands...
sigh
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6 comments:
You know, you would think, with the current information out there about the overuse of antibiotics, the doctors wouldn't prescribe them so much. But it's automatic.
Both my husband and myself had terrible long lasting colds this fall (dh is still coughing). I was precribed the "Z-pack" and then so was dh. Now he's on his second antibiotic. There has to be another way!
keep up the nutritional and homeopathic (ie showers) treatments. I believe in them.
Just when we think we could not handle one more thing - along it comes. Then we need to be a specialist just to decipher what to do. And I have found the simple basics are usually the best. Yep -sure do beleive the environment and all the chemicals are the problem. Oh to be able to eat wholesome organic foods, and to breathe clean air.....
We're working on it. I also have been doing lots of immune system-bulking up for all of us...echinacea, goldenseal, vitamin C, elderberry syrup, and I discovered organic oregano oil is pretty good at chasing the "bad" bacteria out of your body...not recommended for little kids, tho'...just use it on hubby & me.
Hey...it's not organic, necessarily, but I found something else that's pretty neat. CVS has something called "Shower Relief" (I think there's a major brand version too, just pricier.) You put a tablet on the floor of the shower in front of your feet (with your back to the showerhead) and the water that runs off you releases soothing vapors...there are different blends. One is minty, one more lavender based, another smells like Vicks. They're not too potent, and are soothing to the sinuses, all the stuffiness, etc.
(prob. avail. in other stores, too...don't know.)
Little Sir actually ran around outside for half an hour yesterday and today, with some coughing, but not debilitating. He's becoming more like my little boy again. (They are so pitiful when they're sick, aren't they?)
Janet...how's Missy?
At the risk of sounding like a raving lunatic, I will put myself out here and say that you CANNOT trust the medication system in this country. I am convinced that some drugs are prescribed specifically to CAUSE other issues, which leads to the purchase of other drugs. (remember the commercial years ago about the guy, doing the coke, to make more money, so he can do more coke????) The neverending cycle...be careful.
There. I feel better.
The way I see it, if I have to take a bunch of drugs, I better get something out of it. I feel your pain honey--little daughter has a food allergy, and when she goes anaphylactic-it's enough to drive you to drink. Lucky we have no asthma to go with it.
Hang in there.
Oh the quandries of modern day parenting. I got our kids off the antibiotic merry go round in 2003 and never looked back.
Hang in there, options are available and you will find what works for your family. Lots of hugs to you for being brave enough to explore.
Yes, well, here we are, a week later and he's pretty much ok...still has remnants of the cough, but no more drugs. I never did use the antib. When loved ones are sick, we're so anxious to just DO something, and fast, to make it stop! But, sometimes, we just have to be patient and let the immune system duke it out with the bad germs, drink healthy fluids, rest...
and snuggle a lot.
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