Need a sympathetic ear...

[chiqanita]

I have 15 m.o. twins. DSb woke with a yucky cough, sneezing, runny nose w/clear/white boogers, and stuffed up. DSa not showing any symptoms as of yet.

I'm taking DSb to see the pedi and I know we'll have to wait in the office along with all the other children who are ill (nurse told me they have a FULL house today). My concern, I just hate exposing DSa but there is no one to watch him so he must come along. DH is traveling which makes me feel less confident for some reason....he usually meets me at the pedi's office and waits outside with the well child.

I guess I just need some reassurance from mamis who I've come to admire and respect.

Thanks for *listening*.

[Piglet]

I am sorry you are going through this. It is hard enough with 1 sick kid, but I can't even imagine 2! Could you not go to the ped? There is a yucky cold going around - we had it 2 weeks ago. Both of my DS had it and we didn't go to the ped because there is very little you can do for a cold other than lots of fluids, rest and a bit of tylenol for fevers. If the cough gets much worse, I would go into the ped in a heartbeat, but it seems like you might be better off not exposing your other DS to the germs and just staying home.

I hope you are all feeling better soon,

[Momof3Labs]

ITA - I tend to stay away from the ped when DS has a new cold since there isn't much that they can do for it anyways. Unless he spikes a very high fever or shows signs of an ear or sinus infection (or the cold lingers for 7-10 days), I'd personally stay home.

Hope that everyone feels better soon!!

[kath68]

If you feel like you must go to the ped, can you wait outside/in your car, and ask the receptionist to come and get you? They'll do that at my ped's.

Or can you wait a day and get the first appointment of the day?

Hugs! It is hard enough with one sick baby -- a trip to the ped with two must be really tough!

[mudder17]

Yup, ditto here. The usual thing is for them to check her over, suggest that we clean out her nose with saline solution and otherwise just keep an eye on her. But actually, the first time I called, they actually suggested just that and said there was no reason to bring her in. So I've never brought her in for colds. I have occasionally had her checked out at the chiro since DH and I have to go in anyway and she's a patient of theirs. So they'll check her ears to make sure there's no ear infection (so far so good) and then make adjustments to help her immune system and that's all we do. Since the chiro is not usually full of sick kids, I'm not too worried about spreading the sickies or picking up new ones.

I hope DSb gets well soon and DSa stays healthy!

Eileen

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Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[chiqanita]

Thank you for the input....it helps to hear from someone else who already knows.
I'll hold off for now and wait until DH returns. I'll call the nurse for suggestions in the meanwhile.

[chiqanita]

Hi Kathy (cyber bud) -- thanks for the suggestion. I could wait in the entryway...there's also a podiatrist and a chiropractor in the same building...they could wave me in through the window.

However, I'm going to wait for DH to return and hope for the best tonight....I can't stand to hear DSb cough like that...sounds like he's barking but then I haven't heard a single cough since he's been awake.

Thanks again.

[kath68]

Yo! Cyberbuddy --

The night-time barking cough sounds like croup (esp. if the cough goes away during the day). DS had that a couple weeks ago. What a scary sounding cough it is! The most the doc can do if it is croup is prescribe prednisone to stop the swelling in the throat that causes the weird-sounding cough. It is a virus, so no antibiotics will help. It just has to run its course. :(

What you can do tonight is use a vaporizer in the babies' room, and/or steam up your bathroom and sit in there with him. That will help soothe his throat some. Poor little guy!