Three weeks of illness, exhausted! (bad breath, my throat, cold, infection)

[EvilCookie]

This winter sucks

Up to this point, my kids have both been relatively healthy (although the fact that I stay home with them until preschool helps). The 7 yo has had his share of regular viruses but knock on wood never had anything worse than a really bad cold. The 20 mo has only had a couple of very mild runny noses. But this winter - omg. Especially for my poor 7 yo, he's been probably the sickest he's ever been. He hasn't been sick for almost a year, except minor sniffles, but then this december he first came down with a horrific case of croup where he got up fine, and then came home from school and collapsed in a ball on the floor crying that he can't speak That gave a terrible cough that kept him up night and lasted several weeks. He barely got over that when he got another cold, followed by extra-bad cough again (presumably because his airways were still irritated). Then we had a month or so of reprieve, and then the last three weeks hit - and both the kids are now on their second and third, yes third round of illness in these three weeks!! The first round was a fairly mild cold for all of us, fine. Both kids had a couple of days sniffles, then seemed ok, but on the fifth day (which was just over a week ago) DS suddenly got a fever and bad cough again. I took him to the dr thinking it's a secondary infection like bronchitis but she said it just looks like a new virus.
Well, after a few days he was back to normal. I catch his cold too, second time for me, but whatever. And then bam - this Friday the 20 mo, who just got over the 'mild' cold gets a terrible junky cough, mucus everywhere, and fever - the first time he's had a fever in his life, so of course I drag him to the dr thinking it's ear infection or something. Nope, she says, probably new virus. Well, i'm thinking, he probably got that second virus from his brother. Poor thing is still so sick today, three days later, still fever, never been even close to that sick. And what happens today - DS7 starts complaining of headache and sore throat, gets a fever and even throws up at night. So the younger must've picked up some different type of virus and now infected the oldest...sigh...

So now they're both sick, I'm feeling something in my throat *again* DS7 will be missing more school - luckily the last two illnesses fell on fridays so he's only missed a day each both weeks, but still, the admins get upset if students miss too much. He's also missed three weeks of taekwando classes as he still didn't have the energy and will be missing a fourth this week, and missing a third of the sports class he was doing after school too. This is absolutely ridiculous, and I know I've been lucky enough not to deal with this earlier, but wth do parents do when kids are older and missing school is a bigger deal, and they're in all sorts of activities and sports...Are other parents more chill about this? I get so stressed out about illness, especially anything with fever/ general malaise...never mind catching stuff from them..that I'm exhausted and worn out and just want to curl into a ball. I read all the scary news online about kids getting severely or even fatally sick from common viruses like the flu or enterovirus (which this last bout seems like). Or the cases that turn into paralysis or meningitis or bad pneumonia, it terrifies me. On the other hand I want to kick myself and think of all the parents who have kids with serious illnesses...I can't even imagine how they deal. I'm such a baby when it comes to illness. I've ordered vitamin D and other immune boosters thinking maybe we haven't been outside enough this winter, it's been nasty weather and pretty much everyone I know has complained of being sick more than usual. So ready for spring...

How do you deal??

[annabanana123]

Have you taken them to the doctor to make sure there isn't any Medicare reason they keep getting sick? I know our son kept getting colds and it was somehow tied to a behind the scenes chronic ear infection we had no idea about. But beyond that you just deal...or drink wine lol. I'd tell the school admins that you're happy to send your sick child but don't think it's in the best interest of the school or child to do so. They're bound to agree and if not I'd get a doctor's note. Hang in there, they'll all be better soon!

[Riley09swb]

Originally Posted by EvilCookie

This winter sucks

Up to this point, my kids have both been relatively healthy (although the fact that I stay home with them until preschool helps). The 7 yo has had his share of regular viruses but knock on wood never had anything worse than a really bad cold. The 20 mo has only had a couple of very mild runny noses. But this winter - omg. Especially for my poor 7 yo, he's been probably the sickest he's ever been. He hasn't been sick for almost a year, except minor sniffles, but then this december he first came down with a horrific case of croup where he got up fine, and then came home from school and collapsed in a ball on the floor crying that he can't speak That gave a terrible cough that kept him up night and lasted several weeks. He barely got over that when he got another cold, followed by extra-bad cough again (presumably because his airways were still irritated). Then we had a month or so of reprieve, and then the last three weeks hit - and both the kids are now on their second and third, yes third round of illness in these three weeks!! The first round was a fairly mild cold for all of us, fine. Both kids had a couple of days sniffles, then seemed ok, but on the fifth day (which was just over a week ago) DS suddenly got a fever and bad cough again. I took him to the dr thinking it's a secondary infection like bronchitis but she said it just looks like a new virus.
Well, after a few days he was back to normal. I catch his cold too, second time for me, but whatever. And then bam - this Friday the 20 mo, who just got over the 'mild' cold gets a terrible junky cough, mucus everywhere, and fever - the first time he's had a fever in his life, so of course I drag him to the dr thinking it's ear infection or something. Nope, she says, probably new virus. Well, i'm thinking, he probably got that second virus from his brother. Poor thing is still so sick today, three days later, still fever, never been even close to that sick. And what happens today - DS7 starts complaining of headache and sore throat, gets a fever and even throws up at night. So the younger must've picked up some different type of virus and now infected the oldest...sigh...

So now they're both sick, I'm feeling something in my throat *again* DS7 will be missing more school - luckily the last two illnesses fell on fridays so he's only missed a day each both weeks, but still, the admins get upset if students miss too much. He's also missed three weeks of taekwando classes as he still didn't have the energy and will be missing a fourth this week, and missing a third of the sports class he was doing after school too. This is absolutely ridiculous, and I know I've been lucky enough not to deal with this earlier, but wth do parents do when kids are older and missing school is a bigger deal, and they're in all sorts of activities and sports...Are other parents more chill about this? I get so stressed out about illness, especially anything with fever/ general malaise...never mind catching stuff from them..that I'm exhausted and worn out and just want to curl into a ball. I read all the scary news online about kids getting severely or even fatally sick from common viruses like the flu or enterovirus (which this last bout seems like). Or the cases that turn into paralysis or meningitis or bad pneumonia, it terrifies me. On the other hand I want to kick myself and think of all the parents who have kids with serious illnesses...I can't even imagine how they deal. I'm such a baby when it comes to illness. I've ordered vitamin D and other immune boosters thinking maybe we haven't been outside enough this winter, it's been nasty weather and pretty much everyone I know has complained of being sick more than usual. So ready for spring...

How do you deal??

Those are classic signs of strep. It could be just another virus but it also could be strep.

My kids both went to daycare/preschool so they were exposed to it all early and now at 7/8 they might get sick once a year. My son was diagnosed with the flu (type A) on Friday and I'm having a hard time believing that's what it was. He did have some chills on Friday along with sore throat, cough,sneezing and a fever of 101.3. He hasn't had a fever since Saturday afternoon and felt good enough yesterday to ask if he could go outside and play in the little bit of snow we got.

[Kibbiekat]

I empathize. This was my life during the infant and toddler years. Anabanana made a good point.

[Katarina Witt]

Riley09swb, if your son tested positive for flu A, he has it. There are few false positives. His symptoms sound classic. I agree EvilCookie's oldest's new symptoms sound like strep. She should probably (sigh) take him back to the dr.

It seems like everyone gets a winter like this while raising kids, especially siblings.

[Marlow]

On the strep, my daughter would have a very distinctive bad breath when she got it. You can also google "strawberry tongue" which is another symptom. But you probably will have to drag him back to the doctor.

Sorry you're having such a tough time. Don't worry about the activities he's missing. He'll be better soon enough and back at it. And baby bro is getting his immune system built up early. Hope everyone feels better soon.

[EvilCookie]

Thanks all, no strep, we've been back to the dr today with the youngest having more fever and coughing and sleeping a lot, I got myself super worked up about pneumonia...but they said lungs seem clear but he might be getting an ear infection...
He's been such a poor little sad thing all night, it just breaks my heart not to see his usual crazy self the oldest is all tired and sad too. I'm sick myself and achy but didn't even have time to notice it until everyone went to bed...sigh, mom life..

[CSD610]

Chicken stock, not broth, pedialite, plenty of rest, good luck.

[tickyul]

I've managed to avoid it this year, so far.

Anyone starts coughing.......I immediately turn and walk the other way.

Any time I come out of a store, I immediately sanitize my hands with alcohol-based sanitizer that I keep in my car.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by EvilCookie

Thanks all, no strep, we've been back to the dr today with the youngest having more fever and coughing and sleeping a lot, I got myself super worked up about pneumonia...but they said lungs seem clear but he might be getting an ear infection...
He's been such a poor little sad thing all night, it just breaks my heart not to see his usual crazy self the oldest is all tired and sad too. I'm sick myself and achy but didn't even have time to notice it until everyone went to bed...sigh, mom life..

I'm glad it wasn't strep. This too shall pass!