Micah’s the culprit. He woke up the night before last sounding like he had a little of a chesty cough… So I gave him a breathing treatment and he went back to bed and slept fine. Got up fine, happy, nothing ‘off’. He didn’t drink his bottle but that happens pretty regularly and doesn’t mean he’s sick, so he went to school.
After going to the collision center and finding out what needs to be fixed on my car, I got a phone call saying he was asleep on the floor and wouldn’t get up or participate in anything. So I went and got him. And we went straight to the doctor.
So yes, he has strep. Again? Probably STILL. Poor kid is miserable :(. He went from sleepyish and a runny nose to having a fever and being whiney. He slept from 3 yesterday when I got home with the kids from school until 8:00 this morning. I woke him up a time or two for diaper changes, pajamas, medicine, or a bottle… but otherwise he just slept!
He’s now on the 5th med we’ve tried for this. He was on one anti, then a different one, then the first one again, then a third one, then the second one again, then he had this added med a the end of the antibiotic that is a “textbook suggestion” to getting rid of the Strep. And now, a fifth med for his 6th treatment since August.
And the best part… this one doesn’t just cause the upset stomach that most anti’s cause. This one is supposed to cause “severe upset”. Lovely. So the doctor suggested a probiotic powder to go with it.
Now we have a new med routine! How fun! LOL. Seriously, I HATE that he is sick. HATE IT because he feels bad, and because he can’t just go play like he should be able to, and because he is quarantined from the other kids, and because the other kids keep catching it too, and then they ALL feel miserable, and I’m pretty sure Mike and I have each had it too, and because if Lynae was to catch it that would be really bad, and because the girls’ hearts don’t need Strep as it can cause trouble for them… and… and… and… BUT. There’s nothing we can do outside of what we’re already doing (and yes, I’ve called the ENT and the ped has sent a fax letting them know the urgency that as SOON as he’s well he needs them out before catching this again!). So we have to make light of it just a little. The “new normal” it seems… to have meds 3x/day with a different variety at each sitting.
Crushed toddler vitamin, probiotic powder, reflux med, and antibiotic with breakfast. Antibiotic with lunch. Reflux med and antibiotic with dinner.
If only the one constant thing—the antibiotic—didn’t taste SO DARN NASTY.
But hey, nothing an added teaspoon of chocolate syrup can’t help. Yes, I, the person that doesn’t give the kids much sugar at all and thinks even chocolate milk with sugar-free chocolate is a treat, am giving Micah almost a full teaspoon of chocolate syrup 3x/day. But he took his medicine MUCH BETTER when I did it that way! And c’mon, if he’s already miserable, why not give him a little something GOOD rather than just choking nasty stuff down his throat? (Plus when he does gag on it and everything I always wonder how much he’s aspirating in the mean time…)
Ok, enough drug talk. Now it’s time for added intervention.
Here’s what I’ve got going:
- Lysol or bleach spray to ALL the toys, his crib, the baby gates, door handles, glass doors, bathtub, and pretty much everything he’s ever touched.
- Throwing away toothbrush and rinsing in HOT water after every use.
- Using ‘junior’ toothpaste instead of infant paste (kills off some germs!).
- Hand sanitizer, hand sanitizer, hand sanitizer, antibacterial hand soap, separate wash clothes, tissues galore, more hand sanitizer, and more hand soap.
- Changing bed sheets, keeping diapers closed up tight (and lysoled and hand sanitized…), wiping down the changing table.
- BIG TIME getting on him for ANY licking or putting ANYTHING in his mouth that isn’t allowed.
- “No touching” rule for the kids with each other. Yes, seriously! You can play together, but we’re not hugging and wrestling and playing hands-on.
- Big time getting on the kids to cover a cough.
- Vitamins and immunity boosters for all the kids (Micah can’t take the immunity boosters bc I can’t crush them though).
I’m sure there’s more… but that’s ok if you suggest something I already do! So… what are your suggestions?? Other than moving. Or the month of anti’s for the entire family. Neither of those is really practical :)
Oh, and I am seriously considering pulling Micah out of school until his tonsils are taken out. Just not sure that it will help. We will see….
Run the toothbrushes through the dishwasher every night! It's cheaper than throwing them away, and it's the same way you wash glasses and cups. And it Does sanitize very well.
ReplyDeleteAngela is a strep carrier, even after her T & A. But I don't think she's HAD strep since. Her urine ALWAYS cultures strep, even if she doesn't otherwise have an infection going on. (when she does have an infectection she usually cultures strep, staph and ecoli)
Hope Micah gets to feeling better soon!
ReplyDeleteI know this is tough but I agree with run the toothbrushes through the dishwasher (and use the heated wash/heated dry cycles). Sanitize everything in sight and you might do well to take him out of school temporarily. Our daughter had strep repeatedly - the dr. was ready to put her on year around antibiotics until we studied her chart and noted that she was only having these during the school year. We had already decided to pull both kids and homeschool for other reasons. The bonus after 5 years of battling strep she did not have another strep infection for 10 years. :) Now she is a lot older and her immune system finally matured where she doesn't get sick as often.
ReplyDeleteI'll be praying as you make the decisions that are best for your family.
Man, I'm frustrated enough with our 5 weeks of snot and 2 rounds of antibiotics!! I don't know how you stand it!
ReplyDeleteWe just finished augmentin with probiotics alongside, and the girls still aren't all clear. I've been doing cleaning again today, trying to kill things that might have been missed. I did keep Braska out of school this week to finish her anti and give her a bit longer to get rid of it. But no luck so far. Still occasional low grade fever and constant snot. I've wondered about strep, but her rapid was negative... could it be hiding??
Anyway, I've got no more great tips. You sound like you're fighting it as well as you can, but wow...how miserable he must be after all this time!
Just out of curiousity what is he taking for reflux? Antacids should not be taken with antibiotics because it can decrease their effectiveness.
ReplyDeleteGood luck getting rid of those germs. Open up the windows and air everything out too!
Becky
no reflux with antis. wait at least one hour. put one half cup clorox bleach in each load of dishes. demand omnicef as an antibiotic and take out of school. we had the same situation and this helped until we could get tonsils out.
ReplyDeleteLeah just tipped you off on what I was going to tip you off on! :) Dishwasher is a great sanitizer!
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