...just think about how tired I am of writing them!
Poor kid was sicker than I'd ever seen him. After his middle of the night vomiting escapade, he woke up sooo sad and lethargic. He threw up the sips of sprite that Ben gave him and was just pitiful. He started running a moderate fever and just wanted to be held--which he NEVER wants. It was like he had narcolepsy, he kept falling asleep just sitting on either of us and I really started to worry about the lethargy. At one point he looked at me and said, "ear owie". And those were about the only words he said all day long. We couldn't get him into his regular Dr, so off we went to urgent care.
He had yet another double ear infection. Since he was vomiting and what not there was no option but to give him a shot of Rocephin. The dr also prescribed a couple of suppositories for Phenegran so that he could stop throwing up and get some pain and fever relief, too. We have to go back today and tomorrow to get the follow up shots of the antibiotic. When we got home from Urgent care we gave him the phenegran and a nice little sprite/motrin cocktail. He was ready for bed and slept for over 12 hours straight. (I kept checking on him, worried about that little booger all night!) He woke up a new man! Back to his old antics, etc.
So the debate: Before he got sick, we actually had an appointment with an allergist set up for yesterday. He gets so many ear infections despite elevating his mattress, daily doses of zyrtec, baby echinacea, etc, etc, etc. His regular dr (who is not a pediatrician) said "we don't do ear tubes anymore. Well, not unless there's evidence of hearing loss". And so we set up the appointment with the allergist. The urgent care dr says, "why are you messing around with this? I see some scar tissue in his left ear, go see an ENT." Back to his regular dr today, "Why would you want to put ear tubes in if they're not necessary? I don't see any scar tissue. When are you going to the allergist?" I know that Drs have conflicting opinions all the time, but after we go see the allergist and consider getting an opinion from an ENT, who are we supposed to follow? I know, I know, I'll pray about it--but we can't see the allergist for another 2 weeks and we should 'give it some time to work', right? In the meanwhile, I don't know if I should see an ENT or what.
Oh, and Ann, we're all about the probiotics--but we've usually just given them at the same time as antibiotics. Maybe we'll start that year round.
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8 comments:
Carolyn, go see the specialist. My son, Ryan, would not be alive today had 2 things not happened early in his life.
1. He had a very persistent mom (she kept going back to the Dr when things didn't get better).
2. Our pediatric doctor had run every test he could think of and finally decided that just because he went to school for 8 +years and is a "Dr" he didn't know everything and couldn't treat Ryan. So he decided to refer us to a specialist. That saved his life.
As we found out, Ryan has a very rare genetic disease (x-linked scids) and would have died had he not gotten treatment (a bone marrow transplant).
Obviously all situations are different, however you are his mother and if you are concerned, a good doctor should be concerned as well. (Unless he has a really good reason why he continues to get ear infections.)
It doesn't sound like you have that great of a Dr. I'm sure it if was his son, he'd take him to a specialist.
Worst case, you go to a specialist and everything checks out, but at least you have the peace of mind knowing that you've seen someone that deals with those issues day in and day out and is an expert, not a generalist.
Good luck.
-Brett
The nurses/staff at our Dr's office thought we were a hypochondriac parents. Turns out we weren't and there was a real problem
While no one in your neck of the woods does ear tubes anymore, they are all the rage here in NC. Of the kids on my caseload and their siblings I have known about 10 kids over the past few months to get tubes. I say you see a PEDIATRIC ENT and the allergist. But what do I know? I am barren.
I think one of my friend's kids about James and Colin's age got ear tubes too. A Ped ENT and a Specialist sounds good. Hope he is better soon! It is so hard to have a sick child, but you do not need to hear that. Hope you are all holding up! (and you are the one who helped me diagnose and treat Colin's yeast infection when we were in Israel. At least James' illness helped another boy around the world when I did not know how to go to a doctor.)
I vote for specialists too! My nieces and nephews all got tubes. Also, if you are up for another natural remedy that keeps me from getting sinus infections, and is supposed to help ears too, try some xlear nasal spray (sold on amazon, or at xlear.com) it does wonders for us! Good luck with James. So sorry he is sick and sad!
We spent 6 years with the Mayo Clinic as our primary care providers before moving to Las Cruces. There are many decent and well intentioned health care professionals in LC; however, it is not in the same league in ANY way. You are his mother and know him better than anyone. Do not stop until you are satisfied with the treatment and counsel you are receiving. It would seem that the course you are pursing is not working well for any of you. Take him to Albuquerque to the children's hospital if necessary. Good luck!
Shoot Carolyn! I've been on a siesta. I am sooo sorry about James' ongoing sickness. I think I would be very weepy week after week. My neighbor's 9 month old son just had tubes put in his ears last week after three different antibiotics didn't work/ear infections kept coming back quickly. If not that I hope there is some other remedy on its way for you all! Keep us updated on what happens with the Dr appointments.
Senorita...I had tubes when I was a baby and continued to have horrible ear infections. I still have lots of ear infections. Although, some of them may have been due to the fact that they never removed the tube as they said they were going to...it came out in about 5th grade when a Dr said.."did you have tubes as a baby? it's still in there". I had been checking your blog and nothing was new and then today Voila...muchas cosas nuevas!
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