All Things Sick Baby Related

MrsMaryK2016

I'm going to start this since we're all going to have this issue at some point.

M has been super restless all day and feeding a lot more than usual. Just took his temperature and he's got a low grade fever of 99.7. Obviously we'll monitor it all night and right now it's not serious but I feel bad for getting frustrated with him all day when he's just not feeling well. My mom and dad think he could be teething but I'm worried he's caught whatever gross illness my nephew's always seem to have. Ugh, poor little guy!

Any advice for me? I have a feeling I'm in for a long night. 

SandNStarsNJ

Infant Tylenol. For one, it will calm the restlessness and two, should put the fever at bay at least temporarily. 

I hope its teething though it's kind of early for that. I think. 

kristah2

Babe doesn't seem to be feeling well. The doctor said he is a "happy spitter" so throwing up is normal for him. But yesterday and today it seems to be more and more frequent then usual. He seems uncomfortable before it happens and has been almost trying to work it out. He has NO fever. He's also not himself. A lot of crying which is super out of character for him. 
Any  advice? 

MrsMaryK2016

So M spiked a fever of 100.7 early this morning so we've been admitted in the hospital for observation. They've done a catheter to get a urine sample and blood draws. I've never felt more powerless in my life and hope to never witness my baby scream like that again. Right now we're waiting for test results and will know more in the morning. His pediatrician said he's probably fine but decided to err on the side of caution. 

PSA: If baby is running a fever of 100.4 or higher and is 60 days or younger you need to call your pediatrician immediately. You will most likely be admitted. I didn't know all of this so I figured some of you may not either. 

hjmommaplus1

Praying everything is okay @MrsMaryK2016

SandNStarsNJ

Fingers crossed and sending good vibes, @mrsmaryk2016

kristah2

@MrsMaryK2016 thinking of you and baby. Hope you're out soon! 

kvruns

Thinking good thoughts for you guys @MrsMaryK2016  was it just his restlessness that had you take his temp in the first place?

leighry

@MrsMaryK2016 sending thoughts your way! Unfortunately, you're right in that even if he appeared well and the ED doc and your pediatrician thought he was fine they usually keep overnight to observe. At this age they tend to "do everything" so they don't miss something even if they believe the baby is likely fine and may just have a virus. I'm sorry you have to go through that! I hope outside of the initial blood work and urine your visit is very uneventful. Keep us posted.

MrsMaryK2016

Thanks everyone for the well wishes. M and I are home now and all is well. After a battery of testing all they found was a healthy, thriving baby thank God! I can't wait to sleep in my own bed tonight and don't even care if little man gets up a bunch in the night - he's earned some extra snuggles.

SandNStarsNJ

YAY!

MollySm

I'm glad it was nothing serious! 

SandNStarsNJ

So we're in the hospital with 101.1 fever. This is not fun and everyone keeps calling my LO fat... which made for a challenging blood draw. 

kvruns

Hugs for your LO @SandNStarsNJ  wtf on calling him fat?!

leighry

@SandNStarsNJ I work in an ER... whoever said it's hard to get labs on him because he is "fat" is just saying that because they couldn't get it. I'm sorry your babe is sick!! I hope he gets better soon.

m6agua

@SandNStarsNJ sorry your LO is sick. I hope everything is fine.

MrsMaryK2016

Ugh, I'm so sorry to hear this. I know how incredibly hard and heartbreaking the while experience is. Sending you guys positive vibes that everything is ok. 

hjmommaplus1

@SandNStarsNJ -- I hope you have answers soon and your LO gets to feeling better! Sending prayers!

SandNStarsNJ

Thanks everyone! After X-rays and urine and blood withdrawals we've been admitted for observation because there's no source for the fever and he hasn't had any vaccinations yet because of his age. I guess we wait. 

And hes now 14lbs & 4.8oz at 6 weeks so he's big but I don't like to think if it as far so much as well fed.

kristah2

@SandNStarsNJ hope his fever comes down soon and your night there isn't too bad. Keep us updated! 

SandNStarsNJ

@leighry The nurse did use his chunk as reason for struggling with veins and actually had to tap both arms for success. 

We are up to 102.4 when not on the Tylenol, which isn't great but some cool wash cloths and nursing brought him back down to 100.5. 

MrsMaryK2016

And they still don't know what it is? 

SandNStarsNJ

MrsMaryK2016 said:

And they still don't know what it is? 

Nope. They can't find the source but are leaning towards something viral. He passed all the standard viral tests.  So now we wait on a blood culture to confirm it isn't bacterial in hopes avoiding a meningitis test. 

It's crazy how many things he's been tested for too!

MrsMaryK2016

Well I know exactly what you're going through since we just did it. I'm thinking about you guys. I know this is probably the longest night of your life. 

SandNStarsNJ

Thanks @mrsmaryk2016. Did they let your LO out with a fever still? Or did you have to wait until it broke? Our guy keeps resurging with fevers every couple of hours and I'm dreading them inevitably doing a lumbar puncture, which will be dramatic for us all, or keeping us for another night.

MrsMaryK2016

He never actually spiked a fever once we got to the hospital so we got sent home the next day after a preliminary look at his bacterial cultures.

I really hope they don't have to do the spinal. When are your bacterial labs due back?

SandNStarsNJ

I think the bacterial labs are due back this afternoon and even though every medical professional we've spoken with is fairly confident is not bacterial and especially not meningitis, they will not rule out the spinal... they also just confirmed that he basically can't leave until they figure out what it is. His fever has varied from 102.4 - 100.5 on and off with and without Tylenol so we're playing the waiting game. And to think, I thought I was done hanging out in this hospital for a good while.

MrsMaryK2016

@SandNStarsNJ Any news? I hope you guys got to go home!

SandNStarsNJ

We are going into night 2 here at the hospital. We have had urine draws, blood draws, x-rays, swabs - the works - and they still have no idea what is going on. He has an average of a 102 degree fever and with Tylenol it comes down to about 100.6. He has also pooped more in the past 24 hours than in his entire existence, which has caused some major irritation that they are grouping into possible thrush. We won't be discharged until they determine the cause of the fever, so here we wait, or as the nurse says "a holding pattern".

I'm stressed and frustrated and aggravated but I think that's mostly the increased time here without knowing anything. Though the shift changes are killing me - how is it that no attendant or resident is speaking to another one?! Different shifts have diagnosed different things; the morning dr wanted a spinal; the afternoon dr says he has thrush and order meds that never showed up; and the only person I have been able to get any real help or consistency from is our awesome tech, Paul, and he isn't even supposed to deal with most of that!

Ugh. I'm sure LO will be fine eventually. He's eating like woah and has put on another 5 oz of weight so besides being extra cuddly and with fever, he's holding up.

MrsMaryK2016

 Thinking about you guys. I wish they could figure it out already or that LO's fever would break. I'm sending you good vibes for an uneventful and restful (yeah right) night. 

kristah2

@SandNStarsNJ hopefully they can figure some things out soon. I can't imagine it's easy to have such a sick baby and no one know what's wrong or be able to communicate about it. 
Keep us updated. We're thinking of you! 

kvruns

Ah man hope they can figure it out soon. That is tough with different diagnosis and right hand not talking to left hand. Seems ridiculous 

MollySm

I hope things are going better today! 

m6agua

@SandNStarsNJ I hope you get some answers soon and LO starts feeling better! Not knowing is the worst

SandNStarsNJ

 After one full day in the ER and two full days and nights in the pediatric ward of the hospital, we are finally home… But with the same fever we went with. They didn't find a virus or infection they could name other than evidence of a little thrush. So we're home with lots of instructions, some meds, and quite a few rectal temps in our future.  

And we avoided the spinal!

MrsMaryK2016

I'm do glad you didn't have to do the spinal but how frustrating that they don't know what it is! Hopefully little man start to feel better soon. Enjoy your bed tonight, those stupid pull outs at the hospital are terrible. 

MollySm

I'm sorry they didn't figure it out and the fever continues!  I hope it breaks soon! 

SandNStarsNJ

And we're down to 100.4, which is a fever for a 6 week old but it's better than all the 102+ temps earlier this week. I've got a whole hospital like station going on. 

QUESTION: we're also treating LO for thrush. The nurses didn't think I showed any signs, which was odd. Google has not been helpful here, anybody experience thrush on their nipples and want to describe what it looks or feels like?

kristah2

@SandNStarsNJ I haven't had it but I've known many people who have. From what I understand it's a pain in your nipple. You should know if you have it from pain / discomfort that's more localized. I also think it's weird they are just treating baby. Most times they treat mom even if no symptoms so you don't just keep giving t back and forth! 

But again i havent had it so maybe someone else can weigh in. 

kvruns

I am having conflicting thoughts on thrush. I was trying to see if he had white spots but it was hard to tell although I thought his tongue looked white today. What other symptoms or things to look for?

SandNStarsNJ

I honestly had no idea DS had thrush. His tongue is fairly white, but that's how DD's always looked as she too was exclusively BF. I know there are more severe cases, a la Google images, but for us it still seems pretty minor. For me, I'm not seeing or experiencing anything that suggests I have thrush, which is really impossible and after speaking to the pediatrician today (hospital follow up appointment) she said I need to be treated either way. So I'm supposed to call my OB and get a scrip, which is going to be a PIA.

When in doubt, @kvruns, I would go see your doctor.