Hey ladies, I know I just now started to really be active on this board since LO was born, but I wanted to share my story/warning with you! I'll try give you the short version, because seriously it could get long. Baby B is 8 weeks old.
LO started out with runny nose and congestion last Thursday, no big deal, I even posted about it on the "My LO is sick for the first time" post a few days ago. Tuesday he was fussy all morning, and then in the afternoon he spiked a fever and I was shocked it was so high! I took his temp under his arm 3 times, all above 100.4. I am not one to rush to the ER (actually I never have except for DH's gall bladder attack) so I was even hesitant to call the nurse line at my pedi because I knew she would send me there. After she spoke to the doctor they did send me to the local ER. Rectal temp done there showed over 100.4 as well, so we were told the whole workup had to be done (blood, urine, chest x-ray, lumbar puncture). They don't have a big pediatric wing so we were given the option to go to Children's Hospital in Detroit (I'm about 20 minutes away) so of course we went. Fast forward to Children's, we were sent back right away, given tylenol finally, and they began the workup. Oh my god, the guilt I felt was unbearable! I just KNEW that it was just a silly fever and this mess I had put my poor baby in was for nothing. I just knew it!! He was a champ through all of it and only really cried during the lumbar when they squish him in half so they can gain access to the spinal cord. We were then sent up to a NICU room for contagious diseases. We knew that so far urine and x-ray looked good by about midnight. The next morning at rounds we found out that the lumbar tested positive for meningitis. We would have to stay for a 48 hour culture to make sure that it was not bacterial while they treated him with antibiotics just in case it was bacterial. Baby B spiked one more fever Wednesday morning but Tylenol took care of, and then was in happy spirits for the rest of his stay. The nurses loved that he was SO smiley because they don't always see babies like that :-( Well last night it was confirmed that it was indeed enteroviral meningitis so were discharged! They let us leave because he hadn't spiked a fever in over 24 hours, usually they said they would have made us stay until the next morning but because was doing so well they let us leave. Thank goodness.
So if you're like me and think that a fever isn't a big deal, still call your doctor. I was going to just treat it with Tylenol myself because I hate people who run to the ER for nothing (I have a crazy crazy SIL), but now knowing that his fever probably would have just kept spiking scares me to death and I could have gotten all my nephews and his day care kids sick (he only goes to day care Mon & Tues mornings but still!).
After coming home last night he completely slept through the night and is still pretty sleepy, napping a lot which is unlike him but I know he's still trying to fight it off). But he's home and going to be just fine, still a little snotty but we'll get there!
We love August!
Boyfriend & Girlfriend - 8.6.06
Husband & Wife - 8.6.10
Mom & Dad - 8.19.14
Re: Meningitis is not my friend
first son stillborn 7/20/13 at 39 weeks due to Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy
It's a girl! Baby Anna was born August 3, 2014!
We love August!
Boyfriend & Girlfriend - 8.6.06
Husband & Wife - 8.6.10
Mom & Dad - 8.19.14