I KNOW that only we can decide but I still wonder. Natalie currently has a bad head cold/sinus infection/??? something like that. Honestly I think she's only had one sinus infection her whole life, and this tops that one for sure. Her nose is pretty clear, just SO stringy and snotty, and lots of loose yuck when she coughs. She's been running a fever off and on for 2 days. Once the meds wear off, it's back up again.

I keep thinking the dr. won't give her anything because it seems like they never do, but I'm still debating on whether I should take her or not.

By Emily7 on Sunday, December 14, 2008 - 06:41 pm:

Unless the fever is high, I would let it run its course. If she has it for a week then it might be bacterial rather than viral and she might need antibiotics.
Do you have a cool mist humidifier?
Like you said though, you are with her and mommy instincts top anything posted here...
Hope she gets to feeling better.

By Mrsheidi on Sunday, December 14, 2008 - 06:42 pm:

i think I would only take her if her temp can't be controlled (they say not to even give tylenol unless it's pretty high...forget the exact number right now). But...if you say this tops the last infection, it might be worth some antibiotics.

I'm a lot of help, huh? LOL

By Karen~admin on Sunday, December 14, 2008 - 07:01 pm:

Well, I guess I'm on the other side of this issue. I would call the Ped in the AM. If this is worse that the one sinus infection she's ever had I'd go ahead and look into it. You (and she!) don't want her to be sick for Christmas. If it's viral, then obviously it can't be helped with antibiotics. But it's also possible she has an ear infection - unless you've got one of those kids who always has obvious symptoms with one - I had 2 who constantly had ear infections and it was 50/50, whether or not they showed obvious symptoms - but my point here is the times they DIDN'T complain about ears, they DID have all the sinusy stuff going on. Anyway, I'm old now, so I'm old-school when it comes to this - I'd at least put in a call tomorrow. Hope she's better in the morning!

Just a thought too - the last week we were @ Disney, I had a constant runny nose and one runny eye. I chalked it up to allergies, especially since I was just getting over a cold when we left on vacation. I figured the runny nose and eye would go away once we were home. Now I have even more congestion and it's moving down and I'm coughing a lot and it's rattley and stuff's coming up - but I have antibiotics on hand to take *if* it develops into something.

Considering where you vacationed, it is entirely possible she has either a viral OR bacterial thing going on, so I'd check it out before it gets too close to Christmas.

By Crystal915 on Sunday, December 14, 2008 - 07:12 pm:

We all just went through this, Shane missed 2 days of school, went one day between them, because his fever *seemed* to break. I would let it run it's course, unless her fever gets high. Sinus infections usually are accompanied by green/yellow mucus, and a lot of docs recommend not giving antibiotics for a sinus infections because it's contributing to a/b-resistant bacteria, and will usually clear up without them.

It took about a week total, for the kids to clear up. Seems to just be going around.

By Vicki on Sunday, December 14, 2008 - 07:52 pm:

For me, it would depend on a few things... how long has it been going on...how bad does she feel and how high the temp goes with no medication. And if it is in her chest at all, I always took her in. Better safe then sorry!!

By Dana on Sunday, December 14, 2008 - 09:56 pm:

Many adults and kids have been sick like this in my area. I was sick off and on for an entire month and a half. Nothing dreadfully serious, just feeling really icky, and upper sinus problems. Never in my lungs (my kids had it in there lungs too). All of us had fevers that never went above 100.5. Some days we had the fever and other days we did not.

My kids got over in about 2-3 wks, me much longer. Others in our area also had same experience.

For me, I was able to feel better after pouring salt water into my nostrils (like a netty pot). I don't own one of those, so I just used a dropper to squirt it into my nose. I notice IMMEDIATE change after the first squirt. I was so congested. I had to do this for about a week to continue feeling clear.

I do not take my kids to the dr unless the fever is high and does not seem to change regardless of meds. Or obvious trouble with swallowing or breathing.

I don't like risking my kids to other ailments that are in the drs office. So we wait it out if at all possible.

By Bellajoe on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 08:24 am:

Does her throat hurt at all?

My ds was sick with what I thought was a sinus infection last year. He was home from school all week long. I finally decided to take him to the Doctor on Wed. or Thurs. It ended up that he had strep throat! He had not even complained of a sore throat. He was just a very very snotty, booger-y mess.

Just something to think about for her.
I hope she feels better soon!

By Bellajoe on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 08:25 am:

oh, he had a fever the whole time too.

By Reds9298 on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 10:22 am:

I'm taking her in this afternoon. The mucus in her nose is yellow, I realized that lastnight. It seems to be in her chest now, the cough is yucky. That concerns me the most. Fever is 101 whenever I take it. I'm giving her Tylenol when she seems to really be uncomfortable, and nothing if she seems like she's tolerating it. Started on Thursday and continually got worse. Decongestants help to break it up a little, but then it is a thick, slow run with itchy eyes. We did Benadryl yesterday which helped the running and helped her sleep, but I don't want to continually give her that. She's been sleeping upright since Sat.

Thanks guys!

By Reds9298 on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 11:27 am:

No throat problems. Absolutely zero appetite. her poor little nose and top lip are just a dry peeling mess. We're constantly using Blistex and Vaseline but it is really looking bad.

Karen - I thought the same thing with vacation and being on the plane, as well as so close to Christmas. She got several new toys Saturday that she has yet to enjoy because she doesn't feel like it. She also has a Christmas party at school on Wed., and she's 'Mary' in the Nativity Program Wednesday night!!!

If they tell me she doesn't need an antibiotic, I guess that's fine. At least I'll know.

By Dana on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 01:48 pm:

Hope she feels better soon and gets to be Mary on Wed.

By Dawnk777 on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 02:23 pm:

I agree with taking her in. Hope she feels better soon.

By Reds9298 on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 04:23 pm:

I'm so glad I took her in. She has a "bad" double ear infection and possible strep. She had 103.5 temp in the office poor thing. She got antibiotics and hopefully is feeling well enough to for the party and to be Mary by Wednesday afternoon. She'll have 5 doses of antibiotic by that point, so hopefully. She's sleeping now. I'm glad I went with my gut and took her in. Thanks guys!

By Dawnk777 on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 05:02 pm:

Wow. I'm glad you took her in, too. She should be feeling better quickly!

By Emily7 on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 05:34 pm:

I am so glad you went with you gut too.
I hope she is feeling better soon.

By Dana on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 06:38 pm:

Glad she is getting proper treatment. I bet she will look better come morning. Happy she is sleeping.

By Debbie on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 06:39 pm:

I'm glad you took her in, poor thing. Fingers crossed. Hopefully, she will feel better soon.

I had to pick ds up from school this afternoon, he was bawling in the nurse's office. He had a fever and sore throat. I took him straight to minor emergency. He has strep. He has a major speaking part in the 3rd grade play that is this Wednesday, and Thursday night. He is so upset he won't be better by then. Urggg...not good timing

By Karen~admin on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 08:36 pm:

Deanna, I am so glad you took her in! Imagine waiting a couple days, how sick poor N would have been. At least now she should be all better by Christmas!

By Reds9298 on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 09:38 pm:

Debbie- Poor guy! Maybe he can do one night?? I hope he is feeling better soon.

We're lucky that this is falling BETWEEN our Disney trip and her Christmas/school Christmas sutff. I think she will be fine for her Pre-K Christmas party Wed. and short program that evening. I'm just so glad I didn't wait. DH and I were just talking tonight about how much we "miss" her. She just hasn't been herself.

By Dawnk777 on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 11:01 pm:

Debbie, he won't be contagious, once he's had a full day of medication. Why would he miss the stuff on Wednesday, if he started antibiotics today?

Natalie is lucky that she will be better by mid-week.

By Debbie on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 11:39 pm:

Dawn, he is just so sick, I don't know if he will feel better by Wed. He has a 102 fever, he is throwing up now, and just feels so bad. I know he won't be contagious anymore, I just don't know if he will be up to it. I finally got him to sleep a little while ago.

By Bellajoe on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 - 02:17 pm:

Maybe if he gets plenty of sleep, going to bed a bit early, taking naps etc plus the antibiotics in him should help.
I know everyone is different, but when mine have strep, they feel much better 24 hours after they take their first dose of antibiotics.
I hope your ds is better soon

and I am glad you took Nat in Deanna! I hope they both feel better soon!

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 - 02:19 pm:

Poor little guy. Hope he feels better soon.

By Karen~admin on Wednesday, December 17, 2008 - 12:01 pm:

Deanna, how is Nat today??

Debbie, how is your little guy?

I HATE it when kids are sick for the holidays. Jen used to get the flu almost every Christmas for several years when she was young - you could almost set your watch by it.

Hope they are both feeling better quickly!!!!!!!

By Reds9298 on Thursday, December 18, 2008 - 12:33 pm:

Thanks for asking. Natalie was able to go to her school Christmas party and do her short bit in the Christmas nativity program. She looked bad, just due to the really red nose and constant snot dripping, but she *is* feeling better. It was cute because at one point, with kleenex in one hand, she rested her elbow right on the manger and then rested her head on her hand, LOL! (Very.."I'm worn out and bored by all of this.") She actually looked the part of the way it REALLY must have been...an exhausted Mary who had just given birth in a barn, LOL!!

By Karen~admin on Thursday, December 18, 2008 - 05:28 pm:

Glad to hear she is better! Good omen for Christmas!

Debbie, how is your DS?

Deanna, I had a cold the week before we left for Disney and runny nose and eyes the entire time we were there, which I attributed to allergies. However, when we returned home, I got worse and 2 days ago it moved into my chest, like full-on bronchitis or something. (I've had it many times over my life to recognize it. ) 2 nights ago, my temp was nearly 102, I was FREEZING, could not get warm, shivering, and I figured at that point, it was definitely time to break out the antibiotics. 20 years ago, I would take them at the first symptom of anything. I then accepted that they don't work for everything and taking them too often, can in fact, do more harm than good. So I figured after nearly 4 weeks of *illness*, and my current symptoms, it was time! Feeling better today, and hope everyone and their kiddos are well for Christmas!