Thursday night the Hoos and I listened to LP cough in her sleep. It was a phlegmy, icky cough. But, she didn't wake up. When she did wake up the next morning, she was pleasant, despite the snot running down her face.
As a parent, I have a constant internal struggle about doing the right thing for my baby. Does she have a cold? Is it something more serious? How would I know? While we try to err on the side of caution, we also have no desire to run to the pediatrician for what could me a minor problem. And since all infant/toddler cold medicines were pulled from the shelves recently, it is not like we have lots of options for treatment other than a humidifier and lots of fluids.
In this case we took the "wait and see approach." LP didn't (and still doesn't) have a fever, the cough only occurs first thing in the morning and over night, other than the usual toddler pickyness she doesn't seem to have a diminished appetite (is it bad that she only ate the olives off of the pizza we ate Saturday night?) and in general she has maintained her pleasant disposition. Granted she has become increasingly frustrated with my efforts to wipe her nose, but I think that has more to do with chapped nostrils than anything else.
Last night, LP's cough wasn't as gutteral, which I think is a good thing. She did wake up at 5 this morning and when I went in to give her a pacifier she was standing in her crib, reaching her arms out to me. I decided to be a strong mommy and resisted the urge to pick her up. Instead I laid her back down and turned off the humidifier, blaming it for scaring the poor munchkin. Fortunately, after 10 minutes or so we both fell back asleep.
With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I am distracted by thoughts of what I should do next. Do I stay the course and just continue to "treat" her "cold"? Take LP to the doctor to get her checked out? Again, this whole mommy thing, so not as easy as it looks...
5 comments:
LP's disposition is probably the best indicator of her health, even if she does develop a fever. That's what our pedis have always told us. A child with 103 who's happy and running around is going to be fine. A child with a 100 who acts like a wet dishrag is another story.
In any case, the colds almost always last about ten days and if she's not complaining, it seems like you are doing all the right things... fluid, rest, humidifier... you go, mom!
If you are really agonizing about it, just call the pedi and describe things to them. This is often reassuring, unless, of course, they make you rush in for every little thing!
LP's disposition is probably the best indicator of her health, even if she does develop a fever. That's what our pedis have always told us. A child with 103 who's happy and running around is going to be fine. A child with a 100 who acts like a wet dishrag is another story.
In any case, the colds almost always last about ten days and if she's not complaining, it seems like you are doing all the right things... fluid, rest, humidifier... you go, mom!
If you are really agonizing about it, just call the pedi and describe things to them. This is often reassuring, unless, of course, they make you rush in for every little thing!
To go or not to go that is the question. I actually still have some kid cold medicine in my house! I only use some if Mikayla has a horrible cold where her nose is running consantly - which is not often. I also wait a few days to see if she is getting better or not before we head to the doctor. If it is just a cold they will tell you do do exactly what you have been doing - who wants to pay a $25 co-pay to hear that? I get nervous when she has a fever that won't go away and if her attitude changes.
I have actually been really luckily with Mikayla - she never gets sick and if she does it only lasts about 1 day. Instead she bring everything home from daycare and gives it straight to mom! I think I called in sick to work at least once a month last winter - I am not looking foward to this winter.
I say stick with the humidifier. I got one that looks like a penguin spitting mist out of his mouth. Little A loves it! If that doesn't work, just take her outside for a walk in the cool air. That'll get the snot out of her!
To help the sore nostrils...try Puffs Plus tissues. They have aloe in them and are really soft and not irritating...
Aunt Barbara
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