Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

[PrincessFiona]

We don't go in often...since ID Doc always says "it's viral" and...I hate to go in and pay to be told the same. We have an outrageous deductible...and most of the time, the kids rally within 24-48 hours. Unless it seems like the kids are really, really ill...I just keep them home and nurse them back to health.

Zoe has had vomiting and diarrhea since Tues. night (early wed.) at about 3am. Wed. she barely was able to keep anything down. Yesterday seemed a little better, but she started vomiting again in the night. Today, she hasn't vomited, but is drinking very little. Her lips seem a little dry, but she is acting pretty normal considering. She had a little bit of diarrhea, but the poor thing hasn't ingested anything in a couple of days.

Is there anything else I should look for? I don't want to miss her being dehydrated if she needs IV fluids or something.

I know this doesn't sound like the question a mom of 5 should ask. Sorry...it's been a long time since I have dealt with this much...vomit!

My gameplan is to offer her juice and water and see if she can keep it down....our pedi doesn't take appointments after noon, so I suppose I could take her to the ER this evening if she doesn't keep things down. Does that sound reasonable?

Kris

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

If you call now, can you talk to a nurse and see what they advise? Is she peeing?

[Michele]

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

My mom (who is in no way medical at all) always tells me to touch the tongue. And if the tongue feels dry then you need a doctor. :huh: :huh: :huh: It sounds like the "cold wet nose" on a dog thing.

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

Will she do a popsicle? If she hasn't eaten or drank in that long I think I'd take her in (and I also hate going in -- I'm kicking myself for taking the boys in for strep tests today).

[Meenah]

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

Pedialyte, pedialyte, pedialyte, a couple of ounces at a time!!!! Make sure she is peeing. How can a Peds office not take appts. after noon?

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

How can a Peds office not take appts. after noon?

On a Friday especially!?!?!

[PrincessFiona]

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

DH looked at her when he came home and we decided that if she wasn't able to hold things down by today that I would take her in. Our peds dept. here doesn't take appointments after noon any day....seriously...they refer you to the ER. I considered just going into the ER, but she seemed better by yesterday evening. She wouldn't drink the pedialyte, but she did drink sprite and hold it down. She was acting more herself again. This morning, she had an episode of vomiting, but it was followed by a lot of drinking and...eating...even though I was trying to steer her towards liquids only. She has held it all down now and is now acting like she was never ill. Thank Goodness.

Thanks for asking. I was really second-guessing myself because I've truly never had a child have that level of vomiting/diarrhea for an extended time.

Kris

[Meenah]

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

My Dad was a Pharmacist, and he used to give us flat coca-cola and potato chips!!!! Covers the fluid/salt/sugar issue!!!!! I used to give my girls flat ginger ale and potato chips!

[Phoebe]

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

Glad Zoe is on the mend. How scary! I hate it when DH always says it is a virus. I don't listen to him sometimes and waste a copay. Those darn doctors know what they usually know what they are talking about. Isn't it amazing how quickly kids bounce back?

[PrincessFiona]

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

I was wrong. As soon as I hit submit, I heard Thomas screaming for me from upstairs. He was taking a bath and Zoe came into the bathroom, stripped herself down and jumped into his bathwater...and then proceeded to start vomiting all over him and...in the bathtub. She fell back asleep and seemed better, but woke up an hour ago with the vomit, vomit, vomit stuff happening.

It's 1:30am and I feel helpless. Now, when she vomits, she cries miserably and screams. I don't know whether to scoop her up and take her in now or wait until the morning.... :huh: She seems awfully pale to me tonight.

Kris

[HouseofWool]

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

Kris - did you end up taking her in? If nothing else, they can get her hydrated so her body can fight this bug off.

[Deebs]

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

Kris,
I hope the rest of your night went better. You may want to take her in to get something along the lines of Zofran to stop her vomiting, and have her rehydrated. If it were my kid, I would probably push for that (while DH would probably say she's fine unless her head is spinning around). When we start rehydration orally, we literally start a tablespoon every 10-20 minutes of water.

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

Poor little Zoe and poor you! Let us know what happens. I agree about taking her in and getting something to give her a break from vomiting.

[PrincessFiona]

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

She fell asleep and I sat awake until about 4am watching and waiting. I finally conked out and Thomas let me sleep in...when I got up, she was running around the house all perky and had eaten and ...held down some cereal for breakfast.

I'm crossing my fingers here. She seems fine now again....

Kris

[alison]

Re: Deciding to go to the pediaatrician...

I hope things are on the upswing there. Sounds like it was a rough night!!!