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Children's health

Baby with virus - won't drink milk/water

11 replies

Deeds777 · 16/03/2014 22:24

My DS (10 months) came down with a temperature of 38.3 yesterday evening. I treated it (nurofen) and looked after him through at the night (he slept badly, unsettled). This morning he was 37.5 upon waking up. Because I felt happy that he was guzzling his bottle and the temp was subsiding, I went back to bed this morning to rest and my OH took care of him until lunchtime.

Then, at 12pm they came back from a walk and I found my son listless, weak, hot again. Checked the temp, now it was 38.5. Worse still, I pulled off his clothes to find he had a pinprick, non-blanching rash all over his torso, back and hands. We took him straight to A&E (live near by, no GPs working today). They saw him immediately and brought temp down. DS perked up, drank a bottle and we were discharged about two hours later. They saw upon examination that he has a swollen/sore throat so that is causing him pain. Overall they diagnosed a bad virus which will subside. Give it 4 days or so.

However, I am worried again now. He became cranky in the early evening and wouldn't eat food and hasn't drank one onze of milk or water since lunchtime (at the hospital). He finally went off to bed at 9pm (very late compared to normal) and is asleep now. I have given a Nurofen and a Calpol dose, so there is nothing else I can give him.

My concern is that he is not drinking anything. I tried to force him, but to little avail. Tried a cup...huge disaster. Any tips? I do trust the medical professionals' decision earlier on, he is probably fine but I don't want him to become dehydrated. It worries me.

Oh, and maybe this belongs in 'am I being unreasonable' by my OH seemed to think it was fine to go to the pub and have pints to celebrate some stupid football win. A moody argument ensued. Looking after a sick baby alone is not fun.

That's a separate issue! Main one is about getting the baba to drink fluids.Thanks

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fuckwittery · 17/03/2014 04:43

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redcaryellowcar · 17/03/2014 04:50

Agree with pp, doctors can only treat what they see, if he is bad again go back, hope he is soon feeling better, & do hope you get some rest too.

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makeminea6x · 17/03/2014 04:53

You want him to be having at least half the normal amount of wet nappies. Also Yy to syringe feeding, tedious but it works. If you are worried it is fine to contact OOH or your GP IMO.

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makeminea6x · 17/03/2014 04:53

Oh yeah and YANBU OH is being a bum

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Rachie1986 · 17/03/2014 05:00

I agree, take him back if he's still not fed.

Hope he's on the mend.

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Aldwick · 17/03/2014 06:34

Put some cotton wool in his nappy so you can see easily if he has had a wee. It's so hard to tell otherwise. If you have a syringe try giving him regular tiny amounts of water with that. He will be resisting because swallowing hurts poor little thing.

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coldwater1 · 17/03/2014 07:18

My son is ill with high temp and refused juice so i took to syringing it into him. Was the only way to keep him hydrated.

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Deb2202 · 17/03/2014 08:54

Ds2 once had bad tonsillitis and wouldn't drink/eat/take meds.

The doctor told me to load the syringe and aim it into the back right or left hand side of his mouth sort of where your wisdom teeth are, if you squirt it straight in the gag reflex means they can push it back out with tongue.

Took a bit of practice but it worked well we got meds and a few syringes down every 5/10 mins to keep him hydrated, he didn't seem distressed by it.

I agree with the others mind if you aren't happy take him back, don't listen to others use your instincts.

Hope he's on the mend soon.

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northstrandee · 17/03/2014 17:00

Thanks for all the posts on this.

We had a long night but he did actually drink a few onzes of milk here and there throughout the night. Today he had some yoghurt and a bit of liga+milk and the odd rice cake. So, although he is eating and drinking a lot less than usual, he is getting something....but I feel worried as it is only the odd onze here and there.

The syringe advice has been good - I am aiming at the inside of his cheek as otherwise I was throwing liquid down his throat and it really upset him. I think he is on the mend, but really not very well yet. He is smiling a bit/playing but nothing like normal. Also not really sleeping. We are going to try and feed him an hour after a suppositry and see. The plan is to go to the GP first thing in the morning (bank holiday here) or if he really won't drink anything we can go back ot the hospital.

As for me, I am barely awake! OH complaning of being 'tired' too. HA!

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northstrandee · 17/03/2014 17:33

Another update, just got him to take more milk mixed with liga and ella's kitchen fruit puree (all sugary soft crap but nothing else is really appealing to him). And even better, now he is sucking on a piece of cheese and flinging half chewed bits of grape around the kitchen, so we could be on the mend. Slowly... I hope he will drink a big bottle of formula before bed and we can say goodbye to this awful virus.