Hi
My little girl was admitted to hospital on Fri night because of a very high fever (she'd been ill all week and then got drastically worse on Fri afternoon. The doctor sent us to hospital in an ambulance). It turned out that it was a chest and ear infection and the antibiotics they gave us seem to be doing the trick (she was let out on Sat night)... she's had a series of illnesses, one after the other, since starting nursery so I can only assume that it's a culmination of this. As you can probably imagine, this was all rather traumatic (especially when they mentioned the 'M' word in hospital - they were going to test for it but then she perked up enough for them to think it not necessary).
Tonight I thought I saw a rash and, together with a lowish temp, got completely terrified again (that 'heart in your stomach, I'm going to do a bum wee' feeling). The rational and logical side of me had to notice that she was laughing and tapping her foot to Iggle Piggle's song, she was playing happily generally, she'd eaten a mammoth dinner (and wanted more) and had been in good spirits pretty much all day. But the fear still swelled almost uncontrollably.
I've always been a bit of a worrier, and I'm aware that a certain amount of worry is normal but this is extreme...
My question is - am I now destined to spend her childhood stifling voms and bum wees at the mere .1 degree fluctuation in temp?! Or is this a normal reaction to the trauma of a hospital visit with a feverish child and I'll settle back to an acceptable level of worry soonish?
Cheers
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Health fears - the price of love?
clevername · 18/11/2014 20:33
That must have been very scary 
I'd imagine part of it now is worry from that experience. But I have to say, I get worried whenever DD has the littlest illness. Drives DP insane. I thought I was quite a laid back person but being a parent has proved I'm not! DD had a temperature over the weekend, perked up a bit, got a bit worse... and I was Googling viral meningitis for an hour.
For me, the panic (and I know exactly what you mean!) is part and parcel of being a parent. In some ways it's good as it means you're keeping an eye out for anything worrying, but obviously you don't want to be calling 111 for every little bug. I've been thinking about a kids first aid course, the NCT keep running them, I think that might be a comfort.
I'm like that, though DD has never been ill. My brother died of meningitus many years ago, and I think it's left me a bit paranoid. DD had a tiny purplish spot on her leg last week and I freaked out to the point of crying despite the fact she was fine otherwise. 
I think the thing is to remember these bad things are very very rare. I still don't know how not to be over-scared and over-worried. It drives DH nuts :(
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What a scary experience :(
I have really extreme health anxieties about my children, dc1 (he's nearly 2) had a slightly raised temperature today (between 37.3 and 37.8) with no other symptoms, I was googling what could be wrong and I came up with the conclusion that he must have cancer. Just before bedtime he said "pain in my mouth" so I think he's actually teething
I'm going to see a therapist for the first time tomorrow, I hope they can help me to stop feel so bloody anxious all the time.
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