I think my son has covid

[Mistlewoeandwhine]

DS is 14 with no underlying conditions. We have all been super- careful, wiping the shopping, staying at home etc but DH went to the chemists two weeks ago and soon got ill. He had a v bad sore throat and temperature but no cough. Unfortunately he gave it to DS and he has been very ill for the last 12 days. He’s had a temperature, agonising throat and what seems to be a gland pain but no breathing problems and no cough ( until about day ten then he’s had a slight dry cough but not frequent). We took him to the dr on Fri as he had the temperature and wasn’t eating and we were doing rounds of painkillers. The dr gave him antibiotics for his throat. But I have literally never seen him so ill. The temperature is gradually going down but he’s so weak he’s sleeping every few hours and about 11hrs at night. He’s drinking about a litre a day (with some bullying from me).
I think he’s getting slightly better (fewer painkillers and more time awake) but is there anything else we can do? I don’t want to take him back to the dr just for advice as we had to sit in direct sunlight in the car park until the dr would see us in a tent. It was incredibly hot for the rest of us and my poor child had a blazing temperature and was crying to go back to bed.
Basically can anyone suggest - will his appetite return? Should I try to force him to eat or respect the fact that he just wants drinks? Is there anything else I can give him? To make matters worse, his brace is digging into him and hurting his mouth so he’s got that to deal with too ☹️

Totally different, but my DP had terrible flu last year - he was ill to the point of me being a bit frightened and calling my mum because I needed a grownup to tell me what to do.

On her advice I gave him hot Ribera, brought him soup in a mug so he could have it in bed, tea with sugar, and lemon and ginger tea. He was in the spare room (miraculously I didn’t catch it), and I got him to get up and have a shower, or a bath, every day so I could strip the bed and put on fresh sheets. Once he was a bit better he had scrambled eggs with ham and cheese, then so,e plain baked chicken on white rice. He loves Galaxy chocolate, so I would bring him some with every drink and he would suck on a couple of squares if he felt up to it.

My mum (proper grownup) said the food didn’t really matter, as long as he was drinking.

I hope he feels better soon, OP.

Like a previous poster suggested, something like flat full sugar coke is ideal.

I wouldn't try anything acidic like orange juice, it will really sting his throat. I had my tonsils out as an adult and tonsillitis would absolutely wipe me out.

I hope your son is feeling better soon

Lots of ice poles of slush things? Could
Be glandular fever

Await results and go from there xx

I had glandular fever whilst at university. I'd say I had all the same symptoms as your son. I also struggled to breathe and was taken to hospital twice by ambulance. Keep with the kind encouragement and lots of sleep 🙏🏼

Nutricia also do "fortijuce" high energy drinks with are juice, rather than milk based. They are expensive on Amazon but maybe your gp would prescribe them? Hope he gets better soon, OP.

Dairy free icecream . Lots of! Soothing to the throat and will get calories into him.

This sounds like glandular fever rather than Covid. GF is really nasty and his symptoms are bang on, plus it’s common in your teens. He could do with a blood test to confirm it or rule it out. I remember struggling to eat anything at all but for some reason jelly sweets like Haribo went down ok. Not ideal but at least it was calories.

I have heard of a few people recently with nasty throat infections..

Chicken bone broth, even if he only has a few spoonfuls. The extra ingredients will make it taste good so do add onions, garlic, carrot, celery, herbs, ginger, nigella seeds, cardamom, salt.

Turmeric 'milk'.. made with rice milk, turmeric, honey, black pepper and other spices like cinnamon and cardamom.

Vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc. Look for liposomal liquid drops which will be easier to take than tablets. (Amazon)

I would also look at probiotics. It sounds like he has really been knocked by this but also has underlying issues so I would keep things simple, rice, chicken soup, steamed vegetables. Building him up gradually and allow his body to heal.

My DD has had covid and the same symptoms as your Son, her cough developed a couple of weeks later and she's still coughing, six weeks later.

She lived on ice lollies and ice cream. A couple of weeks not eating is fine. I've had severe pneumonia, I wasn't forced to eat while in hospital. Fluids are important. If they can be nutritional, then go with that. I can remember having a coconut milk/ banana milkshake type drink after a while and it tasted like heaven. Be guided by what he starts to feel like. Get him to take multi vitamins, chewable or tablet form. He will need building up afterwards and still plenty of rest. The same applies to glandular fever, tonsillitis etc.

Getting a humidifier for his room with help his throat a lot.

My dc was unwell in mid-March. I suspect with covid. Since then, he sleeps through the day at least twice a week. The effects of this are long lasting and strange symptoms can pop up weeks in. Make sure he rests lots even when he feels better.

Dairy free ice cream may sooth his fruit.

Swedish Glace is a soya ice cream and delicious. There are also coconut based ice creams too.

I hope he feels better soon and you get your trst results quickly.

Hope he feels better soon.

Is the gland pain in his neck? I had an incredibly sore and painful neck / shoulder alongside a respiratory virus in Jan/Feb. Ended up at ENT as my throat was so painful for so long, felt like I was swallowing a lump. No idea what it was, but it took maybe 2-3 months to fully resolve.

Please phone the GP again.i ended up hospitalised 4 times with tonsillitis and know someone who ended up septic in ITU with it. At my worst I found vimto with lots of ice really good. Get some Difflam spray as it really helps.

After 4/5 days of antibiotics I think I’d want to check in with the GP if no significant improvement. Can you ask for a telephone appointment and explain that your DS is not well enough to attend the surgery? They might be able to advise you over the phone.

Op, let him sleep as much as he wants. I am on my 13th week of being ill with CV. My throat was bad pain in glands and under armpits, totally exhausted, plus the heat in chest and back, pain and shortness of breath. My cough didn't really start til 3 weeks in. My teenager also had it with a hot face and body aches.

What helped me was sleeping loads, fluids and light foods, soup and bread, ice cream anything light. He needs to eat small amounts.

sucking on ice cubes might help too

My brothers used to get bad Strep throat like you describe. They carried natively, it was in them all the time but would occasionally flare up & give them meningitis type symptoms, wipe them out for a week at a time at least. Hope your son is better soon.

Oh poor thing. I think you should call your GP and update them. They may suggest blood tests for glandular fever as others have suggested. Or throat swabs.

Can you get non acid fruits like banana and blend them? Perhaps with yoghurt?

His orthodontist should be able to provide some wax to cover the bit of the brace that is digging in to him, if they won't correct it. Failing that, chewing gum.

honey to soothe the throat,
jelly,
sorbet, (dairy free ice cream?)
good luck.

How is he today op?

You could try Huel. It's vegan and a complete meal replacement.

What has he eaten op?