Anyone up? Worried about DS.

[ShowOfHands]

DS had a positive test a week ago. His main symptom was a very high temperature. He bounced back and for 6 days he has been fine if a little more tired than usual but nothing of note.

On Thursday night, exactly a week after the fever, he complained of a sore throat and yesterday it bothered him more and more and I could see it was swollen and had red spots. Overnight, he's got hotter and hotter and now has a clear fever, says his throat is incredibly painful and his breathing is shallower and a little faster. He can't open his mouth wide enough for me to see his throat properly but the tiny amount of the top of his mouth I can see is still very red and spotty.

I've been googling and know that a week in is often when it gets worse if it's going to. I don't know if this is to be expected and we are fine to watch and wait. I don't know if it's a secondary infection. I just don't know what to think or do.

So I'm watching him and posting here while I keep an eye on his symptoms. He's 9 and otherwise in good health.

I'm just not sure what to do.

[Whydidimarryhim]

I hope he gets better soon and a reminder to me to stock up on pain relief at home. I hope it’s liquid antibiotics for him

[SpeckledyHen]

Poor little chap. Hopefully the antibiotics will be the answer and he will soon be feeling better .

[ShowOfHands]

He had double pneumonia as a baby and has some scarring on his lungs as a result so I'm quite well practised at counting breaths and noting signs of dropping sats. As a toddler, I could always see the slight blue tinge to his upper lip before he was symptomatic. He used to get awful croup with all the pulling in under his ribs and around his throat, rapid heart rate, shallow breathing etc. It's been years since I've done the closely watching him thing though. It feels strange sitting and watching him like this. Like he's tiny again.

His breathing is better now he's propped up. Slightly increased due to the fever but nothing untoward at the moment.

Both the GP and the paramedic gave very clear instructions on what to expect and what to look out for.

MIL is dropping in ice lollies later in an hour. Or at least leaving them on the doorstep. Next to the big red cross.

[Chaotic45]

@ShowOfHands I'm glad you've heard back, and you were right to hold off ibuprofen (to be clear to anyone who has not RTFT this is because OP's DS hasn't eaten much).

I wonder if a double dose of AB isn't a good idea for the same reason? Hopefully pharmacist will advise.

Please don't worry about asking your friends for help. They will want to do all they can, that's what friends are for.

[TheTeenageYears]

I hope he turns a corner soon. We've always found that warm (not hot) and definitely not cold drinks are much more tolerable with sore throats.

I hope you don't mind me asking the timings in your situation @ShowOfHands, you said DD tested positive previously, DS returned to school for a few days and then he tested positive. Were there other cases at school in DS's bubble or do you think he got it from DD? I know there's no way of really knowing i'm just interested, it could demonstrate why self isolating for those in close contact with a positive case for the full 14 days is so important rather than testing part way through self isolation, getting a negative test and thinking the full 14 days isn't required.

[Iamdobby63]

Although I’m sad your son (and you) went through all that when he was a baby at least you are well versed on what to look out for and how to check his breathing now.

I really hope to read some good news coming your way very soon x

Can someone else take a turn watching over him so you can get some rest? If that’s possible....

[ShowOfHands]

DH is asleep downstairs and teen DD is fast asleep in her room. Once ice lollies and ABs are here, I'll wake up DH and ask him to take over for a bit.

Thank you for your kind wishes 😊

[ShowOfHands]

The antibiotics are tablets. This will be fun!

[Haggisfish]

You can crush them up -I used to do this and put them in a spoon of jam. Or empty powder onto jam if they won’t crush.

[ShowOfHands]

I've just asked him if he wanted to try swallowing them and he took two, put them in his mouth and swallowed That was a little too easy.

He won't let me remove tiny splinters or brush his hair but he can take tablets without batting an eyelid. 9yo boys are weird.

He's got an ice lolly which apparently is nice and cold but "tastes of nothing".

[TheTeenageYears]

Crash them and mix into DS's fav melted chocolate. Nutella is great for hiding stuff but with a sore throat might be too pappy. Warm melted chocolate should go down nicely.

[Haggisfish]

Well done him!

[CovidStoleTheRainbow]

Given that his throat hurts and he's 9, that's really thick of the GP to prescribe tablets.
That would really piss me off.

[Kittyhelp]

We had covid in March/April. DH was hospitalised with it. A few weeks after the main symptoms went I started getting a really sore throat. When I looked in my mouth I had little red dots across the roof of my mouth. These then turned to big white circles. It was so sore! (This was on a weekend so I decided to wait it out) when I woke up on the Monday morning everything had disappeared! DH then went on to get really bad tonsillitis and needed antibiotics, even after two lots when he was in hospital. Wishing your DS better

[mintyfreshh]

This sounds a lot like my 5yo DC when he had COVID. We had a very hairy 48 hours 5 days in where we had to restrain him and force fluids into him (he's autistic and cannot be bribed or reasoned with). He pulled through eventually. Very scary for all involved.

He was back bouncing on his trampoline a week later.

[RaggieDolls]

Poor little guy. Tonsillitis and the like can be so painful.

[ShowOfHands]

Well he's just been sick so not sure how much of the ABs he would have absorbed. Some hopefully as he took them 2 hours ago. Also don't know if it was the ABs making him sick or the covid/tonsillitis/whatever it is. I've also rung the pharmacy to query the dose as it seemed a bit much and they've suggested to halve the GP's suggestion.

DD was sick too after looking like she was okay for a few days.

I just want us all to be well. Poor boy. He's actually a bit perkier in that he's awake and reading but I just want him completely well.

@mintyfreshh I'm so glad he (literally!) bounced back. DD was very sick and unwell for a couple of days but got over it remarkably quickly. It's so unpredictable.

[ShowOfHands]

@Kittyhelp you poor things. Are you both completely recovered?

[Chevronsoup]

Not sure I could 'watch and wait' my child being in pain without giving paracetamol and ibuprofen. He had an extremely high temperature yet you're happy to leave him?

Parents learning the basics of pain relief and administering it at home would save time, suffering and resources.

[ShowOfHands]

@Chevronsoup I'd given him paracetamol and had been giving it since he complained of pain. I'm not a monster ffs! He'd also had throat lozenges, cuddles, ice cubes, cold drinks and tlc.

[Iamdobby63]

You are doing a wonderful job OP. I’m pleased to read he has sat up and had an ice lolly. I guess if it was a mega dose of AB’s that might have made him sick. Try the next dose and if it happens again then call and speak to a GP.

Once he’s eaten a little you can go with the ibuprofen as well, hopefully when he can have both he will perk up.

You must be exhausted. X

[ShowOfHands]

Thank you. You've made me smile.

He hasn't eaten and has largely slept, mostly on me. I've snuck away for a bath but am going to wake him up for fluids and antibiotics when I'm more human. Half term has been a total wash out and he was so excited about Halloween. We were going to have a spooky tea party but that's not happening. I'm just crossing everything for a marked improvement.

[NeurotrashWarrior]

Oh how stressful op, glad he's got ABs.

Last time I had tonsillitis it began to move towards quinsy and just the tonsils made me gag a lot. More likely to be the ABs though.

Hopefully lots of tlc, lollies and cuddles will help soon

[NeurotrashWarrior]

When he's better you can have a belated Halloween weekend 🎃

[Iamdobby63]

Have the spooky tea party when he’s feeling better, it doesn’t really matter if it’s not today. I do hope you see a marked improvement very soon. X