runny nose, cough, ear & eye infections

My 3 kiddos have been sick with runny nose, cough, ear & eye infections for 3 weeks now. We have been on the second round of antibiotics for 2 and 1/2 days and while my dd's eyes look better and she seems to feel better, the twins are still pussing and are very unhappy. They are still pulling on ears and have taken to scratching the backs of thier necks, bloody scratches. DD and James are also on nebulizer treatments, 4 times a day, which is common for James when he is sick, but I have never had to do this for DD. I have to physically force them to take the medicines and it is really difficult to give 8 neb treatments a day. I have to separate them all while I do it other wise somebody is unplugging the machine or pestering the recipient. So, they all cry the entire time and the treatments last at least 15 min each. It makes ME feel like THEY feel I am abusing them. Thier sleep had not been affected until 3 days ago. Now they wake up at least 3 times a night with a coughing fit. Naps are all over the place too. It has just been plain AWFUL. I feel so bad and worried for them but I have been doing this for 3 weeks and am trying to keep my patience with them, they need me to now more than ever, but its really hard when every one is crying and I have to keep doing things to them that they hate and they are still sick!!!! I am about to cry and it takes alot to break me down. Thanks for listening.

They have a follow up appointment with the dr for Monday but in the meantime I am wondering: is anyone else going or gone through something resistent like this? I have heard that some ear infections are viral and antibiotics won't do any good but with the eye infection that led me to believe they needed it. Is it possible to have an eye and ear infection that are viral? After 2and 1/2 days should they be showing signs of improvement? Should I wait another day? I am wondering if I should bump up the appointment to tommorow. We are using the vicks mist machine during sleep times and tylenol when I think they need it. Is there anything else I can do for them?

Thanks for reading and for any advice you may have.

Loralyn

PS twins are 15 months, dd is 3 don't know if that matters

 

WOW! First off, I'm so sorry that you are going though this. It is SO hard when they are all sick forever! I can really relate. We went through a series of illness this summer and I thought I might lose my mind. We all had strep 4-5 times, ear infections, and Brynne had a very bad fall in which she knocked her front teeth loose, ER visit, she was really banged up. This led to a series of follow up doctor and dentist appointments. Plus, she was scheduled to get tubes/ adnoids out. With the strep, they all hated the antibiotics, so it was a major fight 3x a day for three kids. The baby ended up having to get her antibiotics through a shot becasue she just would spit it all out. It was so stressful. Plus, I was sick, too. Really, it was the most difficult times that I've had with all of them.

With the neb. treatments, it's hard enough to get the one to do it for 15 minutes, nevermind dealing with the other kids unplugging, etc. the screaming is hard to take. Can you sit the twins in their high chairs and give a snack while the oldest gets the neb.? Really, there is no easy answer. What kind of eye infection do they have, pink eye? Pink eye can be bacterial or viral, so if it is viral, it just has to go away on it's own. I would call the ped. and say they still are bad off. Try using Motrin and increase fluids. Try to get everyone to bed early. I know you said naps are ll over the place. Can you lay down with them? You could probably use a nap, too! Also, do you have any help? It sound like you could really use a break. I hope things get better real soon. I KNOW how hard it is!

 

I am so sorry you are having to go thru this. I know that my DS who has chronic lung issues has done WAY better with an inhaler with a spacer. Same meds same dose FAR less time and FAR less fight. Im not saying we didnt have to hold him down a bit and just when he would recover from having the first puff it would be time for the second. My kiddos are 14 months old. We do nebs still when they are sick sick and sitting still just for the humidity...but once he starts feeling better it is back puffs because I think the fight works him up and makes his breathing worse. I would ask your doctor about the puffs with a spacer...not all doctors like this idea but it has been a good decison for us and is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics in recent studies.

 

QUOTE
We all had strep 4-5 times, ear infections, and Brynne had a very bad fall in which she knocked her front teeth loose, ER visit, she was really banged up. This led to a series of follow up doctor and dentist appointments. Plus, she was scheduled to get tubes/ adnoids out. With the strep, they all hated the antibiotics, so it was a major fight 3x a day for three kids. The baby ended up having to get her antibiotics through a shot becasue she just would spit it all out. It was so stressful. Plus, I was sick, too. Really, it was the most difficult times that I've had with all of them.


Wow, so sorry,Mel sounds like you had it rough for awhile there. Ans how awful about Byrnne's teeth on top of it all. I hope the dentist was able to repair the damage. Did the shot for the baby clear up the infection quickly?

QUOTE
Can you sit the twins in their high chairs and give a snack while the oldest gets the neb.? Really, there is no easy answer. What kind of eye infection do they have, pink eye? Pink eye can be bacterial or viral, so if it is viral, it just has to go away on it's own. I would call the ped. and say they still are bad off. Try using Motrin and increase fluids. Try to get everyone to bed early. I know you said naps are ll over the place. Can you lay down with them? You could probably use a nap, too! Also, do you have any help? It sound like you could really use a break. I hope things get better real soon. I KNOW how hard it is!


I think a snack for the boys during DD's neb would help. I could not think straight through all the crying and craziness that day. All I could come up with was to separate them, which I rarely do, so they were pretty upset. I strap James into his infant car seat and I just moved it to a higher location where the other 2 can't reach it. They did start sleeping through the night I wrote this post so they seemed to be slightly better although still pulling ears and pussing from the eyes after sleep time. They won't nap with me, they think its playtime and are too excited to see me. I guess sleep training worked too well. LOL. I don't have any day time help available. My mom has emphasema (spelling?) so she can't be around us at all if we are sick and everyone else works or has kids of their own and I don't want to get anybody sick.

Update: We had their follow up appintement today. DD is better, no more nebs and finish her medicine. The boys are still sick. James has 2 ear infections now and Quentin's 2 still look really bad. I made sure to ask this time about viral vs bacterial and 2 of the doctors confirmed it is definetly a bacterial and resistent infection. This is thier first ear infection so I was suprised it would be resistant. So they are on another antibiotic, 1xs a day for 5 days. If this does not work they may have to get the shots. They have their well-baby appointment on Thursday with our regular pedi and they will be rechecked then. I finally caught the cold on Saturday. I've been getting everyone to bed as early as possible so I can get some rest. Hopefully this last antibiotic will do the trick and we will all feel much better tomorow!

Loralyn

 

QUOTE(JJandDekmomma @ Jan 8 2009, 11:44 PM) [snapback]1139326[/snapback]
I am so sorry you are having to go thru this. I know that my DS who has chronic lung issues has done WAY better with an inhaler with a spacer. Same meds same dose FAR less time and FAR less fight. Im not saying we didnt have to hold him down a bit and just when he would recover from having the first puff it would be time for the second. My kiddos are 14 months old. We do nebs still when they are sick sick and sitting still just for the humidity...but once he starts feeling better it is back puffs because I think the fight works him up and makes his breathing worse. I would ask your doctor about the puffs with a spacer...not all doctors like this idea but it has been a good decison for us and is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics in recent studies.


Thank you for the suggestion. I will certainly bring it up to our pedi on Thursday.

Loralyn