Snowstorm and sick kid

This is just a vent, mostly....

Sarah has had an intermittent low (never over 101, mostly 99-100) fever since Sunday morning. She'll go 24 hours or more with a normal temp, then it is back up. She is also coughing, though not terribly. So she's been out of daycare all week. DH stayed home with her on Monday, but then had to go on a business trip to Calif. I brought a little bit of work home, but can barely do anything except check my email.

And now we're having a big snowstorm, so Amy may very well be home tomorrow too. How do I entertain two kids indoors all day when we can't go anywhere that there will be other kids?

And at what point do I call the doctor? AskDrSears.com says after 5 days of a low fever or 3 days of a high one. Apparently H1N1 can cause symptoms like this too, although my gut feeling still says this is just a cold (she has no headache, intestinal issues, body aches, or fatigue that I can tell). Sigh.

 

I would call your DR just for some info and suggestions--you dont want her to get worse in the middle of a snowstorm. They may suggest bringing her in or waiting. The low grade *could* be a UTI, sinus infection, ear infection, etc along with the cold.

To entertain them---mine LOVE playdoh, puzzles, stickers, etc. They also play well for periods of time with just their toys. Set a routine so they know what will happen: eat breakfast, do an art project, snack, video (or music ), play a game, lunch, etc.....it will help the day go by faster and stop the "Whaaaatttt can I dooooooo" chant.

Hope she feels better soon!

 

I think the general rule with fever is 5 to 7 days. At least, that is what I seem to remember from the days of working in a pediatric office. However, that was years ago.

Things to do: All of the above plus
~fingerpainting
~pull out a box of noodles or cheerios and let them make necklaces
~let them cook with you (make cookies or cupcakes, etc...). I bet they would love decorating cookies or cupcakes
~Build forts or tents in the house
~bubbles

Hope she gets to feeling better soon!

 

Thanks for the suggestions! And that's a great point about the routine. I'm good about that when we're out and about, but at home I tend to just expect them to go play with something -- so of course they wind up wandering around going "Mommy.... Mommy...." for hours on end. I need to accept that I'm going to have to be the cruise director and take a more active role in their activities. :ibiggrin:

 

For us that is usually a sign of an ear infection. With my girls that is usually the ONLY sign they have. Low grade fevers, that spike at night. I would call the advice nurse line and see what they say.

 

Ugh... this has been my week, minus the snowstorm, just yucky rainy dreary weather. They did go to preschool yesterday, but it's only 2.5 hrs! Caleb's been really snotty and coughing, Bea has an ear infection, Ainsley's starting to have a runny nose and cough. So, we're mostly just home. I have been doing a movie in the middle of the day at Caleb's afternoon nap. I don't feel so hot myself, which is also annoying.
Sorry guess I'm not any help, just joining in the vent! This is going to be a looooong freaking winter!

 

Fortunately preschool is open today, so I am just home with Sarah. After she watches a movie we're going to go make a snowman in the backyard. And I promised Amy I would pick her up early so we could go sledding, since her teachers sounded disinclined to take the class out to play in the snow. (What's up with that? 20 inches of beautiful snow and they expect the kids to stay inside all day? :unknw: )

I guess I will call the advice nurse. I'm just kind of loathe to do it because I know they will say "Sounds like you should bring her in." And then that's 3 hours out of my day, and they never find anything wrong and always tell me it's just a bad cold. So I just keep hoping it will go away on its own...

 

How about play dress up in Mommy's and Daddy's clothes? One can be the mom and the other can be the dad? I of course wouldn't find anything nice for them to wear.

We had a virus around our house a couple weeks ago, with fever, hacking and puking. I spoke to a Ped's RN and she said they didn't want them in the office unless they had less than 3 wet diapers a day. We were fine with that.

 

Alden:

Hang in there -- sick kid plus DH away plus snowstorm equals one very tired mommy!

One other idea for rainy/snowy days:

Fill tub with warm water, put kids in bathing suits, pull out measuring spoons, measuring cups, wooden spoons, turkey baster -- whatever from the kitchen stash -- and enjoy an hour of water play (without expecting any bathing to get done.)

I am sending some positive energy your way!

Meg -- mom to 3.5 year old boy/girl twins

 

I hope she is feeling better. I have a friend who's DD just got diagnosed with H1N1. She had no fever at all, just was acting a little off. So I just wanted to say that everyone exhibits different symptoms. Anyhow,hang in there. I know Diane (dfaut) is up in that area and she just had to drag Martin through the storm to the pedi.

 

Update: I called the advice nurse and she said not to bring her in (for once). She said they only want to see kids with at least one of the following: fever over 101 for 5 days, cold symptoms for over 10 days with no improvement, respiratory distress, or complaining of ear or chest pain.

Now Sarah is having a fit because she wanted to go to the doctor. Kids!

 

We just baked cupcakes, and then I made a really flat cake out of the leftover batter. We took cookie cutters to the flat cake and they had fun with that. They put sprinkles on the cupcakes for their preschool party tomorrow. Hope we can go!

 

Alden, I feel ya!!! :hug: Glad you got the "keep an eye on things" I took Martin today because he was up in the night SCREAMING about his ear! I had him in on Monday and he was fine, today - FULL BLOW ear infection (before this we've had 1.25 ear infections between the two of them )!!!

Hubby's gone every week (maybe working from home next week!! :yahoo so I feel your pain! He misses EVERY HUGE STORM!!!!! :faint: