She’s not drinking, so I am
CJ, that is. The only reasons I’m not freaking out and on my way to the ER are that she doesn’t have a fever or signs of dehydration, and she’s still acting like herself.
It started a few weeks ago at her nine-month well baby appointment, where they discovered that she had a double ear infection. I’d had no idea. She’d been pulling at her ears occasionally, but she hadn’t shown any other symptoms. On the flip side, she’d been gnawing on her fingers, so it seemed more likely that she was teething again. Guess not.
We went through the 10-day course of Amoxicillin and brought her back in for a check. Apparently, she’s secretly running a candle factory in her ears – too much wax to see clearly, but the doc performed some other types of magic and determined that everything was in order.
I brought her back in less than a week later. Pulling at the ears again, a funny rash on her torso, and I was second-guessing myself after the previous surprise diagnosis. Sure enough, her right ear was infected again.
This time, we got Zithromax. Only a five-day course. She has actually ingested three of those five doses. That is, three went down and stayed down.
She’s been exploding out both ends. The dropper irritates her very sensitive gag reflex. Even the nipple of the bottle makes her gag if she’s not ready for it. She’ll drink the regular formula, but she doesn’t want the soy stuff (which the doc suggested might not irritate her tummy so much), nor does she want Pedialyte (flavored or unflavored). We’ve been giving her bananas and oatmeal and yogurt, but she only takes a little at a time, and multiple times I’ve managed to undo all the ingestion by sticking that damn dropper in her mouth so that she can take her medicine. After she eats, I keep her in the high chair as long as possible, because inevitably when she stands up and starts to cruise, she fills her diaper. Violently. I thought only adults made sounds and smells like that.
Today at lunch, she ate half a jar of bananas and then promptly puked it all up after I tried to give her the last dose of antibiotics. Why does it always look like so much MORE when it’s coming back OUT? I figured it was a good time to give her a bath (which she enjoys). In the tub, she was unusually quiet. Sure enough, she fired a torpedo. That is, a torpedo that immediately disintegrated. The force was there, the substance was not. Neither child had ever shit herself in the tub before, so I shrieked for Kyle, who bathed CJ in the sink while I Cloroxed the hell out of the tub.
She’s sleeping normally. Her activity is normal. She jabbers and laughs and objects strenuously when I shoo her out of the cupboard with the poisonous cleaning products.
I’m at a loss here. Tacy was never sick. I can’t seem to strike a balance between neglectful and insane. But I’m certainly gaining a greater appreciation for the many friends of mine who have faced similar (and worse) situations.
November 27th, 2005 at 5:41 pm
Ugh, Julie — no fun at all. Those ear infections can be really tricky with the little ones when they can’t tell you what’s going on.
Big-A actually gave up her bottle right around the age of 1 because she had a stomach virus. It took a little bit for her to get back to her “normal” (for her) eating habits. Could be CJ is relating certain tastes with feeling bad?
Hope she’s feeling better soon (and mom too!) Take care and know I’m thinking of you.
November 27th, 2005 at 6:32 pm
Oh, the poor little thing. Hope she can get something she can keep down (and inside!). Very scary, I would be freaking out.
November 27th, 2005 at 6:55 pm
Furry rash? lots of little red bumps? Did they do a throat culture? Sounds a bit like scarlet fever (or strep throat gone a little long). But the Zitromax should have taken care of it. It has a half life in the body, so the 3 doses last almost 3 times as long
Zithromax can cause rotten poops. It kills everything – even the good bacteria in your intestines, so her system may be in revolt.
It sounds like you’re doing everything right Julie. As long as her skin isn’t looking drawn – If you can pinch the back of her hand and the flesh doesn’t plump back out right away- then it is a good sign of dehydration.
Otherwise, the ped’s are going to say – No fever? No dehydration? It’s a virus!
Hang in there! And smooch your sick baby! ( but not on the mouth – God, you don’t need to get this!)
November 27th, 2005 at 7:37 pm
Oh God-that sounds like hell, for both you and CJ. Could she be allergic to the medicine?
November 27th, 2005 at 8:35 pm
I think that Zitromax can make a baby’s butt burn. What’s the next step up – Levi-something. A lot stronger than Amoxil, but no nasty side effects of the zitro. Just keep on eye on her… Gage had gotten RSV right around this time last year, and it started off as a double ear infection.
November 27th, 2005 at 9:01 pm
Oh, poor CJ!
Splig had several days of vomiting, but thankfully that ended just in time for Thanksgiving, so he pigged out and gained all the lost weight back. Whew!
Best wishes for a speedy recovery. (And please don’t go insane…)
November 27th, 2005 at 9:25 pm
Poor kid! I’m sorry I have no advice to give you. I hope it clears up soon. I’m sure you’re doing all you can and that now it’s just a matter of time…
Sending get well thoughts your way.
November 27th, 2005 at 9:38 pm
Poor CJ. And you. I’ve heard that certain antibiotics can tear their little stomachs up, but I can never remember which ones.
Your ’shit in the tub’ story brought back memories. That’s only happened once, when my oldest was about 4 and my middle, about 2. The middle pooped in the tub when they were bathing together and the oldest shot out of there like a rocket!
November 28th, 2005 at 9:14 am
Both my kids loved to poop in the tub. Last year Daughter had ear infections from November to April, and all those antibiotics (pick one, she took it) played havoc on her insides. They make their poops acidic, so watch for diaper rash — I recommend Bag Balm, which you can pick up at Tractor Supply; clears the butt right up.
Watch those ears, if she keeps getting infections she may need tubes, which aren’t as bad as they sound…keep me posted on that, as I can offer up tons of advice on that.
Keep up with the yogurt; our ped said that would help settle the stomach and firm up the poo.
Isn’t being a parent wonderful?????
November 28th, 2005 at 9:36 am
I’m loathe to say I’ve never experienced a tub poop, because as soon as it exits my mouth one will exit The Bird’s ass. I’m superstitious that way.
How ’bout mashed up semi frozen pediapops? Might be fun to play with and a little might get down her throat? That’s all I’ve got.
Oy. I’m feeling for you.
November 28th, 2005 at 9:53 am
I don’t have useful advice that hasn’t already been given better, but just to affirm and commiserate:
1) Antibiotics always give B the most hellish, explosive, runny poops, and flaming red diaper rash. And although you hate the smell, be thankful you CAN smell — my nose barely works, and if you don’t catch those things right away, the diaper rash is ten times worse.
2) I had ear infections all the time as an infant. I ended up getting tubes in my ears TWICE. I only mention this because someone else mentioned tubes, and I wanted to reassure you that although they sound freaky, they really do help, and I have excellent hearing to this day.
November 28th, 2005 at 1:29 pm
Oh, poor kiddo. I hope she gets to feeling better.
My brother shit in the tub once when we were little. We used to bathe together to conserve water. It was not fun. One messy and sick kid, and one messy and traumatized beyond belief kid.
November 28th, 2005 at 4:15 pm
Don’t worry, hon. She’s a kid and kids get sick, and I know as a mother you’re a) worried as hell and b) sound like you’re blaming yourself somehow but please don’t.
It’s horrible that she’s sick. But she’ll get better. She’ll be all smiles again. In the mean time just mother her like you always do because you know what? You sound like a fine mom and with a mom like you a little ear infection is not going to get her down.
May 4th, 2007 at 5:55 am
My six month old little guy also has an ear infection in both ears… This after having an ear infection in his left ear. They gave us the antibiotic that is one step up from Arithromycin. We had no clue… thought he was teething….. He was not pulling on his ears…. or screaming like he did during the first ear infection…. PLUS… he has been congested for over 2 months!!!
No advice… need help here too….
I will keep you in my thoughts….
April 20th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
[...] profoundly grateful that, unlike at CJ’s nine-month check up, the doctor did not discover a double ear infection. I was proud that, unlike at any of CJ’s or Tacy’s check ups, he barely noticed the [...]